The name has roots and continues to provide

As family legend has it, centuries ago, our ancestors were

dwelling in Scotland during a famine. The local peasantry was

starving in the countryside, while the local lord was cozy in his

castle. With the help of his knights, he had taken whatever food

there was from the peasants. In addition, he had a substantial garden

within the castle walls, so he and his were eating well. The peasants

would have been wiped out if it wasn’t for one person within the

castle walls -- the lord’s gardener.

Every night he would go to the castle garden and harvest what he

could and toss it over the walls to the peasants outside. Obviously,

he left enough in the garden so that the lord didn’t become

suspicious; otherwise, he would have lost his head, and our family

wouldn’t have come into being since he is our ancestor and why we

bear the name Gardner.

I don’t know if it’s something in the genes, but I have always

enjoyed gardening. I never tried it until we moved to Corona del Mar

since it was impossible to grow anything in the sand of the Balboa

Peninsula, but I planted a garden as soon as we moved, and I’ve

always had one since.

There’s a certain challenge to gardening in this area -- namely

the adobe soil. I’ve lived in my house more than 50 years, amended

the soil every year and, every year, it’s like breaking up concrete

when I first get started.

I should state that when I say garden, I mean vegetable garden.

I’ve never had any interest in flowers. I know people who are

passionate about orchids or roses, and I admire their enthusiasm, but

for me, I like to be able to eat the things I grow.

I have experimented with various crops over the years but tend to

plant what I like to eat -- some sweet corn, bell peppers, string

beans and tomatoes. Do I grow tomatoes. I grow so many tomatoes that

about halfway through tomato season, all my neighbors hide under the

beds when they see me coming. They probably have a party when I pull

out the last tomato bush.

Each year, at the end of the season, I promise myself not to plant

so many tomatoes, and I start off on the right foot, buying one or

two Early Girls and planting them. A few weeks after they’re in, I

get a couple of midseason tomatoes. A few weeks after that, I add

some late season tomatoes. And then, I don’t know what happens but,

by June, I’ve got a tomato jungle out there, and the neighbors are

all making desperate vacation plans.

This year, I have promised myself to be disciplined, and to help

me keep this promise, I have taken some of the space I usually use

for tomatoes and planted artichokes. I grew artichokes for years. I

had four plants in the backyard that produced bumper crops each year,

and everyone raved about their flavor.

Other gardeners begged me for my secret. I hated to tell them that

it was a beagle named Sam. The artichokes were his favorite watering

spot. After Sam died, the artichokes were never the same, and I

finally pulled them out. Now, I’ve planted new ones, and I have great

hopes for their success. After all, I am once again the owner of a

beagle. My neighbors will be delirious with joy when they see me

coming over with something besides tomatoes. That is, if they don’t

know the secret of my artichokes.

* ROBERT GARDNER is a Corona del Mar resident and a former judge.

His column runs Tuesdays.