Welcome

A little about my house and why it’s special

Everyone’s house is special. It is often the embodiment of their style, their preferences and is above all their refuge. There are bigger, grander and more interesting houses, still I find my house charming in an old, elegant way. My house sits in the middle of 5.67 manicured acres. It is like living in the […]

Instagram Worthiness

The internet, or more precisely Instagram, will probably be my undoing. Posts by influencers and bloggers demonstrate many clever and interesting things. I waste hours looking at posts of the seeming ease of renovating French Chateaus and English manor houses, cake decorating, gardening and countless other worthwhile, but challenging occupations. For unknown reasons, I get […]

Making Things

In warmer months, I get to indulge my creative passions by working in the garden. In colder months, I invent projects that are fun and creative, especially gifts to give away. I will probably never stop making things, because I derive a lot of pleasure in the planning, sourcing, execution and giving of personal gifts […]

The Oriental Garden

When one of the tree peonies bloomed this past spring, in the oriental garden, it spurred me on to continue development of this part of the garden. The blossom proved the viability of the area for the plants I hoped to grow. The oriental garden has taken longer to develop than other areas of our […]

Autumn Begins

Autumn has begun in the Hudson Valley. The days are shorter, and much cooler. The leaves are changing colors and beginning to fall. However, the weather is still good enough to continue projects outside. One of my projects is changing out deer protection on certain plants. A few years ago, I planted oak leaf hydrangeas […]

Plant Friends and New Plants

Plant friends are the best. Plant friends listen to you carry on about your garden and plants, they give you extra plants from their garden, they share their secrets, and they tell you your garden is beautiful – even when it looks more like a semi-organized patch of weeds. When I moved to Newburgh in […]

Garden Tours and New Trees

Seeing other people’s gardens and speaking with them about their gardening experience is satisfying and rewarding. On June 24, 2023, Andrew and I organized a garden tour. We hosted a brunch for 12 people at our house, followed by a tour of our yard. Here are a few photos of the gardens we toured. We […]

Graduation and Gardens

Last week, I had the pleasure of being in London for my Goddaughter’s graduation from high school. It was a brilliantly triumphant day for her, celebrated in a beautiful venue across from Westminster Abbey. I was very honored to be invited. She graduated from the American School in London. A tony school located in St. […]

Gardening Backwards

Most gardening advisors will tell you to design your hardscape and then your plantings. I usual do this by putting in paths, building structures or walls and then plant around them. My latest garden is developing in the opposite manner. I have placed a few plants to see how they will grow and will then […]

Finishing a Winter Project

In Winter my projects are usually focused indoors. Once Spring starts my attention shifts to the outdoors and indoor activities are given second place. This past Winter, I embarked on a project that spilled into my Spring schedule. The wall space on either side of the fireplace was empty. Over the past several years, I […]