Gardeners often share crop and root stories, but what I love most about this column is discovering people’s first recollections of gardening. Louise attributes this gift to her grandfather of Polish descent, lovingly called ‘Papa’, who, after being released from a labour camp, served in the British army in Cornwall. Meeting a Cornish girl and creating a home was the start of his journey. Most food was grown in the home garden, and nothing went to waste, with the smallest peelings turned into compost. Louise remembers walking in the woods with other children in the family to carry bags of leaf mould home for Papa’s compost pile. The black gold helped grow the biggest strawberries, peas, and even magnificent grapes in his greenhouse.
When Louise bought a home and started a family, gardening crept back into her life. She started with ornamentals and indoor plants, then began foraging for wild Oxfordshire plums and berries to make jams and chutneys. Three years after signing up on a local allotment waiting list, Louise got her first half-plot. She spent time clearing a massively overgrown patch. Her determination and guidance from experienced vegetable growers resulted in raised beds and a fully planted plot, winning her a ‘Best Newcomer’ award.
When a second plot became available, her husband got involved. The chickens arrived soon after, followed by a polytunnel and a smart watering system powered by solar panels. While her melons might not stand up in Giant Veg competitions, the smaller varieties she nurtures are worth the effort. There isn’t a vegetable Louise hasn’t tried growing, and she produces large amounts of useful crops that feed family, friends, and neighbours. Any surplus goes to the ‘Jam Lady’ (Louise’s mother), who is known by locals for her skills and for selling produce at her garden gate.
Canning has become Louise’s new activity, preserving fragrant tomatoes and cucumbers in jars. While this method is more popular in North America, it’s great for saving the summer bounty. The process must be well-researched, as it poses a risk of botulism if done incorrectly.
During our conversation, Louise realised her grandfather sparked her passion for gardening. The seeds he planted waited for her to be ready, and when she was, she magically remembered all of Papa’s techniques.
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What are your first recollections of gardening? Louise Sanders credits her Papa with planting the seeds of what has sprouted into a passion for growing veg.
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