- The Type Set is a weekly column that Keith Sharon created as part of Project 88.
- Named for the 88 characters produced by a Smith-Corona typewriter, this project has been named.
She is a flower-mad woman.
Karen Hill’s great-grandfather Peter Murray, originally from Scotland, came to the United States and designed the formal garden at Niagara Falls.
Hill learned gardening from Agnes Selby, her grandmother, who had a Maryland farm full of colorful gladiolas, forsythia, and lilacs.
Hill stated, “People ask me whether she has a green thumb.” “She had green hands. She could pick up a twig and place it somewhere, and you would get a beautiful flower.
Hill, a former science teacher is now the president for the Tennessee Native Plant Society. It has 500 members. She is 75 years old and resides in Thompson’s Station. We have been writing letters to each other and we recently discovered that we live just a few block from one another.
It’s a great way to learn from her by getting to know her and walking with her around her garden. After three Lyme attacks, she is moving slower. She hikes through plant life so often that she is vulnerable to ticks. She claimed that she once had 100 tick bites on her ankles and calves.
She said, “They won’t stop me,”
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Incredible backyard garden
She explained that native plants don’t require care. They can grow naturally in Middle Tennessee’s climate. She led me through her garden, which included Black-eyed Susans (Copper Irises), Blue-eyed Grass (Blue-eyed Grass), Beard Tongues, and Black Chokeberries).
On her property, she has 125 native species. All of them would be wild in the area with her or without.
Hill says that in the world native plants, there is a problem…people.
She stated that “most people don’t know a lot.” “They don’t understand the environmental damage they cause.”
They use fertilizer containing chemicals to ensure the best lawns. Chemical weed killers are used to kill weeds.
Chemicals are a big problem for the members of the Native Plant Society.
She said, “Fertilizer kills earthworms.” “Chemicals are killing our bees. We’re losing our fireflies. If you don’t have bees you don’t have plants. What are the birds going eat if you don’t have any insects?
On weekends, members of the Native Plant Society meet for hikes around Tennessee.
They hike through cedar glades to see Tennessee Cone Flowers, and Nashville Bread Root in the central basin. Hill’s favorite thing is a Pink Lady Slipper Orchid.
Tennessee Cone Flowers were listed as an endangered species in the past (they have since been removed). We need more of these flowers to protect our ecosystem.
Hill stated, “I’m trying my part to save our world.”
Mountain mint is her favourite
She likes to remind people that Ripple was her maidenname. She wants to be the ripple in a metaphorical pool that has an impact on her surroundings.
Hill let me in on a little bit of information. Hill is about to start a beef farm in her neighborhood. Her homeowners association recommends that Burning Bush be planted around suburban homes.
In the fall, Burning Bush turns a stunning red color. However, the berries it produces can be deadly for dogs and birds.
She smiled and said, “They are going to receive a letter.” She tries to win battles with no anger or finger pointing. A twinkle in her eye can be her best weapon.
She shows me her Mountain Mint, which is her favorite plant. It produces pink and white flowers.
She said, “Just beautiful.” “And aromatic.”
She leads me into her garage where she takes a trowel. She then leads me back to her yard, where she bends over and grabs two sprigs from native plants.
She gave me small pieces red and yellow Wild Columbine, and purple Rose Verbena to plant in my garden.
She tells me everything I need to know about native plant species. They sleep the first year. They start to creep the second time. They run the third year.
I have the perfect home for these native plants. My gardenis flourishing. I don’t understand how this happens. I have the same skill in gardening as in ice skating. Amazingly, my roses have multiplied since last year. They are thicker that I could have hoped.
I don’t use chemicals.
Reach Keith Sharon at 615-406-1594 or [email protected] or on Twitter @KeithSharonTN.
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Project 88
This story is part Project 88. It is named after the 88 characters that were typed on a Smith Corona typewriter. Keith Sharon, Tennessean, types letters on his 1953 Smith-Corona typewriter and sends them out with an envelope and stamp to others around the world. Keith received a letter that inspired this story. Project 88 asks: Will people communicate in the old-fashioned way through heartfelt letters about their most memorable and challenging times? This project is not intended for political rants. Any type of snail mail letter, whether it is hand-written, typed, or printed out, is acceptable. Include a phone number.
Project 88 is open to all.
Keith Sharon
The Tennessean
1801 West End Ave.
16th Floor
Nashville, TN 37203
