This week I must switch my focus from bare bums to bare roots as I have got to spend the next several days hunkering down into some of my garden projects. In the summers, I have a large old Victorian house next door that used to belong to my friend Gilbert. Gilbert loved gardens and he taught me a love for the process of the garden. When I was a student back in college days I rented the carriage house on Gilbert’s property. Whenever I had free time I would go out and help Gilbert with his gardens. In fact he and I did most of the work to establish the gardens as they currently are today. So when I would come home from one of my jaunts, as he would call them (work in the theater for me), I would stay with Gilbert and help him with the gardens. It seemed over the years Gilbert got further away from what he loved most as I got closer to perfecting my green thumb.

When I stopped working in the theater about 15 years ago and wanted to settle back into Montana, I began to take over a lot of Gilbert’s chores and the gardens full time. It was during this time that Gilbert also got me started into photography and really became the inspiration for what I do now. Seven years ago Gilbert passed away from a brain tumor. I then worked for two years settling his estate and still maintaining the gardens and house. The house was then sold to a couple from California named the Hobbs, who has done considerable renovation and construction to the house, allowing me to design everything exterior. I have over the years been working to adapt the gardens to their personality and lifestyle.

Unfortunately they only come to visit the house once a week about every other month, so the garden essentially has become mine. I keep trying to get away from it, but it is still one of my passions. Once I get it all planted the commitment is less to maintain and upkeep, but this week I need to pull it all together for another season. I keep wanting to let go because I am becoming far too busy with other things, but it is like a child that you cannot just abandon. So it’s time to pull on the old Carharts, get my hands dirty and dig in the earth.