Laurie's Garden Tour

Your home is out of a story. It's all beautiful.

Just stopped by for a minute, will have to continue the walk later, when I have time to enjoy.

I received this from a friend this morning and thought you might like to see. Hope this works. This is my wish for each of you too.

http://www.e-water.net/viewflash.php?flash=irishblessing_en

This message was edited Jan 15, 2009 2:42 PM

I know it's Irish, but it kind of fit in with Laurie's tour, don't you think?

Thank you soooo much Laurie for sharing your heart's passion with us and your little part of this wide world. I'm teary-eyed. What a retreat you have.
Thank you, Sally, for sharing that blessing with us as well.
I know I will take this walk many times over and have a sit here and there and maybe take a dip if I feel like it.

Hello? Can I live in the shed?

Portland I was thinking the same thing. I would be quite content to live in the shed. The old trees are so neat too. I'm very envious of all the beautiful garden areas you have, Laurie. Can we have a spring, summer and fall tour too?

Laurie, thanks for the picture of the bandsaw bench - it will give DH something else to lust after. I love the edging for your paths, too.

LOL! I was just thinking that too - that's a shed?

Wonderful Laurie, I'm having work done on my kitchen for the next few days. I really needed a walk in your gardens. I feel better now. Will go back and walk again as needed.^_^

You live in such a magical place, I'm glad you enjoy it so much. All your hard work shows how much you love it.

I am so bumed, my big puter decided it did not want to want to get on Daves, so hooked up the the laptop when so I could stay with you . So miss my 17" screen. got to go back and look again when I figure out its malfunction. Need better glasses fot this thing. I have not used it much, since I have the big one. Thank goodness my DH got this for me, or I would be having a fit.

Laurie, your place is so wonderful. and thank you for the last photo, Love It.
Hugs

Just thought about something. Sis (KaperC) maybe you could send Philip on a quest, then we could go pick up what he found. heeheehee

Laurie- I am simply speechless. Thank you for sharing your beautiful work of art. You continually inspire me :0)

Sally, thanks for the Irish tour. That was lovely.

I knew you'd like that Willow.

I am just in bliss walking through your garden. It is a truly magical place. The reflection of the tree, interesting trunk and branch structure, in the round pool of the horse trough makes me feel like there is a passageway to another world. The sweeps of garden beds through the regions of your space, both wild and more cultivated look so natural, even though I know you designed them. I am trying out the lasagne method to create beds, since I have such shallow, tough clay soil with tenacious pasture grass rooted thickly in it. I am inspired by your results. Baby steps for me, one small area at a time.

Those purple hellebores are fantastic! And your greenhouse too. And I love the vegetable garden, which I would love to see more of as you plant it up in the spring and summer. Growing veggies and fruits is really my first and enduring love in gardening (though I admit to now being thoroughly taken in by flowers and ornamentals as well).

An idea for a shade plant.... one I only dream of planting someday, but love every time I run across a photo of it.....Kirengeshoma palmata, a 3 foot tall perennial with yellow bell like flowers and leaves sort of reminiscent of maple. I don't have much shade to speak of until more of my trees grow up (except for under the wild cherry tree that suckers wildly whenever I try to put compost for a shade area under it slurping out all nutrients with numerous roots. It is beautiful in bloom though).

Forgot about that, Now that dum dum has decided to work, Got to go see. Have know clue what cause that. Everything else worked fine. Guest my server went on the way side. All is fine now.

Oh my, Laurie. I believe that I've covered three of the seven deadly sins during the tour of your gardens...lust, greed, and envy! I am certainly lusting after and quite envious of your beautiful setting and feeling very greedy because I want it all! Hope that doesn't make be a bad person. I can't imagine what it would be like to call your place home and understand why it's so difficult for you to leave it for the hustle and bustle of the big city. Wow...it's just...well...beyond words.

Oh, and.....I agree the canoe does look like it should be part of a story like " Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak, though I wouldn't want Steve to have to tangle with those wild things with their claws and teeth.

Sally, I just love it. Its the truth, and kiss the Blarny Stone LOL I have a wee little irish in me. Not much LOL

Sally, thank you for sharing that link. It is beautiful and full of lovely sentiment.

Laurie, I too have committed the sin of envy. Actually, I'm not so sure it's a sin but maybe just an unflattering and twisted trait. And my envy is not only for myself - I wish everyone had such a lovely garden to enjoy and then maybe there would be more peace in this world.

Oh, thank goodness! I was so hoping there would be another addition to the tour.
I, personally, am in love with those old beech trees. They are simply wonderful with their big dark trunks and their very presence! I am reminded of the Beech trees in the writings of Beverly Nichols, whose books I just love.

Let's see - plants for dry shade. Have you ever done Bergenia cordifolia in dry shade? I was just reading that they actually work in the shade, which was new information for me.
Then, there is a variegated form of our native Waterleaf that is a wildflower with nice foliage. Here's a photo:
http://www.edelweissperennials.com/largeview.asp?id=418
Disporum sessile - fairybells. I'm a little bit in love with them right now.
Luzula sylvatica 'marginata' - greater woodrush. It's a groundcover, evergreen, deep shade and on the dry side. I got some last year for the berm, but I'm going to move them to the wooded area.

Are you wanting perennials for that shaded area, or shrubs or what? A mixed border?

What impresses me most, Laurie, is that your place looks like you must have a veritable STAFF of people to keep up with it! I do not know how you do this, especially commuting from the city and spending only weekends here. I live at my home all the time, have less property to plant than you do, and still cannot keep up with it. What is your secret? I need to adopt a little bit of whatever it is that allows you to create these spaces on less than 3 days per week.

The house is lovely. Simply lovely, that is all. Oh, and I've now decided for sure that in my next life I am completely going to own historical property in England. The U.S. will not do. It must be England. Look for me around 2075 or so. Very likely your house will still be standing at that time. Perhaps by that time I will be able to grow tropicals there! Outside all year round.

Oh, Laurie! I forgot about hydrangeas! How about some nice H. serrata types in with your shade planting? There are so many varieties there is sure to be one, or 5, that would serve.

Laurie don't get it, you said the Hells. haven't opened yet, but they sure look like it to me. Did I miss something?
I so love those trees, they make a statement ( I am so proud to be here, and standing in my glory, even tho I am to be a Hedge) LOL

So enjoyed your tour, you made me feel like I was there. I want to be.

Got to dig out the bus, who's on board ??????????

Count me in. And if envy, lusting and greed are all deadly sins.....I'm in big trouble!

Forgot to say I was fascinated by the reflection in the horse trough (there I go, sinning again). And the old beech trees, I love twisted, gnarly trunks.

oh, sinning - the only sin is being a politician. End. Everything else is just being human. Lust away, it stirs up adrenalin and is good for the heart. Envy just gives us direction, and greed - oh, so what, so we eat, plant and desire more than is good for us. As long as plant swaps with cookies exist, we can learn to share and take turns. There. I solved millenia of guilt in four lines. Amen.

Now to the important stuff. Plants and gardens. My first thought is a genuine thank you for all your kind comments and patience - I really appreciate it, and have enjoyed this enormously. I loved 'having all of you here', and am only sorry it is virtual. But it has been lovely. And I have been looking for all of the plant suggestion - found this http://www.prairiemoon.com/ - they do bareroot of most of the suggestions, and a lot more. Now, do they ship to the UK.

working back up the list - Tills, that was last years photo of the hellebores, its THIS years that are still in bud. Pix, as always, your plants lists amaze and interest - I am looking them up and trying to run down several of them. Got hydrangea quercus - ready to plant when rain stops. Waterleaf looks wonderful, and like you I am a big fan of disporum sessile - fortunately, I already have a lovely stand of them doing very well. the wonderful yellow bells are the best. STAFF - would be nice, but also remember I mentioned about being a training garden, and one of the trainees still comes here 10 hours a week (we no longer have trainees - just too much like work), and I do have a mower guy who also does fencing and things like that, plus the landscape guys who do the really big long projects. So I'm not out here completely on my own (thus the 'we' that pops up - as in we grow....Stephie takes care of the greenhouse when I'm at workwork and gets on with weeding and stuff. Valuable woman). Looking forward to seeing you in 2075.

Outta - hello. Glad to see you here. And Rach, very nice to see you here - and thank you for the kind words. We don't hear from you enough, and I miss that.

MHF - I knew you would be able to correct the Sendak title - I think Sofer would enjoy all those monsters, and the snack when he got back home. Actually, do you think he might be the boy? Hmmm. I'm really pleased you enjoyed the tour, and spot on with the Kirengeshoma Palmata. I treated myself to a couple plants last spring. They didn't set seed - so I am hoping maybe this year. I may also have to move them - I planted them near the moraine path, and it does blow like mad over there and I am not sure they liked it much. They are wonderful, and I am waiting hopefully for them to spread and prosper (if plants do such a thing).

I am being barked at, dog walk. Catch up later.

Sally, photos of kitchen please, we all like a good nose round. although I have to say I really don't envy you having the kitchen torn apart - but I'm sure it will be wonderful once you figure out how to get them out. Why do house projects take a lifetime to get the builders out. You may want to consult with Portland about getting builders to finish!

And for all of you who want to move into the shed - feel free, I've often fancied it myself. I think its the little veranda that makes it so 'homey'. Its silly, but when I've been weeding in the vegetable I make plans on how I will make it habitable: tearing out the interior walls and using old pine doors we have stored in the barn to construct rather eccentric 'panelled' walls. I'm going to add light in the central area with reclaimed leaded glass windows, and an enamelled wood burning stove. I really worry DH when I start telling him.....best to keep them on their toes.



This message was edited Jan 16, 2009 4:25 PM

Laurie, I'm trying to catch up - and I am mesmerized by your gardens . . . thank you for such a wonderful tour!!!

Pix, this is my disporum sessile (last year) - just love it. Waiting for it to show again.

I accept my envy for your garden as a motivator to get busy in mine. Lust, well, lust I prefer to reserve for a different venue, and let it stir up my adrenalin there.

Your ideas for the shed sound great - that will be a fantastic project!

Every time I read all those plant names I have to look up each one. I have no idea what they are and I think it's time for me to do some work and learn about all those names. What did we do before we had the internet, with amazing amounts of information literately at our finger tips!

Laurie, your gardens, grounds and landscapes are beyond words. I have a reclaimed leaded window I can bring with me when I move in and become a "staff" member. I'm fairly handy and will work any jobs just to have the opportunity to soak up your garden ambiance. I love the water trough, got stuck there looking at reflections while the tour was continuing to advance. Your veranda with the bandsaw bench caught my eye, stopped for a glass of wine and some cheese and I was having trouble getting going again. What an inspiration. Your gardens are very warm and inviting, it's hard to leave. Your vegetable garden reminded me of home, thank you.

I have saved some of your photos and noted plantings so when I tame my little space I can add some of them to my garden. What a wonderful tour.

Laurie I think the most in summary is the opportunity to create color and design with a pasture back drop is wonderful. I also agree with Melissa that the enormity of the project is hard to keep up with. Though you have minions to partake of beauty and assist in working plans. I know you have grog to encourage but what levels of discipline do you use on these minions? You also have the other blessing a garden needs, layering and slope. It allows the entire scene to be laid out for a focal spot (house) at the same time hidden places are surprises to the walker (pathways). Your setting is similar to mine and you have excelled in making it a daily changing opportunity to touch the hand of God.

It sounds like spring is coming a little earlier there than it is here. I'm still waiting to see how my Disporum Cantonense has born out the cold we had this winter.

I love the disporum sessile - I might have to look into that this year. I see Heronswood has it . . .

Oh Hi, Kathy! Heronswood has much..try Wells Medina - they carry many, if not more than HW. Don't we need to do a nursery tour here soon, folks? Sorry - it's still January. I've been reading too many seed catalogues lately, and forgot my manners!
Let's see - how many more weeks........

What do you mean by a nursery tour Katye? A picture tour of any nursery's that we visit? Or an actual tour?

Yes Katye, we do, I missed it the last 2 years. Maybe this year I can make it.
RC, It would by like actually walking it. And you get to take the pics.

I have been going back thu some of the old treads, and remembering the fun we have in years past, and the swaps, trips, work partys and the crazy things we came up with to pass the winter. But I was trying to fine the tread where the Purple bus started for the trip to Lauries. I can't find it. Any help out there?

I found the purple bus! http://www.purplebus.com/ now how do we get it across the ocean?

Katye, let's do it! A nursery tour sounds great! Where do you suggest we begin? Have truck will travel :0) I'll grab Pixy on the way by her house, I'm sure she would be willing. She was just regaling me with her fantastic purchases from Portland Avenue Nursery earlier this evening. She is a temptress I tell you, I may have to go swing by there.......

You guys don't love me. A nursery tour now!? It's winter and snow is everywhere. Why not just dream and plan. Nobody has plants that will motivate you or make you feel better. Just get together and have a party watching NBA. LOL Thats what we men do.

Oh, RC I love you, you are on it. But that is not the "Purple Flying Bus"
The bus we talk of, is how can I say this. Is something I started in a tread as a fantasy on how to get to Laurie's. It was a fun thing and we all got involed in it. I have been trying to find the tread so you and all the new DGers could play along. We all want to go to visit Laurie, just need to find the way.

Anyone else, want to help me on this???

This is the hopes of the fantasy Bus.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/835168/

That's funny Tilly! :-p I knew what you were talking about. Unfortunately I couldn't find an actual bus that flew. So I have hoping for some sort of creativity with a real purple bus. But, if you can find the flying bus..... I'll be there!

O)ooo but Steve we do.
But we don't have anymore snow LOL