By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
While many people took up gardening during the pandemic, one Bowling Green woman cultivated a different type of garden.
Beth Tanner crocheted a flower garden to keep herself busy during the pandemic and to share some beauty with her neighbors.
“I just needed to make something beautiful,” she said.
Sitting on her back patio, Tanner is surrounded by her handiwork. She is wearing a sweater she knitted. On the table is her latest knitting project of a pair of socks. Her beverage is sitting on a coaster she crocheted, being kept cool in a cozy she made.
“It’s all over the house. I don’t even think about it,” Tanner said.
But during the pandemic lockdown, she needed to branch out.
“I just started making flowers,” she said.
The result can be seen in the crocheted flower garden covering her patio fence, which she also affectionately calls “graffiti” or “yarn bombing.”
It all started with a single yellow flower made by her grandma.
“She’s my anchor. Her hands made that,” Tanner said, pointing to the bright yellow posey.
The inspiration for the design came from the flower garden paintings of artist Gustav KIimt.
The “garden” began on a sheet inside Tanner’s apartment. Her son joined in the gardening project, by crocheting some blue flowers.
The “gardening” helped Tanner tolerate the lonely months of the pandemic.
“It did help me get through. I needed color and beauty,” she said.
As the months went by, the garden kept growing.
“I would think I’m done, but I would let it sit and I’d think – no, I’ve got to make more flowers.”
“It just kept getting bigger and bigger. But I thought – I’ve got the whole fence to work with,” she said.
It kept growing until there were 165 flowers, 65 leaves and several spirals.
The flowers were each sewn onto black mesh so they could be transplanted to her patio fence. Real irises along the fence are reaching up to the yarn garden.
Initially, Tanner wasn’t sure how the crocheted garden would hold up in rainy weather.
“Then I thought, sheep are outdoors, so I think it will be fine.”
Tanner learned to knit and crochet at age 5, from her grandmother.
“My grandma would be so proud. She would really like this,” Tanner said as she looked at her yarn garden. “I’m really happy to sit out here and look at it.”
The garden, which Tanner has dubbed “The Wild Flowers,” can be seen on the East Side of Bowling Green, by motorists traveling west on Clough Street.
“I find peace in making something beautiful,” she said. “I wanted to share it with the neighborhood.”
