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ODE TO A PASSIONATE GARDEN LOVER

THE STORY:
This magnificent restored Victorian home is surrounded by an enchanting old-world cottage garden. The owner and creator of this garden was a gifted designer and mentor to me. A passionate garden lover and courageous woman who battled blood cancer for a long time, but sadly in the Winter of 2015 she lost her fight. When she had become too frail to tend to her garden, she asked me to care for it. Over the years this garden has taught me patience, careful observations, trust, lessons in reaping what you sow, and the importance of tending to one’s own heart. I have gained an extension of horticultural knowledge, that I never would have gained if I had not received this invitation.

Every time I enter in this garden, I feel like I have stepped into a romantic scene of a Jane Austen novel. An abundance of old-world roses, cascading wisteria and sprawling clematis climbers, rare and exotic perennials, espaliered fruit trees, wrought iron arbors, a fernery conservatory and a parterre, architectural ornaments, Victorian stone sculptures, urns, wall plaques, a fountain with a pond and bird baths. There is always something new to discover each time I return.

I have gained inspiration, photographed, journaled, drawn, sewn, researched and catalogued so much from this garden. Over the year’s perennials have been replaced, garden beds replenished and rearranged, numerous roses pruned, plants cut back, cuttings collected, bulbs divided, and seeds sown all with the wonderful help from my fury friend ‘Jackson’.

Caption

THE STORY

This magnificent restored Victorian home is surrounded by an enchanting old-world cottage garden. The owner and creator of this garden was a gifted designer and mentor to me. A passionate garden lover and courageous woman who battled blood cancer for a long time, but sadly in the Winter of 2015 she lost her fight. When she had become too frail to tend to her garden, she asked me to care for it.  Over the years this garden has taught me patience, careful observations, trust, lessons in reaping what you sow, and the importance of tending to one’s own heart. I have gained an extension of horticultural knowledge, that I never would have gained if I had not received this invitation.

Every time I enter in this garden, I feel like I have stepped into a romantic scene of a Jane Austen novel. An abundance of old-world roses, cascading wisteria and sprawling clematis climbers, rare and exotic perennials, espaliered fruit trees, wrought iron arbors, a fernery conservatory and a parterre, architectural ornaments, Victorian stone sculptures, urns, wall plaques, a fountain with a pond and bird baths. There is always something new to discover each time I return.

I have gained inspiration, photographed, journaled, drawn, sewn, researched and catalogued so much from this garden. Over the year’s perennials have been replaced, garden beds replenished and rearranged, numerous roses pruned, plants cut back, cuttings collected, bulbs divided, and seeds sown all with the wonderful help from my fury friend ‘Jackson’.