The Book of a Thousand Gardens: Tales of Gardeners and Their Greenery

On April 25, 1911, Harry Radlund, a gardener from Kilbourn, Wisconsin, shared his garden successes with a plantsman named Henry Field.

Oh, my dear garden friend, today, I invite you to delve into a collection of botanical tales, a treasure trove of horticultural wisdom passed down through generations.

These stories, penned by the very hands that tilled the soil and tended the blooms, offer a glimpse into the hearts and minds of passionate gardeners.

In 1911, Henry Field, the visionary entrepreneur behind the Henry Feild Seed Company in Shenandoah, Iowa, embarked on a noble endeavor. Henry sought to chronicle the gardening experiences of his customers to preserve their garden experiences and inspire others.

The result was a remarkable compilation, a testament to the diversity and beauty of home gardens: The Book of a Thousand Gardens.

In the forward, Henry wrote, 

I requested them to send in the stories of their gardens, true unvarnish- ed stories telling what they grew, how they grew it, what paid best, how big the garden was, what troubles they had, and how they overcame them. Also asked them to send in some pictures if possible.

These letters are the result. And they are the most interesting batch of letters I ever read. 

They are real heart to heart talks, told in their own language and in their own way. And the pictures, well you can look at them for yourself. Every garden was a real garden not a paper garden. The people were real people like you and I and our neighbors. There were men and women and boys and little girls and old bachelors.
They were all garden cranks and garden lovers.

You can learn more by a study of these letters than by reading all the text books in creation. You get the real stuff here. Real experience.

The only trouble was, I run short of room in the book. It would have taken a book as big as Webster's Unabridged to hold them all in full.

Among the many captivating narratives, I discovered the tale of Harry Radlund, a gardener from Kilbourn, Wisconsin.

Harry's story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of nature. Despite years of failed attempts to cultivate kale, Harry persevered, his determination unwavering. Finally, in 1911, he succeeded, his garden bursting with vibrant green leaves.

Such triumphs, however small, are a source of great joy and satisfaction. They remind us that even in the face of adversity, nature's bounty can be ours to enjoy. 

Here's Harry's garden story from 1911:

On April 23d, I planted some kale seed from you. We tried to raise kale for ten years but never had any success. This year, the best is about 3 1/2 feet high and about three feet wide without spreading the leaves.

On the same day planted some dill, parsley, onion seed and onion sets. The dill grew good and went to seed, the parsley didn't grow very good. My early cabbage grew good and all the heads were used.

The first planting of radishes was on April 25th, and I have had radishes all summer. The Shenandoah tomatoes in the garden are dandies, the best we ever had. So are the cucumbers. My cauliflower didn't grow very well in the warm weather, but is growing fine now.