Messenger of the Lord

Enthusiastic Gardener

Ellen White was an avid gardener, not only to satisfy household needs for vegetables and fruit, but also to beautify the home with fresh flowers. Springtime in Battle Creek (1859) stirred the gardening blood of this busy, 31-year-old mother of three. On a cold, windy March 24, her diary reads: “Arose early. Assisted my husband and Brother Richard [Godsmark] in taking up a currant bush to plant in our garden.” MOL 103.3

The weather was warmer on March 30 and she “set out the raspberries. Went to Manchesters’ for strawberry plants. Got some currant bushes.... Sent off three letters.” MOL 103.4

The next day she planted “a patch of strawberries.” Two weeks later she wrote: “Spent most of the day making a garden for my children. Feel willing to make home as pleasant for them as I can, that home may be the pleasantest place of any to them.” ¹⁰ MOL 103.5

From their small home in Washington, Iowa, she wrote to Edson: “We are in the midst of flowers of almost every description, but the most beautiful of all is to be surrounded with roses on every hand, of every color and so fragrant. The prairie queen is just opening, also the Baltimore bell. Peonies have been very lovely and fragrant, but now they are fast going to decay. We have had strawberries for several days.” ¹¹ MOL 103.6

Gardening for Ellen White meant work, pleasant work. Writing from Oakland, California, to her husband at Battle Creek, she told of a new friend who shared plants for her garden: “I set out my things in my garden of the new house by moonlight and by the aid of lamplight. The two Marys tried to have me wait until morning, but I would not listen to them. We had a beautiful shower last night. I was glad then I persevered in setting out my plants.” ¹² MOL 103.7

In 1881, the Whites were living again in Battle Creek. This time, writing to Mary, her daughter-in-law, Ellen White wanted items from her Oakland garden: “I have a favor to ask of you. Will you get a small box and put in it small pink roots and slips, a few choice rose cuttings, fuchsia, and geraniums, and send [it to] me?” MOL 103.8

A few days later she wrote again: “We have the most beautiful situation in Michigan.... I have been gathering up shrubs and flowers until we have quite a garden. Peonies, I have a large number of them; hope to get California pinks. I want to get some of that green bordering we get from Sister Rollin.... I wish I had some seeds from California.” ¹³ MOL 103.9

This long and avid interest in the garden and orchard prepared her for the challenge in Australia during the 1890s. When she noticed that most of her encouragement for expanding agriculture development fell on pessimistic ears, she declared boldly that the men of the area were wrong. In fact, she said, they were bearing “false witness” concerning the land. MOL 103.10

She led the way, by example and by visionary exhortation. The result was reviewed in a letter written on February 3, 1896: “We have the testimony that with care taken of the trees and vegetables in the dry season, we shall have good results. Our trees are doing well.... I can testify by experience that false witness has been borne of this land. On the school ground, they have tomatoes, squashes, potatoes, and melons.... We know the land will do well with proper care.” MOL 103.11

A few days later, she wrote in her diary that she arose at 4:30, and was in the garden by 5:00, “spading up the ground and preparing to set out my flowers.” Then, with two helpers, she set out twenty-eight tomato plants. The next morning she was in the orchard, “tying up the trees. A tuft of grass is put between the stake and the trees so that the tree shall not be marred.” ¹⁴ MOL 104.1