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Some of our most vivid childhood memories come from our grandparents' gardens, where hours were spent lost in imagination and outdoor play. The smell of sweet peas or the sight of wisteria thrown over an arbor, or lily-of-the-valley and an old climbing rose clutching a pipe trellis where stories were told and imaginary worlds came to life.

The plants in those gardens were not the exotic cultivars of today. Most heirloom plants were chosen because they were both lovely and rugged. Grandma was too busy canning and cooking and washing and ironing to dally in the garden, and water might have been a commodity too scarce or difficult to transport — a waste for pampering plants!

Heirloom gardening became the rage in the early 1900's and we've returned to it today. Then, the practice of growing garden beds crammed with mixtures of perennials, annuals vines and shrubs became a sort of rebellion against the strict formality of Victorian society. And even then, people were beginning to yearn for bygone days of preindustrial life. Today these wild combinations not only take us back in time, but fit our modern lifestyles with their carefree growing habits.

Some things to keep in mind when recreating an old-fashioned garden are the structural elements seen in old time designs. Some had a trellis, many had an arbor and all had some sort of fence or hedge to enclose the yard. A bench or glider might have been a focal point in your grandma's garden, or even an old swing.

Simple branches and twigs provided inexpensive materials for bean teepees and tomato stakes, with white cotton cloth rags stripped into ties for holding veggies in place. Flowers usually fit into the vegetable garden scheme somewhere, just to keep things nice looking.

Raw poles pruned from trees might even be formed into lattice for vertical use against a wall, or used horizontally when placed atop posts to create an openwork ceiling for vines to grow across. The possibilities are endless.

For more information on historic gardening and heirloom plants, click the Smithsonian link below. Vinland Valley Nursery offers many heirlooms for today's gardener, including ornamentals and edibles.