The primary way Ellen Di Nardo navigates the world is through touch, having been blind since the age of four (she recently lost her sense of smell). Ellen maintains an upstate New York garden in which she grows 60-70 tomato plants a season, 40 hot peppers, 60-70 sweet peppers, garlic, basil, cucumbers, broccoli, lettuce, and more. Her story follows.
How I became a gardener. By Ellen Di Nardo
Since the age of four, I have been blind. My grandfather introduced me to gardening when I was four years old. About 60 years ago, he came over from Scotland and worked as the head gardener on an estate. In 1959, he and my grandmother moved close to us, and he took care of our yard. From the age of seven until I was 12, I followed him around the yard every Saturday. I learned the most hands-on things from him. He gave me jobs to do, encouraged me to have my own vegetable and flower gardens, and gave me the best jobs to do. He didn’t mind letting a child pick beans. As we walked, he let me feel what was a true bean and what wasn’t. Once my grandfather was too old to work, Dad took over. He taught me the rest of what I needed to know so now it just comes naturally.