In the Beginning

It seems only fitting the first post should be about the garden. It has been a bittersweet relationship from the beginning.

It started with a simple wish to create a patio for a table and chairs. After very little thought, we enlisted the aid of  a newly graduated landscape designer whose work we had heard of.  After a few short meetings,
he presented two very young and naive individuals a set of
plans that would rival the gardens at Versailles!!!

The South Garden

He proposed dropping the front and rear elevations of  the house, a set of four raised flagstone terraces,
a pond with a recirculating stream, two sets of waterfalls and a series of stone stairs to each level.

On paper it looked great. A dream!

So without much thought about maintenance or anything else,  we gave the go ahead.
It took most of that summer to complete, approximately 8 months, and we were left

with the "bones" for a magnificent garden.

The pond in early spring.

Numerous beds were cut out and left to fill, but even to this day I am thankful it blends in seamlessly with
the Carolinian forest surrounding our home.

A thirty year old Japanese peony tree.

Pachysandra, rhododendrons and deutzia mingle happily together.

The shade provided by the century old trees of the Niagara escarpment, create the perfect light for
ferns, heliotrope, ivy and of course moss for the flagstones.

Hosta, viburnum and boxwoods in early spring.

Moss naturally occurring on a stone bridge over the stream.

... and enough sunlight for some glorious peonies.

What else could a girl ask for???   I am very grateful.