Meeting up with people to interview during the time of COVID is not easy. However, yesterday, we had a chance to visit Allen Tomlinson who was busy tending his garden. In the above photo, Allen is next to his bee balm. Allen lives in the north end of Kirkwood on Lafayette Street- in a house he purchased about three years ago. Allen has always loved gardening and finds a way to bring plants into his life whether in an apartment or house. His dream is to someday have a lot of land so that he can do even more gardening. In his current residence, Allen has a little bit of everything: Edibles, perennials, annuals, cacti, and tropical plants. It is hard to believe there are grapefruit and lemons growing in his yard in Greensboro. He also has figs, berries, and vegetables. There is a water feature, pea-gravel paths, birdbaths, a birdhouse, bird nests, climbing roses, a trellis, and the list goes on. As seen in the above photo, the back yard is full sun, making it easy to grow plants.
Allen is a Page High School graduate who has been teaching Spanish for about the last 18 years. Currently, he teaches high school Spanish in Alamance County and loves it. The past couple of years have been difficult for Allen as he lost both parents within a span of about 18 months. He says his garden is his happy space, and a hobby that provides great solace. Now that the plantings are well established, he only needs to spend about 30 minutes a day working in the yard. Of course, there are always options to add more plants, to divide ones that have outgrown their space, or to start preparing space for the next season.
Allen is so diligent about caring for his plants and it is very likely they will be around for a long, long time! A big thank you goes out to our mutual friend Alice Hill who suggested we feature Allen and his garden!
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