Older gardeners!!!

This article from the Baltimore Sun had me amused: http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/bal-al.reimer30dec30,0,5922540.column

By "older" gardeners they're talking about people 40 to 44 years old. Victor and Al have attained some measure of age by the view of the piece. So now how are the rest of us older gardeners to be classified? Are we ancient, pre-burial or ready for the compost heap?

Considering the fact that my former neighbor, Mrs. Loeffler, only ended her gardening at 95 (she died at 102) and that we often put in 8 to 11 hour days here, I guess you young'uns must go without food and sleep and work 18 hour days. Amazing!

Here are the two ancient Southold gardeners:

Good for you! Gardening keeps you young INSIDE!

Me? I'm 49.

When a non-gardening friend constantly asks me, "What will you do when you can't take care of your gardens any longer?", I feel like hanging up the phone! She's been saying it for 16 years now and I keep adding plants, not deleting.

This is just one section of one of our 33 gardens.

Pirl - those two gardeners don't look like they're ready for the compost heap yet. I think Southold can get a few more years of gardening out of them. Keep up the good work and stay young!! Eleanor
(I feel like I'm in the compost heap but I don't let that stop me)

Thanks, Eleanor. So much depends on attitude with gardening and with life.

I just have serious doubts that anyone could be called an "older" gardener at 42!

42 is definitely a lot younger than I am!! I wouldn't want to go back to that age though - I love retirement!! Eleanor

I wouldn’t call anyone an older gardener unless they start eating the plants instead of planting them... and even then who knows? - With their experience they may know something I don’t!!

I visited a family friend in a nursing home in the summer of this year; guess what they had in the back yard? A fully equipped potting table with about 30 plants potted by the residents, the pots were everywhere inside the facility too! It was part of their activities! Some were blind even, but still gardening strong! ☺

Didn't read the link yet, Pirl, but that is something. It's extra interesting for me since I am about to move out of that 'older' group! Into what group?? I often feel older, but I am certainly not ready for leaving the gardening to the 30 year olds!

You and Jack do WAY more gardening than I do! It's the marketing / PR people with their blasted 18-35 yr old demographic mentality.

At 20 I had no thoughts of ever being a gardener. Many neighbors, from 30 to 90, have no intentions of gardening either - "too much bother".

"A garden is not made by sitting in the shade". Rudyard Kipling

It IS nice to appreciate your work from the shade, though!

True!

yikes - according to that article, i must be getting "older" even quicker than i feared - at 36, 40 is just around the bend!

Yes Amy - it's all downhill. Start thinking Arsenic & Old Lace!!

Don't eat the hemlock!

This country is too youth oriented. It's hard to appreciate and hand down values with that type of mentality.

Wait until the boomers start retiring en masse! There will be outright generational warfare.

The average age of a gardner is 40 to 44? Guess some of us are above average:~) My mom's 87 and still rakes leaves, plants bulbs and requested any roses that I might shovel prune this spring. Go Mom Go!!

That article was in regards to gardeners on the internet, which does make sense about the age finding. Certainly cyberactivities are far less scary to the elderly(sorry Pirl.LOL)than they used to be.
Didn't Dawn or someone have a thread about how the average age of gardeners is older anyway?

Oh! 42 does feel old to me sometimes when I go to those gardener bars ;)

60 is the new 40.

I met Pamela Harper two years ago, when she was 75, and what a wonderful woman she is. Healthy, funny, quick with a joke, or comeback. Also very pretty, and in excellent shape. She is my idol. I can't imagine not gardening into my 80s, anyway. My family is long lived and healthy. I am going to be 58 next month.

In my 40s I was not much of a gardener, at least until my late 40s. I had too many other things to do, like work.

Love that iris bed, Pirl!

Youth oriented society? Can any youth create garden like we 'elderly' gardeners can? :-) Age just a stage of mind. We're as young as our garden is to us. :-)

Lily_Love: Are you growing those peonies here in Alabama???


The old farmer who was my landlord at Moundville, Al. once told me about the neighbor lady, "She didn't put in a garden this year - - she's ready to move on." Sure enough, the old woman died that October.

Yes, Gloria these are the early blooming varieties. I know of an avid gardener here, his wife's love is Peonies, their tips were that we are to find early blooming varieties. The later bloomers don't fair as well under our hot/humid summer.

Lily_love,

Those peonies are gorgeous!

Thanks Pollyk, from Peonies to bottlebrush, with Tender Loving Care given by seasoned gardeners' :-)

Since that article mentioned YouTube, I did go to that site and look at some of the (iris) gardens. I did see the people filming them appear to be 40ish (just the ones I looked at, now), and I must say, none rivaled Pirls. Maybe some of us 'more experienced gardeners' need to put our gardens on YouTube. And show these young wippersnappers what a true garden is.

Very nice, Lily!

Nice photos Lily!

Thanks, Polly, and Al - you will be standing in the corner if you continue to follow Victor's devilish ways!

Not yet ready "to move on".
Pirl

Thanks Pirl; and Happy New Year to everyone.
Kim

Happy New Year to all.

I'm a boomer and I just retired early......trying to get ahead of those other boomers before they grab too much of the gusto!!! LOL

Arlene - that's a very nice photo of two drop dead classy gardeners!!! I must say I'm shocked to think of 40 as old for a gardener.......why, what's this world coming to?? I thought 60 was supposed to be so much younger than it used to be........hmmmm, this just doesn't add up. I don't buy it.

I don't buy it either, but I'm happy being a boomer myself. Happy gardening and a prosperous New Year everyone.
Kim

Thanks, Kim.......you too!!

Happy New Year and happy gardening to young, old and ancient.

Love,
Adam and Eve

I looked briefly at the link but didn't see where it said that range was old. I did see where it said the average age for gardeners is 44 and that people in their 40's and up are on the web looking for garden info.

oh my dear friend, I am right on the age... since I am 45 and started at 44! goodness gracious I don't feel old!

Omg Arlene - you guys look great!!!! You certainly are a hot mama!!! No wonder those RCMP's are still looking for ya! hehehee.

Honestly though - come on now the age thing really gets me sometimes. I know I am half your age and I still could NEVER keep up with YOU!!! NEVER!!! You do an awesome job at what you love doing. That will keep you going for many years to come!

Everyone here are cordially invited to join our New Year party here. Please come and join us.
Kim

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/800364/

Does this mean, due to my age, that I need to hit puberty again?(In regard to the average age of the gardener...lol.) Oye...I just can't imagine my voice cracking when I utter "Hosta" or "daylily"...I should give up, and have a go at it in about 7 to 11 years...lol.

There is a woman, she is at the nice young age of 85, who is taking care of her husband...she has 6 children, and I believe 26 grandchildren, and 10 great grandkids...She knits, goes to the YMCA everyday, always is out walking her dog, she drives all over the place, we do the "garden center circle" in the summer, she is more active than I am...we share veggies in the summer, she gives me gardening advice, and vice versa...she once told me this, and it is so very very true: "When are people going to realize that age is a number, and not a condition?"

Happy New Year everyone!!!!

Victor - this is from the article: Gomes says it makes sense that gardeners, who tend to be older, have more time for this activity and be more passionate about it, would have a strong online presence.

Kassia - you have the passion that will always keep you young.

Lily - so sorry I missed out on the party! I was asleep by 10 PM, as usual.

HHH - so many people are such inspirations and you've found yours locally as I did.

Happy 2008 gardening season to all.