In the Garden
Ralph Purkhiser, Purdue University Master Gardener
A century is a long time. In today’s society, families move around the country frequently, and few families remain on the same homestead. On October 1, 1924, Robert V. and Bertha M. Hooten moved from a tenant farm in Northeast Township, east of Orleans, to a small farm in Northwest Township, north of Prospect. On October 13 of that year, Bertha gave birth to a girl, whom she named Helen Marie. That baby would grow up and marry Charles Purkhiser, and they would become my parents.
Grandma Hooten loved flowers of all kinds. She had brought some shrubs with her when she came to the farm, and began planting them. Many of those plants are still growing here at what I now call Sandhill Gardens. Grandma and my parents involved me in gardening from a young age. We raised a lot of fruits and vegetables, but Grandma always included some flowers to attract pollinators and to provide beauty. She also had a large collection of tropical plants that she brought into the house during the cold months. I developed a true love for the gardens, and learned from these capable teachers. It was only natural that I would later take the Purdue University Master Gardener courses.
When moving to a new home, some people like to clear out what is there and design from a clean slate. While there have been some changes made from Grandma’s original plantings and I have added many new plants, there are still many of Grandma’s shrubs and flowers growing right where she planted them. On Saturday, September 28, I will be celebrating a century of gardening at Sandhill Gardens by the Hooten and Purkhiser families. I invite you to join in the celebration. There will be a plant exchange beginning at 10 AM, and garden talks throughout the day.
Highlighting the celebration will be the plants that Grandma Hooten planted a century ago. Several such plants form informal hedge rows on both sides of the driveway. On the south side are a large bridal wreath spirea and a mock orange. The north side of the drive has a forsythia, three lilacs and rose of Sharon. I have added a double-flowering rose of Sharon. There are also two of Grandma’s peonies (or, as she called them, pineys), but they have been cut back for the season. Over the years, I have added many more peonies, including tree peonies and intersectional peonies. One of my favorites is a wild mountain peony from Japan. It is from this plant that most of the modern peonies have been bred.
Another of grandma’s original plants is a tall sedum that has white flowers. The original planting was under the kitchen window. That original house is no longer there, but the sedums still grow in that place. I have taken cuttings and have more of them growing in other parts of the garden now.
Perhaps the plant most requested by family members is grandma’s old-fashioned rose. The light pink double rose has one of the most fragrant scents of any flower I have ever smelled. It is a one-time spring bloomer, but that scent is so wonderful that it definitely earns its place in the landscape.
The original snowball viburnum still grows in the front yard, and another, propagated from a cutting, is in the moon garden I have planted at the top of the cliff.
I cannot promise that the gardens will be spectacular. The weather, my aging body and malfunctioning equipment have stymied my attempts to make everything perfect, but you will see a lot of plants and one of the most breath-taking views in southern Indiana. I’d love to see you there. The gardens are located at 3061 N. County Road 810 W. in West Baden Springs, IN.