At left are orchids from the garden. Harrieth Ledford in her garden in Pratville, south Manchester. - Ricardo Makyn photos
Keisha Shakespeare, Gleaner Writer
IN THE small community of Pratville in south Manchester, Harrieth Ledford has created her own slice of heaven.
Ledford, the supervisor of compliance at the Inland Revenue Department, in Mandeville, Manchester, and mother of three, has created a garden full of sound and colour. Filled with luscious greens, sunny yellows, rose pinks and the chirping of birds, this garden
provides a feast for the eyes and
music for the ears.
The elegant home is situated on one acre of land, half of which is devoted to potted plants and flowers that surround the house. On the outskirts of the house fruits trees pears, naseberries, mangoes, june plums and coconuts beckon. Ledford's love affair with flowers started while growing up in the countryside of Crawl River, Clarendon. "As a child I developed a passion for plants but as I grew older I learnt to appreciate them more and now I cannot get enough of them. To be honest, my plants are so dear to me that I would not even sell a stem of one of my precious plants.
"Attending to my plants gives me a peace of mind and whenever I get up in the morning the first thing I do is to go outside and admire my plants and talk to them."
Although her love of plants started early, Ledford only created her garden 20 years ago after visiting friends and admiring their garden. "They started me off with a few potted plants and from then I kept increasing. Today my house is surrounded by plants."
GARDEN WORKS
Taking care of a garden requires work and dedication. Despite her busy schedule, Ledford finds the time, spending Saturdays and Sundays, after church, to tend to her plants. "I would delay other throwers to pay special attention to my gardening."
She also receives help from her husband, Lambert, and friends occasionally pitch in. She explains that it is difficult to find the right person who will take special care of her plants.
Ledford also taken up floral arrangements for weddings, graduations, and funerals and reckons that after she retires she can go full time into gardening.
GARDEN TIPS FROM HARRIETH
Weed garden at least twice
every month.
Make compost heap with cow's manure, wood shavings, burnt
coal dirt and peelings from the kitchen (banana, yam and ground provisions). Combine all and use
as natural fertiliser for plants.
Spray plants twice a week with fungicide and insecticide to get rid of insects and fungi.
Spray plants with fertiliser twice per month to keep plants healthy and strong
Water plants at least twice
per week.
Find out which plants need a lot of sunlight and which thrives better in the shade, then place them accordingly.
