[dinahdabble]

Here are two photographs of my dad, Paul Harbridge, who recently died. He was a landscape gardener and keen home grown vegitable enthusiast. We celebrated his life at a funeral reception held in a nearby windmill. We had wonderfull fireworks, lots of good food and decorative spring flowers. My sister also organised a film of him in his workshop making rustic furniture etc. which he produced an amaizing amount of in later life. In the background of the second photograph you can see the jolly fine quality of bean frames he made. In the foreground you can see a small sample of the very decent potatoes that he dug up every year. In the first photograph you can see the sort of logs that he would regularly chop up for the woodstoves. He made, or restored practicaly everything in the house and garden himself, as well as doing lots and lots of creative home and garden projects for other people.

[Foxylock]

My sympathies for your loss dinahdabble. He looks and sounds like a real character. Cherish the memories, the rustic furniture and even the unfinished projects ! Take care.

[James Kilkelly]

Ar dheis De go raibh a anam dilis (May his faithful soul be at God's side)

I enjoy these photographs of elder gardeners in their element, surrounded by their handiwork and nature

Grandad Jimmy Kilkelly, always in the garden.
Stayed gardening till the age of 89.

[michael brenock]

obviously a well loved and respected gentleman, a lover of nature and an artist by trade. These people are trained in the university of life and are an inspiration to all. it is lovely to have such memories of a loved one.
michael brenock horticultural advisor (retired)

[Her Outdoors]

Ah - fantastic pictures and sounds like he had a wonderful send off. My Dad is 92 and was gardener all his life (must be where I got it from). I look after him every other weekend and he loves to see up to date pictures and still loves to tell me gardening stories.

Love the pic of Grandad Jimmy Kilkelly - I can see where you got it from James.

[dinahdabble]

Thanks for the kind words.
It's a great thing to share knowledge, to learn what is important, to be creative, to be inspired by people and to cherish the natural world. It's wonderful to receive skills and insights from others and wonderful that passing on our own knowledge can be so enjoyable. Everybody wins when we share. It's a marvelous thing.

[ormondsview]

My sympathies as well and for making a memorial to a man who lived in his element yet was not "popular" in the sense of today's notorious celebrities. He is now though appreciated as an inspiration to this generation from your posting.

My mother, who is in a home now, at 92, was the gardener. She spent all the day bent over doing a whole 2 acres on her own and we never took any real interest in her efforts. She sold to the neighbourhood. We knew she was failing when she no longer planted anything one year. Her back became so bent, she couldn't straighten up, yet she can still converse and has all her memory.

You might want to make a website for your Grandad - I did one for my husband's mum who died 2 years back. People like to see the heritage of the past this way.