Because Poppysue asked .. here is my farm home.
1900 Lutton cast and glasshouse is not yet completed.
This is an original charter farm. Present house and buildings 1890.
Photo taken late January in a winter of endless snow.
Summers ..thousands of cannas grow here. A gorgeous sight when all are in bloom ((o:
Oh Alice!! What a beautiful place! The glasshouse is a lot bigger than I thought.
What a beautiful home and glass house! it looks like the setting of a storybook!
Alice, your place is so peaceful looking, even with the snow on the ground. I'll bet it is gorgeous with all of the cannas in bloom. I wish I had a greenhouse like yours and a pocketbook really deep to pay the heat bill in Iowa. I've so enjoyed your pictures this winter. You have a great place and something to be very proud of.
That could be a postcard!!! Just lovely!
Lovely! I hope you'll post a picture when the cannas are blooming.
Alice, Your home and glasshouse are absolutely beautiful.
Wow! What I could do with a greenhouse that size.
Alice... I am coming!!! Its the perfect home for my trees!
I like your home and glass house. Its very pretty.
Love that GH.....my dream!
Lovely setting! I love old houses, and of course the GH is something else. What is the history behind the GH? I remember seeing something about it? Thanks, Kristi
I must say I'm impressed. I can't wait to get a green house equiped with C02 tanks...the works...but until then I will make do with my plastic sheets hung over coat hangers and such. Trully a Brug growers dream. And the best part is you can grow all varieties of Brugmansia in a house like that.
Alice, what are the dimensions of your g'house? I know pictures can be deceiving, so it is probably bigger than the photo looks. In fact, it looks HUGE! I know I just love mine even tho it started life as a hog building. Spouse says he likes it this way now, as he doesn't have to shovel poop from plants! :>)
Alice,
It's sure is pretty.
Way to go Alice, just beautiful!
Alice, your place is beautiful and so peaceful looking. I know that it must be gorgeous in the summer with all the blooms and green grass. You greenhouse is something that many dream of.
Beautiful setting Alice. I hope you post a picture with all your canna's later. I bet it a spectacular site to see! Love the greenhouse.
So beautifull Alice, thank you for sharing this picture.It looks like a dreamland.
yes, dreamland! that's a perfect description. love it.
Being involved in historic preservation, this is a special treat! How hard is the house to heat? Have you ever tried to get it on the National Register of Historic Places or locally designated? Often local designation leads to tax breaks. I also love your big shade trees; something everyone cherished at one time but now everyone is scared to have them near their house, so they cut them down and replace them with little ornamental trees.
We have houses that look like that all over our county, but many of our residents came down The Great Wagontrail from Pennsylvania and Maryland. We call this a vernacular house; typical of the area, but without seeing it up close I can't tell if it has Queen Anne elements......
The photo is great, looks like one you should paint, making the road a creek. I too wonder how big your greenhouse is. How will youheat it. I use an electric heater on low setting. When I had it built 8 years ago our electricity as the lowest in the nation. Since then it has been one raise in rates after another, My electic bill for Dec. & Jan. for a warm for this area 2 months, was $456.00!!!! Donna. It is beginning to rain!
My first thought was: A Currier and Ives Christmas Scene if ever I saw one! Of course Brugaddicts you would focus on the Glasshouse and you are justified. It is to die for. Truly lovely Alice.
Finally a moment to stop back. A busy stretch for me right now.
Thanks, Everyone.
Glasshouse history ..
Originally part of an old Pittsburgh estate, it was dismantled by three brothers, brought by trucks pieces at a time, and rebuilt some 25 miles away. Brothers grew bedding for the local markets and cemeteries for over 50 years. But as they aged, the glasshouse fell to bad times )o;
A few years back I was to an estate sale of a friend's Mother in a neighborhood I had never been before though I have lived here since birth. Odd to have happen. I had to park blocks away the auction was so crowded ..and right in front of the glasshouse. I was so stunned to catch a glimpse behind the trees (o:
The sole living brother ..in his late 80s.. was in his garden. Friends right off, I missed most of the auction chatting about glasshouse, its history, and their days of growing. An unexpected friendship, I enjoyed much. A few days later, he phoned and asked if I wanted the glasshouse. I did (((o:
Salvaged and reconstructed at the farm size will finish 25' x 80'. There is a conservatory, also. But I hope to attach to the house one day instead ..if enough parts to do so.
The daughter of a big city Father and a farm girl Mother .. I move easily in both arenas. But country always in my blood.. I am my best there. Mom's family farm was sold for an industrial park. After years of looking, losing out, heartbreaks, etc to buy a farm ..this one came to me of its own just as I decided it hurt to much to keep looking. Life has its weird happenings (o:
Thanks Woodspirit for your historic info (o: ..I will look into.
Gas wells on the farm's property heat the house and glasshouse. Water is from an artesian stream the well just 'happened' while fooling around with drilling equipment long ago ..lol The huge old maples ..cut away from the house to lessen damage ..provide wonderful afternoon shade. Sunrise over the Appalachia. Spectacular sunsets in the valley. Unbelievable beauty.
But it has been a long road to this joyous place ..
Passed from parent to child for over 200 years ..there were no deeds. It took a year to pull title. Not enough money ..my oldest brother helped. And he did the foundation for glasshouse. also. In the midst of reconstruction, Joseph had unexpected life saving heart surgery. He is fine now (o:
But all will be okay. Because there is so much love in my life and so much good, I am truely blessed ((o:
This message was edited Jun 14, 2009 2:16 PM
This message was edited Jun 14, 2009 7:54 PM
What a wonderfully inspiring story. It is one thing to be blessed and another to appreciate that you are blessed.
It must have been a huge effort dismantling and reconstructing the glasshouse. Will you show us the inside?
Can really say you have lived a full, interesting life, Alice. Best wishes on growing in your GH.
Gloria
Sounds like it all was meant to be. Thanks for sharing it with all of us.
What a wonderful story about your place and the greenhouse. I, too, hope you will give us a picture from inside showing the length of it. I can't imagine how much fun I could have with a GH that large. I sure wish I had it right now since mine is bulging at the seams. Thank you Alice for sharing all of this with us. I'll be looking forward to seeing more pictures from you soon and know I'll love them all. I would love to meet you one day. Who knows, maybe I'll win the lottery and make the rounds..............
It was great reading your story Alice!
I was born in the City and moved to the country when I was 15...although it was a big change especially at such a bad age, Now I wouldn't leave this place for the world!
Best wishes always,
Bruno
Bruno, that is only part of the story ..lol.
I should probably write some things down one day to remember in my golden years ..whatever those are. lol
My life has had some out of the ordinary very bad happenings. And out of the ordinary very good ones, too. The 'normal' that most people have just never seems to happen for me.
Most always I just seem to be going along for the ride. Not much else I can do.
But I have come to know that the darkest days can yield gold linings that come in ways we don't expect. And though we may not understand the 'whys' of some things, there is most always 'reason' that will eventually present itself. On this journey called life, I doubt anything happens without purpose. Though we may have to seek the understanding.
I am in the middle of moving all the brugs to the north length so I can move all the cannas I am starting in pots to the best light. Soon as that is done I will get a photo of the inside. There are some very neat inside mechanisms.
This message was edited Jun 14, 2009 7:56 PM
alice, very lovely home and glass house. I especially enjoyed reading about how you aquired the GH.
thanks of rsharing your insights and photo, I will look forward to seeing another photo when all your cannas and brugs are in bloom.
Yeah..unfortunatly that's usualy the way, Good and bad going hand in hand! I suppose that if we didn't have the bad times, we wouldn't appreciate the good times!
But I believe that all the bad things that have happened in my life have only made me a better person...and it must have done the same for you! (Hugs)
Best of luck always,
Bruno
Alice, that is a wonderful story.....it was meant to be yours! Happy Canna growing in there! Elaine
So this is where all those wonderful brugs grow!!!! Just beautiful.
Wow Alice It Sure Looks So Peaceful
On That Farm. Nice House & Glass Green House
All The Brugs That One Desire are Grown Right
On Your Farm. Wow,
Very Nice
Chocolate Brug
Wow, this is an ancient history thread ..
Well, this year the house might get colours.. lol
She is late Victorian and we are a flower farm.
She has never had the opportunity to be painted anything but farm house white.
So this year she just may get her 'painted lady' feet wet :-)
The greenhouse is finished.
We were able to salvage 80' of the original 120' which is still awesome :-)))
And I have learned more about her history, of which I am writing to a photo story.
Thanks for the trip back in time :-)
I am glad someone brought this thread back up. Alice--your home is just beautiful--love the glass house! Will look forward to the photo story.
This looks like a beautiful study of black and white photography...
Don't know where William came upon this, but I have to laugh when I saw it.
Like, hey .. that's my house!! ..lol
The black and white is how it really looks here in winter.. no photo touch up.
It is interesting, and I have learned to appreciate that special time of year, too.
But right now the cannas are starting to bloom, so there will be plenty of bright for awhile.
Though I am always happy, I am especially now to see the new hybrids opening :-)))
Anyone know where where MrPlantaholic is these days?
He sort of just dropped out of sight. I have always missed him here.
To Mr. Bruno wherever you are .. I do hope life is treating you good :-)))
Alice
This message was edited Jun 24, 2009 5:57 AM
Alice, I love your story....the part I enjoyed reading the most was when you met the elderly man who called you a few days later to tell you the glass house was yours. Reading about your special GH it's like it was meant to be handed down to you from one special gardener to another special gardener.
It is a picture post card setting!
I seem to have missed this 1st time around so am glad it was found and resurfaced. Love the GH and would love to see a picture of it now.
Lavina
