In Newfoundland, there’s never a shortage of free advice

Janice Wells offers her own unique take on life as a baby boomer, often served up with a twist of humour and a splash of gin. She lives in St. John’s, NL and tends a lovely garden there whenever fog, sleet, snow and gale-force winds permit.

Here’s just what I need around this time of year: a letter making me think about spring and gardening, even if I don’t do much of it anymore. Garden that is, though I do think about it and spring.

Christopher Reaves wrote me a while back after he had read a copy of Another Splash of the Gin & Tonic Gardener. I saved his letter to write about when I really needed the boost from winter and I figured you would appreciate it too.

He wrote from Toronto but was in the process of moving to Bonavista, N.L. I guess he didn’t garden much in Toronto as he wrote:

“While I have gardened near Perth and Adelaide in Australia (think San Diego) and have fond memories of our garden in the Rossendale valley north of Manchester, U.K., I have not gardened in a cold climate.

“I would love to be in touch with any of your correspondents from Bonavista, someone who grows, or used to grow vegetables and/or fruits in Bonavista or at least on the Bonavista Peninsula.

“Once the snow melts I want to plant gooseberry and redcurrant and raspberries, for I remember them from Rossendale. Rhubarb I remember from Toronto. Elliston is the self-proclaimed ‘Root-Cellar Capital of the World,’ so potatoes and carrots are in. My parents grew Brussels sprouts in the East Midlands (U.K.) in the late ’70s, so that’s a good bet. My second set of ex-in-laws had a prolific pear tree in Toronto.

“My yard has about 50 x 40 feet on the southern side of the house (claps hands with glee), and many sheltered areas — alongside the house, alongside the large shed and between the shed and back fence. I have vermicomposted for 20-plus years, and composted for 40-plus years, so I am firing on all cylinders there.

“I would be happy to experiment if you want me to try things that might work. I am rather good at documenting experiments. If you have no contacts in Bonavista or have no need of data, that too is alright. If this lengthy email serves only to let you know how much your book has motivated me, it will have served its purpose.”

How could I not develop an immediate soft spot for this man?

As we corresponded he mentioned staying in Heart’s Content during his 7,000-km tour of Newfoundland in 2017 and sent this web site link:

http://www.chrisgreaves.com/Tripping/DrivingNorthAmerica/Newfoundland/index.htm

This travel journal through Newfoundland is interesting reading and well laid out with lots of pictures, especially when you know he was as taken with our island as we are and made a good choice with Bonavista.

Last October while in Bonavista he stopped to ask directions and, of course, got into a chat about gardening with this woman who used to garden, but had turned it over to lawn a couple of years ago. He plans to visit her again, and as everyone told him to check out the Bonavista Social Club in Amherst Cove, he plans to volunteer there and hopefully pick up some “tips ‘n’ tricks” from local gardeners.

He even wrote that he’d be happy to volunteer digging plots, etc., in exchange for information! If only I’d known he was in Heart’s Content before he realized all he has to do to get information from a Newfoundlander is start talking. I would have taken such advantage! Ha, ha.

God love him. Obviously, he has no idea how willing and even eager Newfoundland gardeners will be to teach the fella from Upalong a few tried and true tricks. I’d bet a barrel of seaweed tea that he’s never dug fresh capelin into his beds or used salt beef buckets to grow his tomatoes indoors or to protect tender plants at night.

What fun he’s going to have, starting a new life and a new garden in Bonavista. You can reach him at cprgreaves@gmail.com.