The1998 Home and Garden Inspirational Green Thumb Award
in·spi·ra·tion - 1 a : a divine influence or action on a person believed to qualify him or her to receive and communicate sacred revelation b : the action or power of moving the intellect or emotions c : the act of influencing or suggesting opinions
2 : the act of drawing in; specifically : the drawing of air into the lungs
3 a : the quality or state of being inspired b : something that is inspired
4 : an inspiring agent or influence © 1998 by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated
So says Merriam-Webster inc. I say Traute Klein. She is this years winner of the Annual Home and Garden Inspirational Green Thumb Award.
The winner of this award had to meet some pretty hard criteria. Traute Klein, met it all and then some, without even trying. In fact, if you ask her, she would have rather not met any of the criteria. Here is her story.
Traute is our resident Natural Health Editor.
In 1945 her brush with the odds began, with the Russian occupation of her homeland of Germany. When she moved to Canada she learned English and French and became a teacher. Her love for the natural things sprouted into her love of gardening. She learned of natural remedies and how to grow and create them.
Sixteen years ago Traute lost her career as a teacher in the school system and the University. She was disabled in a car accident. This was just at the time she began her wonderful garden. Every painful planting was done with love and care. She had to build up her dry clay soil with feet of rich loam. She built raised beds, and planted things that were both healthy for her, and indigenous to her area. Anyone who gardens knows that isn't always easy. But Traute trudged on, in pain, and created a garden that was becoming quite famous.
People came from all over the world to see her wonderful garden. A University of Manitoba landscape architecture professor brought his graduate class to view her garden and talk to her. A landscape architecture professor from Olds Agricultural College, in Alberta, even used slides of Traute's garden to illustrate innovative landscaping.
Traute was making a real name for herself in the landscaping community. It was a good name. That is, until June 1, 1998. Here is what happened in her own words;
"On June 1, 1998, We were rudely awakened by the noise of a demolition company. I thought that they were working on the back lane until the noise came so close to the house that I went to look. In our backyard was a huge front-end loader, which had already stripped away most of the property, of every thing except the bare clay.
Latest Articles