Gardeners and their Dogs


Kathryn’s Thistle 🙂

As a longtime gardening blogger I am fortunate to enjoy friendships with other gardening bloggers not just in America but in Canada and the UK and Europe. I dearly cherish those friendships. As I have gotten to know these wonderful folks and their landscaping talents and personal gardens I find that I have an especial place in my heart for those who own and adore their dogs. So I reached out recently to a few asking them to please send me a photo of themselves with their beloved canine companions, who occupy a big place in their lives which includes time spent in their gardens. Those of you who garden with your dogs will understand the value of sharing your gardens with your canines. So this post is introducing you to some of my favorite gardeners–and their dogs, and I do it also in honor of the eleventh year of the life of this blog, another blogiversary to celebrate.

My post thus began with an informal vid I shot one warm afternoon a month or so ago, out in the back garden with my sweetheart puppy, Thistle, whom followers of this blog have already met. This was an especially hot summer, and, yes, we endured living very close to the worst fire in California history, so you will hear me speak of the smokey conditions of the day, but you will also get a peek into how Thistle and I enjoyed late afternoons, with me tucked under the canopy of the ancient mulberry tree, and Thistle enjoying his little wading pool which he jumped in all summer long to play. I have very fond memories of our summertime together.

Now here are the most wonderful folks–and their precious dogs– I would like to introduce you to today.

This is rancher Annie Haven, and her much loved dog, Hoppy. They live on a ranch in Southern California and Annie is the purveyor of one of gardeners’ favorite products–MooPoo Tea!

Meet Personal Garden Coach, Christina Salwitz, and her adorable rescued pup Cersei, who live in Washington state. Christina has indulged me by sending me numerous pics of her precious foxy-faced cutie, which always make my heart smile.

This is longtime former Mendocino neighbor and friend, artist Marsha Mello and her two Border Collies, Cooper and Ceilidh [pronounced Kay-lee]. It is noteworthy that Ceilidh is a working Border Collie whom Marsha showcases in sheepdog trials in Oregon. Some of you will recognize Marsha’s artwork through knowing Digging Dog Nursery’s lovely catalogue, which she has long designed and illustrated Here’s a sample!


passionflower

Enter talented Atlanta-based author Michael Nolan, and his very special sweetheart companion, Sadie, whom he clearly adores.

Michael is the author of I Garden: Urban Style and Plant-Based Boot Camp.

Now here is beloved author Helen Yoest, of North Carolina. And below this photo is a pic of Helen and her daughter, walking her much loved Border Collie, Pepper, in the snow. (How many of you have zillions of pics of your dogs, but few of the two of you together, as you are the one taking pics of your dogs all the time??) Helen is the author of Gardening with Confidence, and has begun helping to save our bees with her foundation Bee Better.

Back in the Pacific Northwest lives Kathleen Grube, a devoted gardener and dog lover–with a particular interest in site hounds. Here she is with her friend, the beauteous and elegant Topper.

Some of you will be familiar with Teresa O’Connor’s blog Seasonal Wisdom, and you might not be aware she’s transitioning to sharing info on low carb living at Farm Fresh Low Carb Living. Here she is in the garden, with her dog, Maggie.

And now I am introducing you to author Dayna Macy, whom I’ve known for many years. You might know Dayna through her work with Yoga Journal, or you may have read her book Ravenous. Appropriately Dayna chose to send me a pic of her and her dog Nico dressed for Halloween. I was charmed recently when she posted a pic of what she called “a lemon canopy” as she stood beneath a large and abundant lemon tree in her garden. It was a word coupling I’d not heard before, not thought about, and I found it a memorable image.

Lastly, my heart will not allow me not to share the four dogs who came before Thistle–all of them Border Collies. They spent countless days and years enriching my life in the various gardens in my life, in Mendocino County, in Marin and Sonoma Counties, in Arizona and in even in North Carolina. My first two were Moxie and Peaches.

And when passed along into another realm, I was lucky to be accompanied by Conner and Ruby.

Words could never describe fully how these amazing dogs filled my life. Let me simply say I am filled with love and gratitude beyond measure. I thank them all.

If you are one of the lucky ones who share your garden with a beloved dog, please feel free to send me jpegs at plantjoyblog [@] gmail.com and I will post below. Thank you!

Love and autumnal blessings,
Kathryn xoxo

Book News: My book Plant Whatever Brings You Joy: Blessed Wisdom from the Garden has been included in Fupping’s new article “12 Books That Will Put A Smile On Your Face | Books To Make You Happy”. Also, please watch for an upcoming excerpt from Plant Whatever Brings You Joy in Awareness Magazine!

12 Responses to “Gardeners and their Dogs”

  1. What fun! I’m honored to be included with such a fun group of gardeners,
    some I’ve known for years and some are new to me. Our doggy
    children occupy such a special spot in our hearts when they share our garden. 🙂

  2. How fun! The canine companions gift so much. How lovely to see this sweet collection of friends.

  3. Christina, my pleasure! You know I adore your sweet Cersei! That face!! Kathryn xoxo

  4. Thanks, Antonia! Really a fun post to put together, and I love seeing these friends together! Mom xoxo

  5. Kathryn, what a spunky, water-loving pal you now have in Thistle. Will you be getting a buddy for him? Really enjoy this post with all of the hot-links to the other gardeners’ blogs. We are having such an amazing FALL here in Sonoma . (It skipped us over last year!) Gorgeous weather and light. (Hope you have your sweet peas planted) 🙂

  6. Hi, Carol! Spunky water-loving sums it up! No playmate planned this time. It’s me and Thistle and the cats. 🙂 Glad Sonoma is experiencing a lovely fall! Sweet peas not in yet. Are yours? Kathryn xoxo

  7. Hi Kathryn!
    I loved seeing all the garden dogs, especially the dear departed ones. I think about our bunch of dogs every day, part and present. When we moved into this house we poured a driveway. Before the concrete had cured, the three dogs that we had then ran across. You can still see their footprints.

  8. What a lovely read, Kathryn! Thanks for including my most precious, Pepper-licouus! Interesting we are both are Pieces and favor the same type of dog! Gotta go. You triggered me to wanting to give me Pepper, aka, my girlfriend, a hug!

  9. Awww, Katie, that is so precious! I would be crying over their paw prints from time to time! Thanks for understanding how dear my first four are to me. Forever in my heart! You can imagine. Kathryn xoxo

  10. Yes, Helen, you are my Pisces sister with a Border Collie by her side! Give Pepper a hug from me, too! Kathryn xoxo

  11. Wow I know you had a great time with your friends and pets. Enjoy!

  12. Thanks, Reg! Yes, we are so lucky to have these critters in our lives in our gardens! Kathryn xoxo

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