FEATURE
Betty Thomas Smith
B
etty Thomas Smith caught the gardening bug early, and her passion only grew from there. “I grew up on a dairy farm,” she says. “My love of growing vegetables and flowers began when I was a little girl, and that love has been carried with me to this day for more than 50 years.” Hoping to expand her knowledge and learn all she could about plants and the environment, she took a 15-week Master Gardener course with her daughter in 2017. “Through the classes, we learned about which plants were native to Tennessee and how and where to plant them. Our instructors taught us not only about plants but also a variety of horticultural topics,” she shares. 50 |
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When asked about what she likes to plant, Smith tends toward both beauty and practicality. “I like to plant a few vegetables in with my flowers. They not only produce food but have a certain beauty of their own,” she says. “When I have a garden filled with plants and vegetables, I get a sense of satisfaction and pleasure from watching it grow. Gardening brings beauty to our surroundings and is a host to bees, butterflies, and other little creatures.” In order to not only upkeep but also enhance her garden, she finds inspiration in videos, magazines, and visiting parks and other gardens. She also takes a “plan as I go” approach, rather than
planning large sections. Smith enjoys reading up on the best ways to care for the plants, saying, “You can’t just plant something and forget about it. You have to make sure you water and fertilize it. When you purchase plants, be sure to read the instructions and follow them. I read about my plants so I know how to maintain them. Every few days are spent weeding. I’m passionate about gardening. It brings joy and peace to me. But, it’s a lot of work.” Although it may be a lot of work, Smith can enjoy the fruits of her labor in her beautiful garden full of a variety of vegetables and flowers such as hydrangeas, Kellogg’s lilies, balloon flowers, marigolds, zinnias, and more. Photos by Rich Smith