For 92-year-old Mona Stewart, working in her gardens is a pleasant way to pass the time.
“I like flowers and nature and I find it relaxing. It's not really work …it's just something I like to do. When you're out in the garden, you forget about other things,” she said.
Stewart grew up with parents who enjoyed the pastime and she got the bug early in life.
“It was a natural thing for me to do. I like it and I always have,” she said, adding that the garden is a little more work now than when she was younger. “I find it hard to keep up with the weeds. They like to grow too.”
This year, Stewart found the weather played a little bit more of a factor than in past years, with a cooler spring, then warmer summer coupled with some hail. She's also had a few more weeds this year than in the past.
“On the whole (however), I think things have been pretty good,” she said.
Stewart has no grass at her home, turning both the front and back yards into gardens. She cultivates various varieties of plants to attract various creatures such as butterflies, hummingbirds and bees. This year, Stewart has noticed a marked absence of butterflies.
Most of the varieties she plants are perennials.
"When you're out in the garden, you forget about other things."Mona Stewart, 92, avid gardner
