Oct 6, 2009 5 min read

CHALK HILL ? Mary Schvarczkopf has found vitality in her garden. ?I truly feel that my 25 years of extensive perennial gardening has greatly contributed to my longevity of 83 years ?young,??? she said.

In fact, the 83-year-old Schvarczkopf is very proud of her garden, which she has maintained for more than two decades at her Chalk Hill home. The garden contains a myriad of beautiful plants even in the closing days of summer. Although the garden is in its peak in July, Schvarczkopf enjoys it from April to the end of September. The garden contains flowers, shrubs, some vegetables and fruit.

?It lifts your spirits,?? Schvarczkopf said of the garden. ?It isn?t a green thumb that makes your garden grow. It?s tender, loving care.??

Schvarczkopf learned gardening from her parents in her native New York state. She and her husband, John, who have been married 61 years, met in high school.

They moved to Uniontown when John Schvarczkopf worked with Allied Chemical and was transferred to Newell. He worked four years in Newell before being transferred to Canada for seven years and then returning to Newell. He retired at age 52.

Schvarczkopf was an elementary school teacher, retiring in 1986 as a fifth-grade teacher at Dunbar Borough Elementary School in the Connellsville Area School District.

The couple has four children, living in the states of Washington, Oregon, New Mexico and West Virginia, and three grandchildren.

The Schvarczkopfs moved to Chalk Hill after their children were grown, and it was there in the mountains that Schvarczkopf was able to make the most of her love of gardening.

She wrote some thoughts about her garden to share, noting, ?Twenty-five years of composting leaves, grass clippings and kitchen scraps has done wonders to improve the original soil of rocks and heavy clay. To lighten the high maintenance of a continually changing landscape (perennial flowers: here today, gone tomorrow), I?ve planted three new low-maintenance beds. Two years ago, I planted a variety of hostas. Last year, varieties of ornamental grasses and this year, interesting ferns.??

Schvarczkopf recently gave a tour of her garden. She also shared her secret for keeping deer away.

While she uses bird netting, Schvarczkopf is pleased to divulge her recipe for a homemade egg and milk wash. She mixes two to three eggs in a blender and adds a cup or two of skim milk powder and one tablespoon of cayenne powder. She then fills the blender with water and blends it.

Schvarczkopf then divides the mixture into thirds for use, placing the mixture into watering cans to water on vulnerable plants. She repeats this every three weeks.

?The leaves absorb it and the deer don?t eat the plants,?? she said.

Schvarczkopf also installs plants the deer don?t like, such as euphorbias, geraniums and peonies.

?They like hydrangeas,?? she said. ?They ate the tops of my hibiscus, but they?re coming back.??

Other animals also enjoy Schvarczkopf?s garden. As she talked, a hummingbird could be seen in the garden on the gladiolas.

A bee landed on Schvarczkopf but caused her no concern, saying, ?I rarely get stung because I leave them alone and we need them.??

Schvarczkopf continued to show off her plants, including the elephant ears, phlox and black-eyed Susans and talked about the varieties of ferns she has planted, including Japanese, red stem, lady fern and Christmas fern.

Schvarczkopf discovered the safest place to plant her vegetables was in large pots on her deck ? the deer haven?t been able to climb the stairs.

She grows lettuce, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs.

?I?ve been harvesting all we want to eat and for neighbors and friends,?? she said, also pointing out currents and gooseberries that grow at the back of the house.

In a walk around the house, she pointed to different sites, noting, ?I have thousands of daffodils in the spring.??

The front of her house contains rhodendrons. And she keeps track of all of the plants.

Schvarczkopf?s garden musings also note: ?The four scrapbooks I?ve filled with pertinent plant information have been invaluable. This gives me knowledge of where I?ve planted and what grows well and ?don?t-try-it-again? plants.??

Through the years, Schvarczkopf has received help from her grandson and husband.

And she also extends help to others, establishing what she calls ?mini-Mary gardens,?? with extras from her garden at the homes of friends and neighbors.

She said, ?Sharing plants has always been one of my joys of gardening.??

Schvarczkopf is a longtime member of the Great Meadows Garden Club and has received many blue ribbons in flower shows and special awards from the district and state as a horticulturist.

She also is a longtime member of the Uniontown Art Club and an avid golfer, belonging to the Mount Summit Ladies Golf League and Carmichaels Mixed Golf League.

Schvarczkopf readily promotes these activities to others.

?I feel I have stayed younger and more flexible because of my gardening and golf,?? she said. ?The fresh air and sunshine do me well.??