I have a wonderful friend in Mrs. Dunnaway. We gardened together. If you have not been lucky enough to see her flower gardens you have missed out on ever changing beauty. Her pride and joy the huge Rhododendran that is on the north side of her house honors her every year at this time with hundreds of fist sized blooms. Her gardens are for all seasons from the very first bloom of the crocus to the mums that flower in the fall. Each of her gardens were laid out with love. She designed each planting area and would draw what amounted to be a blue print of the space that we would plant. She researched the plants and set everything up so that in that design flowers would bloom all year long. She searched her catalogs for what we needed or made a list. Amazingly enough everything worked the way that she planned it. Mrs Dunnaway always had a fresh flower on her table - these came from her gardens. She loved a fresh rose in her vase. She had a story to tell about many of her flowers, her Christmas cactus, her hanging begonias and the geraniums that she wintered over every year. We did not just garden at her home. She was very proud of what I refer to as her leg of the little park in Holton. She saw to the care of the North portion of this park. This year in the corner by the road we have Dahlia's, Glads, the day lilies and I think that because she loved color so much we will put some bright colored flowers along the front of the planting she is a woman who loved color. The oriental poppies and the daffodils that you enjoy came directly from Mrs. Dunnaways gardens at home. She also has hibiscus and lilies along the fence line. She loved her small community and did her best to support the businesses that make up Holton. Mrs. Dunnaway was always fun to talk to and we would chat after the gardening was done. When I went back to school she tutored me. She is a treasure that will be remembered and loved always. Hurry along lest we talk so long that today become tomorrow.

 

Elaine Brooks