As we grow older, which we all hopefully will, or even if we die unexpectedly, there will come a time when we can no longer take care of our gardens. I know this is a difficult subject to talk about, but yes, I'm gonna go there. It's my nature.
I totally understand why we don't want to think about it... It makes us feel uncomfortable contemplating that we won't be able to do what we love. But I also know from observation that as we age and draw closer to death, many of us will begin to accept this reality. However, just as we reach the point where we accept our mortality, we often don't have enough energy to tie up all our loose ends.
We need to approach our lives as if all that we treasure could be taken from us at any moment. Therefore, if our gardens are full of special or rare plants, doesn't it make sense for us to create a plan for their continued preservation beyond our passing?
Most of what we grow isn't rare or in any threat of extinction, but there are a surprising number of rare cultivars, or even species, out there. I aim to provoke anyone with uncommon plants to think deeply about the future preservation of their collections. Over the years, I've witnessed many amazing gardens fall into ruin or demolished because their owner has either died or become so infirmed that they can no longer care for them. This is the rule, not the exception.
Yet, in much the same way we mourn the extinction of Earth's natural species, so too should we attempt to preserve life that has been created by man. I'm referring to all the countless cultivars that have been created and preserved by man since the dawn of civilization. I don't make value judgments about whether something is "natural" or not. Biodiversity includes everything that lives.
But I want to stress that it is incredibly difficult to accept that we will no longer be here- no longer capable of doing what we love. But I feel it is important to have these difficult internal discussions. I also want us to understand and internalize the beauty of our temporary existence. We should treasure our life precisely because it isn't permanent.
Material possessions don't matter in the end... I think it's funny that we cling to objects that will likely mean very little to our descendants. Unless we have extremely valuable items, most people won't value our "treasures."
Many of us have experienced what it's like to go through the possessions of loved ones after their death. These are times of frenzied chaos, and many things slip through the cracks. It's naive for us to assume that our children or friends will care as much as we do about the things we treasure. Most of it will be dumped; that's just the reality.
But plants are living organisms and, in many cases, are irreplaceable. For example, I have a large collection of seedling Trilliums. Many of these came from plants and locations that had been devastated by logging and development. Think about it: every trillium in that location was destroyed. This genetic material would be lost forever if I hadn't taken seed out of it. But it would also disappear if I selfishly hoarded it away in my own private collection and never shared it with anyone.
Of course, we are guilty of amassing things exclusively for our own pleasure. Our human impulse is to collect and hoard. But all too often, we don't share enough to preserve these treasured one-of-a-kind plants with enough people. Remember the adage, "don't put all your eggs in one basket." I use this as my life's motto. It helps me preserve what I have and reminds me to continually share with others. I can't stress this enough: propagate and share your plants with others!
But we must also keep track and properly label what we have. Now, this is where I need some work! I'm a naturally chaotic and disorganized gardener, but I'm making an effort to keep better records precisely because I feel I owe it to future generations to preserve and catalog my collection.
Just bequeathing our collections to botanical gardens or other individuals isn't enough and often leads to hastily dug plants. Giving plants away little by little throughout our lives would be far more effective. And try to propagate as many of our rare plants as possible. Give it away! Find people who care as much as you do about your plants and give them seeds and/or divisions.
When we cling tightly to anything materialistic, including plants, and expect people to pick up the pieces after we die, things will go missing, and plants will be lost. I urge you to think about what you have that has value- not economic value, but value to humanity and to nature. What is in your garden that may be rare or really old? We owe preserving it in the best way possible for future gardeners.
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