David Grossblat
Photo by Martha Flanders, 2004
I met William in 1995 as we both left a Billy Heart Circle at Heartwood. We said hello because we knew each other through our mutual friend Buzz Bense. And that's how it began.
When William left San Francisco for Martha's Vineyard, we very much stayed connected. Eventually, I visited him there, twice in the early 2000s. The Vineyard is a magical place, and William reveled in it, building a new circle of friends, and reconnecting with old ones. What stands out even today is the elegant simplicity of his home and its decorations, and his love for the island and its history — he had an entire library shelf about Martha's Vineyard. Without doubt, though, each time I was there what shone most brightly was his garden — its elegance of arrangement and plant vitality. True to him, among the plants and vines, he seemed most proud of his okra patch. When years later I was finally able to have my own garden, his completeness of vision and skill in gardening became my template, and still, to this day, I think of him and that Vineyard garden as I work in mine. In so many ways, he opened so many doors for me, and they seem to stay open. Friends, what we do for each other.
— David Grossblat
