Do you garden? You’ve probably read his words before, whether in his books, in his columns or on his Laidback Gardener blog. Larry Hodgson is THE reference in horticulture in Quebec. Suffering from a lung disease, he knows he is doomed. His son, Mathieu, wants to pay him a very special tribute. The Press spoke with father and son.
Posted at 12:00 p.m.
In the horticultural community, the news sent shockwaves.
“I was told 6 and a half years ago that I had 1 to 2 years left to live. So I’ve outplayed the odds so far,” Larry Hodgson wrote on his blog on June 24, his 68th birthday. “But the disease is progressing faster now and I don’t think I have much time left. Weeks ? Months ? Time will tell us. »
“A huge thank you for your colossal contribution to horticulture, reacted the organization Les Urbainculteurs, on Facebook. Your passion touches us and your rich blog inspires us daily. »
A real passion
Larry Hodgson has been sharing his passion for gardening for nearly 40 years. In the mid-1980s, this native of Ontario (and a great lover of Quebec) left his job, convinced that he would become a horticultural columnist, a profession… which did not exist. “I have friends who thought I was completely crazy,” says Larry Hodgson, joined in Quebec by videoconference. Larry had a sharp accent, but he was so convincing that The sun gave him his chance.
Nearly 40 years later, he still keeps his column there.
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY LARRY HODGSON
Larry Hodgson in Costa Rica in 2008 while working as a horticultural guide
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY LARRY HODGSON
Larry Hodgson at the Quebec Seed Festival in 2018
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY LARRY HODGSON
Larry and Matthew Hodgson
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Larry Hodgson had a flourishing career, collaborating with several magazines, newspapers and radio stations and signing no less than 64 books (!). Very involved in his community, he has also given numerous conferences and accompanied thousands of people on horticultural trips.
In 2014, his son Mathieu told him that, to last, he had to invest in the internet. This is where the Laidback Gardener blog was launched. Mathieu expected his father to write an article from time to time, but “he started writing every day”, says Mathieu. “The blog has grown, grown… Last year, we had 8.5 million views on the site. »
“I loved this more direct contact with the public, explains Larry Hodgson. I didn’t know it at the time, but soon I was going to withdraw even more from my other activities, because ill health was coming. »
The blog will survive
Larry Hodgson has pulmonary fibrosis, a fatal degenerative disease.
His post of June 24, he wrote it from the hospital, a ring finger oximeter to measure his oxygen level. But in this text, Larry also announced good news: his blog will survive him. His son Mathieu offered to maintain it after his death.
Horticultural journalist Julie Boudreau will collaborate on it. The sun has agreed to copyright the columns that Larry Hodgson has written over the years to give them a second life on the blog. “I’m not a communicator like my father, but I might write a little article from time to time, too,” confides Mathieu. Larry smiled, visibly proud.
He deserves to be remembered. He worked hard, he gave a lot of his time. For several years, the blog brought in absolutely nothing, but he continued to do so because he was passionate about it, because people read it.
Mathieu Hodgson, about his father
Until June 8, Larry Hodgson hosted a weekly show broadcast on CKIA-FM radio and on Facebook. He had to say goodbye to his listeners, no longer having the necessary breath. Larry has also promised himself to stop responding to the many requests for advice he receives by email.
When someone slips a word to him, his voice breaks. “It’s difficult,” he blurts out. Some questions took him a few minutes to answer, but others half a day. He no longer has the energy.
“I understand that it is only a plant, but when they write to me, people are desperate: their plant is not well, they send me photos…” Since his release from the hospital, hundreds of unread emails show up in his inbox. He manages to stick to his decision, “but it’s terrible not to answer them.”
On the other hand, Larry Hodgson intends to continue writing in The sun and on his blog for as long as possible. “Each person has their own way of dying,” he says. I want to continue doing what I love to do. »
When he writes about gardening, he does not think of the inexorable progression of his disease. “I like to think that’s why I’m living longer than I expected,” says Larry. When I write, I’m good. »