Here is a picture of Tulasi working in the flower gardens at Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold. He is digging holes so Gopa can plant the cannas that she started in the greenhouse from roots saved in the fall from last season.

He just came home from college to spend the summer and Gopa snatched him up first thing to help as the cool rainy spring has her behind on the planting schedule. He will help her for a couple of weeks until planting is finished.

FYI, he is working his way through college so anyone who could use a strong young guy let us know because he is looking for jobs.

Vidya was commenting that this was a full circle because she was the original gardener at the Palace before Tulasi was even born and now he is working there. She had collaborated with Kirtanananda Swami in designing and planting the first garden and manged them for several years until Betty Hickey took over.

Now Betty is semi-retired, focusing on the roses, and Gopa is taking the responsibility for the rest of the gardens. Gopa was out fund raising in the early years of the gardens but now has her chance to enjoy the nectar.

Most of the original plants can no longer be grown at the Palace because of deer damage but cannas are still the backbone because deer don’t eat them. Cannas were my contribution to the garden scheme. We didn’t have them back home in North Dakota growing up so when I saw some growing down in Moundsville I was fascinated by them and lobbied successfully against no resistance for their inclusion. They continue to be planted to this very day.