Armand Patoine sat with me in his tea house, deep inside his garden, which leads down to a stream. He has been creating this garden for 49 years. We talked about gardening, and what God has to do with his gardening, which it turns out is everything.
Credits
Thank you Victor for introducing me to Armand
Thank you Willie Tobin for the beautiful bird and squirrel recordings. They are gifts that keep giving.
Thank you Armand for the daylilies. They’re in.
To visit the listing for Armand’s house, click here
Beautiful interview with a beautiful soul! Thank you for bringing Armand and his gardens to light.
I wish I could see these gardens and that Harrison Yellow Rose!
And I wish you all the best Armand in your new place and hope you find a wonderful gardener to buy your old place.
What town is his house in, I must have missed that?
He’s in Lyndon! Thank you for this lovely response Peg!
DEAR Erica Heilman…i have loved Rumble Strip for a long time, am so Happy when i see notice of a new
episode. I never comment. This morning, after weeks of over 100 degree days in Sierra Nevada foothills, it
is almost “cold”. is 50 some degrees and i huddle under a shawl and wonder about Everything. and then
here you Are with Armand.
When i go this morning later to give water to the Garden here, i will listen again and the trees and plants
will listen with me. We will be exalted. I love you. I love Armand. Thank you beyond Thank you…
grace in California on a Hill with 15 Goats and a Garden.
Well I am happy you commented. And isn’t ‘exaltation’ a perfect word for what plants and trees provoke..???
Thank you for writing Grace.
E
Thank you for sharing Armand’s precious story of gardening, Erica! It brought tears. I’m not exactly sure why. Armand is so honest and true to himself. Flowers, plants, and birds bring me great joy, too! Wishing Armand the best in his move and starting a new garden. It must be hard for him to leave his sanctuary of 49 years!
❤️Cheryl
my childhood neighbor and classmate for many years
Every episode is a wonder to listen to. Thank you for sharing. I found Rumble Strip about two months ago, and immediately knew that it was the kind of podcast I had been looking for for so long.
Thank you Ben. That makes my day.
Such a lovely story. Thank you. Linda
Wow, youve done it again. Great story. Armand gives me great hope for the world. What a splendid human being.
Many thanks
Dear, Dear Erica,
You are my ultimate role model for audio storytelling/producing, and this story about Armand is exactly why. I really notice how comfortable your interviewees sound with you, and you with them. And your questions, which seem to come so naturally, invite people like Armand to go places they might not have gone. I just loved humanity as I listened to this episode, and in fact, that’s how I usually feel during your episodes. Thank you. Thank you. And thank you, Armand, for bringing such beauty to the world and sharing it so generously.
Janet, thank you so much for this. and I’ll make sure Armand sees it.
What a wonderful episode. I loved getting to know Armand. Thank you for sharing his story. I feel the same way about flowers. This podcast is such a wonderful study in human nature. I’ve loved every episode so far.
“I’m sharing with you what God shared with me.”
Now that’s the bouquet we should all hold onto and hand out piece by piece.
Thank you for having this conversation Erica and Armand.
Armand is a kindred spirit! We share the same idea about where a plant needs planting! Thank you for sharing his thoughts and love of plants! There is nothing like nature to help ease troubles and give peace! Love your podcasts, Erica!
Thank you for saying
“I know. But try.”
Ha! We’d been together long enough that I figured he’d roll with it…and did he ever.
Thank you so much! As a native Vermonter I have loved your show for awhile! I so appreciate this story. It is truly amazing. Keep it up Erica! You are doing very important work. Thank you.
This was most lovely. Soul’s such as Armand’s are frequently overlooked and misunderstood. I, and am sure others, easily related to the connection between God’s creation (love of us as individuals) and the need to revel in and care for the gifts He has sent us.
Blessings
Sue Ann
Such a wonderful story – a wonderful human being. I listened to this story twice. After hearing it while driving, I wanted to hear it again at home so I could listen more carefully. Armand is a VT treasure. Thanks for introducing him to many more of us.
Hi
Greetings from the UK, I came across your podcast after reading a wonderful review in the New Yorker. Today, I am working from home in a small town just outside London. I work for our wonderful National Health Service and it has not been a good day. We have suffered from chronic underfunding of our hospitals and its a struggle to give the people the care that they deserve.
I thought that I would give your podcast a read ( I know we listen to them, but I like to think that we read them) and listened to your story of the wonderful Armand Patoine. It brought such a feeling of joy to me, listening to his life story and his love for his flowers and garden. My eldest son is gay and went through the bullying like Armand did and I can empathise on how he felt, but what a strong character he is. If Armand see this, Thank you for brightening up my day and may your God go with you.
PS Thank you for suchb a wonderful podcast, you have a new devoted listener
Erica, thank you for all that you do. You’ve created a really special podcast.
I heard a glimpse of this episode on NPR while driving through Northfield a month ago, and my mouth dropped open. Who was this person talking so clearly and powerfully about plants and spirituality, neither of which I know much about? I looked it up later and listened to the episode in full and it was even better. I’m so used to gay folk around here (San Francisco / Sonoma) having a bigger community and not being isolated – the fact that someone could not see Armand’s beauty was astonishing.
Now I’m going through all your episodes and they are top-notch. I feel deeply connected to my home state and the human condition whenever I listen. Thank you for everything.
Spencer Tweedy sent me here. And I am so glad he did. Amazing.