At 100, Lauri still nurtures his garden with great care—but his favorite flower is his wife

Right at the front door, it’s clear that a skilled green thumb lives here. On the glass-enclosed veranda, snake plants, bougainvilleas, geraniums, and numerous cacti are thriving. In the garden, traditional perennials grow harmoniously alongside asparagus, Jerusalem artichokes, and an age-old strain of rhubarb. Lovage blossoms sway above our heads, and peonies grow like lush shrubs. Autumn phlox planted along the vegetable garden’s edge provides a splash of color in late August.

One-hundred-year-old Lauri Lehtinen takes a modest view of his own growing skills.

“I don’t really have that much experience yet—just 60 years.”

This veteran gardener has been ahead of his time in many ways, as numerous currently popular methods have been practiced in his garden for decades.

When the family grew by two boys in the 1960s, the garden was given plenty of space for edible crops. Rather than a traditional vegetable patch, the family’s carrots, beets, and potatoes thrived in raised beds that Lauri built.

“We needed inexpensive food. I made six-meter boxes, stacking three boards on top of each other. The idea came from my own head, and it made it easy to care for the plants.”

Rainwater from the house roof is directed into two tubs buried in the ground, and the summer-warmed water is perfect for watering flowers. A private well means there’s no need to rely on tap water, even during dry spells. The gardener is also self-sufficient in soil: three 300 L (about 80 gal) compost bins provide enough for his garden. Lauri sprinkles only chicken manure as fertilizer, and its odor keeps rabbits away from his crocuses in spring.

“Chicken manure is the best and simplest. But people today get a bit picky about the smell. As an outdoor fertilizer, though, it’s unbeatable and easy to handle.”

When Lauri was young, he dreamed of becoming a machinist and began his career as a gunsmith in Jyväskylä’s factories. A skilled craftsman, he values practical technology and quality tools in the garden as well. His chainsaw and branch shredder run on modern electric power. A couple of years ago, he set up automated watering in his greenhouse, and as recently as last year, he enjoyed a bountiful tomato harvest. He started the seedlings from his own saved seeds, so he was already savoring tomatoes by Midsummer.

“I always saved seeds from the best stems. That way, they grew more robust every year, with vines that reached right through the greenhouse vent.”

Lauri became attached to plants while building his own garden, and his positive outlook has been with him even longer. At only 18, Lauri was sent to the War of Continuation front. His bright spirit carried him through the war and through difficult times.

“I’m the type who forges my own path.”

In 1952, two travelers met under fortunate circumstances. Always eager to learn new things, Lauri was on his way to an English lesson when he came across a young lady waiting for the bus. His English class gave way to a shared trip to a dance hall—and that’s how this couple’s story began, lasting for over 70 years.

When asked about his favorite flower, Lauri answers immediately: he has no favorites apart from his wife Sointu.

As a young couple, they started their life on a plot parceled from a relative’s farm, along the cart track that runs from Jyväskylä to Muurame. At the northwest corner of Lake Päijänne, the fields were rocky, yet Lauri had already spotted an area where stones were heaped along the field’s edge to form an impressive wall.

“There were only two stones on the entire lot,” he recalls.

The thick layer of soil in that stone-free field offered an ideal beginning for a garden. When he was younger, Lauri had unknowingly prepared his future garden by spreading manure piles in the field.

“Beneath the topsoil is a firm layer of clay that keeps things moist. The grass never dries out.”

Along the driveway, Lauri and Sointu planted silver willow and enclosed part of the lot with a protective lilac hedge. On a family camping trip to Sweden, they brought home an oak sapling that was planted in the backyard. Only the tall stumps remain of the silver willow, but the long-lived oak is still in its early stages.

In earlier days, the garden had numerous floribunda roses, and Lauri especially cherished the old ‘Peace’ hybrid tea rose. When some of the roses froze each winter, he decided they were too costly a hobby.

Clearly, roses were the exception, because every other plant in the garden has flourished.

“I’ve bought some of them, and others were delivered by the birds.”

For Lauri, every plant is equally important, and he’s continually amazed by the wonder of growth. His garden has brought him great joy through the years and also many lessons. This veteran gardener’s wisdom can be applied in many situations: water, love, and a friendly word go a long way.

“Care must be consistent, and you need a routine. Since plants grow every day, they need attention every day.”

Every Thursday, Lauri drives his hybrid car to pick up his wife from the care home where she spends part of the week. On the living room windowsill, Sointu’s favorite palm stretches toward the light of their shared garden.