Gardening keeps 90-year-old Geneva Granert going.

“I’ve gardened all my life. I love the flowers,” said Mrs. Granert, a Sylva, N.C., native, a retired businesswoman and sister of A.C. “Clyde” Pruett, founder of Pruetts Food Town grocery stores.

Her East Brainerd backyard displays 245 daylily plants framing a wide cottage bed filled with phlox, cannas, black-eyed Susans, Asian lilies and hibiscuses.

The bright colors of the flowers stand out against red-flowered crape myrtles with dark green foliage and spreading dogwood trees.

Her interest in daylilies began a half-century ago.

“They have a lot of buds, and a new one blooms every day. I just love them,” Mrs. Granert said.

About 20 years ago, she said, she was introduced to Denver Scott’s Daylily Farm in Harrison. Many of her plants came from his collections, bought and planted over many years.

One early purchase, a red-orange bloom found at a long-forgotten nursery, still thrives after 45 years.

Some of her most expensive selections didn’t survive, she added.

Though in sight of the century mark, Mrs. Granert works in her garden at least four or five times every day.

Her son Tommy, 60, an employee at Herb Adcock Chevrolet body shop, insists she call him before she goes out and when she returns. If he doesn’t hear from her, he comes to the rescue.

Mrs. Granert also wears an emergency calling device around her neck, in case of a sudden fall.

Despite her age, she won’t stop communing daily with her flowers. From watering to daily dead-heading to turning the soil, the chores of a flower garden are still pleasurable.

“That’s what keeps me going,” Mrs. Granert said.

Q&A

Q: Besides daylilies, what are some of your favorite plants?

Mrs. Granert: The pink phlox I brought from my grandmother’s yard. I love that.

Mr. Granert: She’s moved that to every house.

Q: How do you work the soil?

Mr. Granert: She buys composted cow manure, and digs it in.

Q: Your son said you count your flowers. How many do you have?

Mrs. Granert: I have 245 daylilies, 45 cannas, nine (dinner plate) hibiscus and nine lilies. I like big flowers.

Comments