Foote plants trail of tranquility in garden

Many things make a town look attractive, but Loretta Foote of Orchard knows exactly how to catch the eye of other gardeners with her beautiful flowers and shrubs.

Foote took an interest in gardening at a very young age.

She received a small packet with wildflower seeds as a present when she was four or five, and she fell in love with gardening. The packet of this kit is even placed in Foote's scrapbook.

"My grandma and my mom have inspired all of our family," says Foote.

Not only does she raise flowers and shrubs, Foote also plants cotton, sugar beets and peanuts for the high school biology class to tour every fall, so she can share her knowledge with students. She enjoys watching students dig underground for the peanuts.

Why does she enjoy gardening?

"Every day I'm grateful I can care for God's creation. Find peace and tranquility, it's a privilege."

She makes it known that God gets all the credit

for how beautiful his creations are.

Foote is well-known as the person who can bring any dying plant back to life. Taking care of the Lutheran church's flower pots is another thing Foote is known for.

Foote says there are only a few challenges to growing a successful garden, including winter kill, blight, insects and rodents.

One of her top picks for flower pots is summer coleus because of the variety of leaf colors and patterns, and she said they are very hardy. She also enjoys hostas, with hundreds of variations to choose from, and the plants can be shared with friends.

Foote is happy to help fellow gardeners and she provided some solid tips on how to create a beautiful garden.

"Planting a flower garden is like painting a picture - visualizing color accents, heights and texture of plants and shrubs," she said.

She dead heads, or removes dead petals, after flowers bloom.

Another tip for fuller plants with more blooms is to trim mums and asters to four inches by June 20.

One final tip - trim all flower beds in the fall, so there is no cleanup in the spring.

The public is always welcome to stop anytime for a tour.

Foote said, "Happy gardening to everyone!"