Planning with former garden pics

My files of garden photos come in so handy in winter.  I can tell at a glance what flowers bloom at what time of the year, and what blooms with what.  I wasn't sure what would bloom at the same time as the bridal wreath I planted beside the driveway here. But these photos give me a good idea.

Normally I would look through my photos and see what worked and what part of the garden should be changed.
This year everything is going to be new, other than the plants that I brought from the last garden.  But it still helps to look back.

Last year I started my vegetable garden out in the field and I actually missed having to tuck some of my veggies in among the flowers.  If you look at the picture above you should spot romaine lettuce, purple cabbage, and thyme growing with the flowers and adding to the cottage garden style.  I plan to continue that practice even though I now have ten acres to play with.

But the extra space means that I can now grow some fast spreading ground hoggers, like sweet woodruff, that I used to love, but gave up on.

It's great to plan, but when spring comes, I wonder if I will have any time to garden, after keeping the animals looked after and going to at least three markets a week with our coconut oil.

I'm sure I will find time, because my soul needs working in the garden just like my husband's brain needs coconut oil.

Garden Tour: House #4 Oyster Bay Cove

The fourth and final house on the Garden Tour along Long Island's Gold Coast was in Oyster Bay Cove, NY. The home on this property was originally built for Thomas F. Young, a colonial merchant in 1863. It was later owned by Charles Lewis Tiffany II, son of Louis Comfort Tiffany. The Colonial Revival home is beautiful in its own right, but the five acres of property are stunning.

The pool garden is green and simple with lawn, a Japanese holly hedge and a natural stonewall dividing it from the cutting garden. Above, the view of the pool from the covered patio. 

Overlooking the pool, this patio is the perfect place to relax out of the sun and enjoy a glass of lemonade. Behind the couch and chairs is a small kitchenette, cabinet space and a small table.

To the left of the pool, the stonewall fence is planted with Nepeta (Catmint) and Rosa 'Carefree Wonder.' Behind it is the cutting garden.

The cutting garden (above) is planted with all sorts of beautiful flowers. Currently blooming were magnificent blooms of white Phlox.

Adjacent to the cutting garden is a bountiful vegetable garden. A black walnut tree shades the corner of this garden in the background.

Behind the pool and next to the covered patio was a glass greenhouse for potting and overwintering plants.

Wisteria grew along the sides and top of the pergola by the covered patio. Potted Hibiscus added color.

To the right of the pool, steps lead down to a grassy lower courtyard, framed by brick walls. One length of this garden is planted with heirloom lilacs, underplanted with perennial geraniums and bulbs. This area looked like a great place for some lawn games!

The shade garden is overhung by a large flowering cherry tree. Planted along the brick wall were various Ferns and Hostas. Beyond the wall is another 20 acres of preserved land which contains a stream, pond and wetlands with rare ferns and wild orchids.

Each house on this tour was different but each beautiful in it's own right. I hope you enjoyed coming along with me!

Be sure to check out the other homes on the Garden Tour:
House #1: Centre Island
House #2: Lattingtown
House #3: Bayville 

White Grape Plants for our new Land

A second hand store called the Sleep Shop gave me my first introduction to white grapes.  The shop owner had a large overgrown vine that was producing an abundant supply of these grapes so he placed a bowl of them on the counter.  After tasting them I was hooked.  I asked if I could have a slip and he gave me several.

I rooted the slips and was just about ready to plant them when I realized we would be moving.  I kept them in pots, and then started them in the new garden I was carving out of a bur bush patch. I placed one of them against the house.

We had a tall obsolete T.V. antenna at the side of the house, and rather than take it down, I got my son-in-law to cut it in three, leaving the base still in place, and placing the other two pieces along the wall at intervals.

My daughter had given me a wisteria for Mother's Day and this I planted at the base of the antenna.  The grape vine was a few feet away but it sent a branch over to share some of the lower space.

As soon as the wisteria finished its show the grape vines would fill in and cover the wall.

It eventually reached all the way to my pillars and covered the archway.

And the whole vine would be loaded with delicious white grapes, giving me three or four bushels,
if the resident squirrels or chipmunks didn't take them all first.

When we moved to the trailer, I left the grapes behind, but then I went back and asked if I could have one of the vines that wasn't in a convenient location.  He said sure, and I dug it, planted it, and it took off along our deck.

But we will be moving again, so,

The new slips in the covered pot are our white grapes.  We won't be leaving them behind.