Grama Clara's garden was an inspiration to family, friends and community members. Coming out of the "dust bowl" of South Dakota in the 30's, she started planting trees, shrubs, bulbs, perennials, fruits and vegetables on a patch of rocky prairie land in the NW and didn't stop for the next 65 years.

She ended up with almost an acre of "cottage gardens" that homeowners now pay exorbitant prices to have planted. Much of my first hand knowledge of home gardening came from the last ten years of being Grama's "hired man" – doing the heavy work. Or as she put it, "I'm the pilot – I pile it and you haul it away". I learned correct sun exposure by remembering which side of a building a plant flourished in her garden. I learned which plants needed how much more water to survive our annual 10 inches of rainfall. I learned a lot in her garden. Happy Birthday Grama -- a little late this year, but I never could keep up with you.