GardenScenes, part 1

OKAY, I admit it. I am gaga over gardening. As a fiberart teacher from Maine once said, "If I could garden all year 'round, I'd never make another quilt". My gardens are just as creative an experience as any quilt has been! Starting with the first home we owned, in Ithaca, NY, the ornamentals have been a big focus. When we moved to a very private lot atop a steep driveway, the renovation of a long steep bank of goldenrod, which almost entirely circled the house, began-- and continued through our 10-year tenure there; also the foundation planting, of which there was none when we moved in -- that was essential.

Gardens at Hungerford Rd and Sapsucker Woods

2006 the second property-- this photo captures the steep situation. All foundation planting, including the towering magnolia, was done by us.	2006 front of the house: "Harry Lauder Walking Stick" Corylus, Junipers, and Magnolia dominate; beech tree with spectacular fall color behind

2006 banked garden behind and encircling the house, some of the rock hardscaping and a partial view of Tom's fabulous ponds	2006 Another good view of the banked perennial garden

2004 fall-color view DOWN the steep driveway	2006 back of the house from top of perennial garden	2006 kousa dogwood and evening primrose flowering

2006 "shade" garden	2006 "shade" garden and side of the house	2003 -- rebuilt rock stairsteps, Astilbes in bloom Great shot of Tom's main pond.

2005 mixed plantings against the west side of the house	2004 Hostas just up; late afternoon sun through the trees	2002 looking north along the garden; still lots of blank spots in the "sun" garden; Great shot of Tom's main pond

2006 mixed "sun" garden	2006 mixed "sun" garden	2003 stone stairs into densely shaded woods beyond

2002 Peonies in the sunniest location I had in this bank maybe got 4 hours of direct or dappled sun	2002 still lots of blank spots in "sun" garden	2002 shadiest garden; eventually I ripped out the variegated hostas

2002 "shade" garden; hostas, bleeding heart, Persecaria	2002 at the north end of the main pond, water runs out of the ground until June. After this year, I began removing variegated hostas and put in Darmera who loved having wet feet	2002 an earlier view along the bank towards the pond

2004 late afternoon sun through the trees	2002 Darmera liked the south end of the pond	1980's our first house. Lots of rhododendrons, forsythia, dogwoods, lilacs

The Newest Gardens
Starting over again at a new address in 2007