Stopping to smell the flowers
The garden of two sisters
Arlene Marturano
Arlene Marturano a master

gardener, writer, and educator.

As an advocate of gardening as

a tool for learning, she helped

develop the Carolina

Children's Garden at the

Sandhill Research and

Education Center. She is an

education consultant with

T.E.A.C.H. marturano@yahoo.com

Siblings have the unique position of knowing each other for a very long time. Sisters, in particular, tend to maintain close long- lasting relationships. The close relationship is especially important to morale and the well- being of seniors.

Colleen France and Bernice Coleman have been sisters for eight decades. France moved to southeast Columbia nearly 50 years ago when the area around Millcreek Elementary consisted of cornfields. France raised seven children and watched them grow and ripen into adulthood in the backyard garden.

(l tor) Colleen France and Bernice Coleman harvest tomatoes.

Her offspring were encouraged to invite friends to play and socialize in the backyard so France knew where her children were.

After the death of her husband, Coleman moved to her sister's home where they share their mutual love of gardening.

Trixie, Coleman's Yorkshire terrier and constant companion, has become the garden mascot.

In the spring one of France's sons tills the vegetable plot, a task she had done with a push plow until recently.

Coleman limes the soil yearly and uses a hoe once plants are established. The sisters plant tomatoes, cantaloupes, eggplants, potatoes, cucumbers, yellow squashes, onions, bell peppers, and old- timey cornfield peas.

A watermelon vine detoured from the neighbor's yard into theirs so they have a bonus this year. Ace Hardware Horse and Garden in Horrell Hill is their source of bedding plants, and they are very satisfied with the plants, advice and help from the owners.

Purple Martin gourds in eucalyptus.

The vegetable garden is located in full sun, but France and her family planted trees throughout the rest of the property. Leaves from giant oaks are composted to enrich garden soil. A mammoth fig from France's father's homestead in Spring Branch feeds the mockingbirds.

Purple martin gourds hang in a tall pungent eucalyptus tree, and a Confederate rose shrub climbs to the eaves of the roof even though they're cut to the ground each year.

The flower beds are filled with select specimens, which are passed along by family and friends: montbretia, spiderwort, rudbeckia, coreopsis, verbena, four o'clock, moonflower, and rose campion.

While France credits her sister as the gardener, she assumes the role of preserver. She cans peas, butterbeans, and tomatoes and prepares fig, strawberry, apple, and peach jelly.

"She's a half; I'm a half. We make a whole," said France. Generously, Coleman hands me freshly picked squash and says "A squash casserole is hard to beat."

While the sisters are different flowers from the same garden, Coleman and France are devoted to each other and also to the garden.