Editor’s Note: Although the author’s father passed away in December, his positive spirit and the joy be brought to others are the epitome of what we find in Country Characters across Iowa.

My father, Robert Tonn, had learned over the 91 years of his life that moving doesn’t change who you are. It simply changes the view out your window! In October 2022, Dad and my mom, Lorraine, moved just a few blocks from their home of over 50 years in Clinton to Bickford Assisted Living. It was a difficult move, to be sure, but one that gave them the safety net they might need as they continued to age.

Unfortunately, instead of having multi­ple windows like they enjoyed in their old home, their new apartment would have only one… but one facing a courtyard allowing them to enjoy views of nature.

As they packed lifelong treasures to take with them, they gathered a few favor­ite lawn ornaments that would remind them of “home” while looking outside from their apartment.

Only 4 months after the move, Dad lost his wife of almost 70 years. Anyone who has lost a loved one knows that it’s difficult to come back from such a loss. Instead, you learn to incorporate their absence and memories into your daily life.

Eventually, Dad’s grief walked beside him instead of consuming him. He found gratitude and comfort in honoring the love of his life by sprucing up the gardens growing outside his window, thus improving his view of the courtyard.

Dad’s passion for gardening started as a young boy during the Great Depression. He often recalled his grandparents’ farm near Summer and the enormous garden they grew to survive the economic hardships of the times.

His memories included the abundance of food that his grandparents harvested, and the endless hours his grandmother spent canning fresh produce so she could feed her family throughout the year. Little did Grandma know that she would someday became an inspiration for her grandson’s love of gardening.

As Dad started his own family with Mom, gardening was something they could enjoy together. He often insisted that Mom had the ideas, and he simply provided the physical labor to make her dreams come true.

The tradition of preserving fresh produce has continued with Mom and Dad’s five daughters, who have also spent countless hours freezing and canning fruit and vegetables so our families can enjoy them all year long.

After Mom’s passing in March 2023, life for Dad was lonely as he journeyed through the remaining long days of winter. As soon as Iowa’s spring weather improved, Dad found his renewed purpose through gardening.

This passion gave him the spark to help relieve his shock, anger, sadness and grief that had been weighing heavily on him. Gardening connected him back to nature as he felt the rich earth between his fingers and the sun on his skin.

Spending time growing things in the Bickford courtyard gave Dad opportunities to make connections with others and reduced his social isolation and feeling of loneliness. Cleta, who is Bickford’s Activity and Happiness Coordinator, noticed: “Bob spent hours in the courtyard pulling weeks, nourishing existing plants and planting new ones, arranging lawn ornaments, hanging baskets and creating an environment for everyone to enjoy.”

Dad filled the view from his apartment window with an abundance of beautiful flowers and a small vegetable garden. As a side benefit, the Bickford’s kitchen staff and residents enjoyed the bounty of Dad’s “farm to table” efforts by harvesting health and delicious fresh produce.

My dad also added numerous bird feeders in the courtyard to attract Iowa’s feathered friends. His view, along with those of other Bickford residents, no included blue jays, robins, woodpeckers, sparrows, orioles, hummingbirds, cardinals and more.

Janet, one of Bickford’s residents, described the courtyard as “Bob’s baby”. Not only did Dad’s view from his window improve, he took it upon himself to tend the garden areas outside his neighbors’ windows too. Neighbors Jeanne, Janet, Verna and Helen reaped the benefits of Dad’s green thumb as he planted, watered and decorated outside their apartments.

Jeanne commented last summer, “Because of Bob’s passion, the Bickford courtyard looks the best it has in years.” Two of Dad’s neighbors, Joanne and Janet, even presented him with a T-shirt they had made as a thank-you for his work. The shirt has a picture of a paved path and the gardens and says in bold letters, “Bob’s Pride and Joy”.

There’s a Chinese proverb that says, “He who plants a garden plants happiness.” That’s exactly what my father did during his short stay at Bickford.

Even though Dad has now passed, today the courtyard is a delightfully colorful place for residents, families and friends to gather. It’s a place to enjoy the pretty tunes and blooms of nature, where new friendships blossom and old ones flourish.

Dad’s garden is a masterpiece that he could view daily through his lone window. Luckily for others, it continues to be shared today for anyone walking into the Bickford courtyard.

Audrey Hepburn once said, “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” My father did just that!