Six on Saturday – The Prof

Posted byofftheedgegardeningPosted inProfessor Gadget, Six on SaturdayTags:, , , , , ,

Tuesday was the funeral of my client, sparring partner, chief heckler and, most importantly, great friend, John Kingdon, AKA The Prof, AKA JK, AKA My Sponsor. I shall miss him terribly. Here is my feeble homage to him.

We disagreed about most things. In fact we could bicker about almost anything, which is generally the sign of a good relationship. In my world, anyway. I worked for John for less than four years, but we knew each other virtually for much longer. It was a good match.

Lunchtime was an important interlude to our day, which seems an appropriate place to begin. JK would make me a cheese sandwich with a bowl of salt and vinger crisps on the side, accompanied by an orange juice and tonic water. We would then watch an episode of one of his library of DVD’s. Over the weeks and years we covered Torchy the Battery Boy (an education for me), through Rhubarb and Custard (an education for him), Fireball XL5, concluding with The Vicar of Dibley.

This is a favourite of his many altroemeria, I’m afraid I can’t name it for you.

We always agreed on the more important things; plants, gardens, grass roots stuff. Nothing was more enjoyable than sitting down over another cup of coffee, studying catalogues, seed lists, planning and of course, squabbling over the minutiae. Trips to the local garden centre were always great fun, especially when accompanied by coffee and cake, or on one special day, half a Stella and cake. He teased me incessantly about my plant addiction, let me tell you fine folk, it was “pot calling the kettle black”. Here is an example of one of our very successful trips. We often bought in tandem, sharing postage and dividing the spoils. Lilium ‘Forever Susan’ was one such purchase. What great taste we had.

Other than his garden, John loved music, especially classical, even more especially church organ music, he played the organ himself. I find organ music abrasive and slightly disturbing. I love Jimmy Smith. Never the twain shall meet.

When John was ill in hospital, I would send him photos of his garden and when I visited we made plans for this growing season. He missed this wonderful winter flowering clematis in full bloom.

Bedding plants were a must, especially tuberous begonias, which filled wall planters and hanging baskets alike. John was quite the gadget man, which explains why his nom de plume was The Prof. He devised a wall of irrigated pots which were named, for no apparent reason, The Hanging Gardens of East Grinstead. They were quite splendid.

JK was a proud Welshman. He favoured independence but assured me that I would be allowed to remain as an immigrant. Periodically, I would enquire how the revolution was progressing. This usually resulted in a stern look and being assigned a rubbish job in the garden.

John loved his pets, in fact he adored them. This is Buster, who arrived shortly before I did, we were newbies at the same time. I do love a tabby and he was no exception to the rule. Buster was very helpful around the garden, in a feline kind of way, laying in and on things that you would like to be using. And here he proves that it is possible to look super cool whilst sitting in an Amazon box.

John will be staying in his beloved garden, with his lifetime of pets who are also interred in various place. In a week or two, myself, his sister and special neighbour will have our own private ceremony, scattering his ashes to enhance and feed the soil.

JK was a kind and generous man, inventive and horticulturally ambitious. We had many laughs together and should have had many more.

I shall miss him terribly.

Please check out our shepherd, Jim at Garden Ruminations, if you are SoS curious. You won’t regret it.

29 thoughts on “Six on Saturday – The Prof”

  2. I didn’t know John was your client as well as your friend, and yet you managed to forge such a strong bond of friendship… losing a friend is always difficult.
    His garden will remain, and I hope the following owner will care it with passion. A lovely six in memory of John, to whom I also send my thoughts.

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  3. John was one of the very first SOS friends I connected with. He had a generous nature full of humour. He stopped posting regularly many years back but I would occasionally see comments on your posts. Your tribute does him proud. I will think of you and him as you spread his ashes.

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    1. It was a great series, the music is still in my head too. It is on You Tube I think, if you want to rewatch it. I had forgotten how surreal it was. As kids we just accepted the craziness. And thank you.

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  6. What a wonderful tribute to your friend and client. Fred.

    Sorry, I hit Comment when I hadn’t finished.

    Fred:

    losing a friend is always difficult

    Yesp, especially a gardening friend. I lost mine in January. He inspired my cacti and succulent collection.

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  7. What a beautiful tribute your friend, which I can vouch for as being generous even to gardeners he didn’t know. I wish I had known him, but then I would have to bear the depth of sorrow you are feeling. Primula vulgaris ‘Taigetos’ which came from JK’s garden will be specially cherished. He was going through his ‘Man from Del Monte’ phase on your blog some time ago. It would be lovely to know why you attached this name to him? Was it perhaps a helping of ‘Del Monte’ fruit one lunch time? I am making up all sort of stories, without you putting me right.

    Read the link and watched some shorts. Very touching…..

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    1. I think it was because I went away to ask if he would like to donate some primula to you and when I got back to you I said “The Man from Del Monte says yes!” Thanks for your kind words, Sis x

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  9. I’m afraid this made me cry. Again. Reading about loss makes me so sad, grief is such a horrible journey, but it sounds as if you won’t be taking it alone. I hope there is someone to carry on looking after his garden. You had a wonderful friendship with the Prof and you have more than honoured him with this post plus you have lots of wonderful memories to look back on. Take care xx

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  11. A lovely tribute to your garden friend. I used to see his funny comments on your blog now and then. When you lose a gardening friend you have constant reminders all round the garden so they are never far from your mind.

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  14. So sorry to here that JK is gone. I credit him with raising my interest in Alstroemeria to new heights, though I never followed him down the wooden planter road. His posts never failed to raise a smile.

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  17. What a beautiful homage to a dear friend, he would have loved reading it. And Rhoobarb and Custard was a favourite in our household, I currently have the music as my earworm.

    It’s always hard saying goodbye to good friends but I can see you have many treasured memories of John and that always helps one through the grief of loss. Hugs and happy gardening.

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