Living and gardening in an older Hudson Valley home
Over the past few weeks, I have been working on a restoration of the picnic area. This is a stone patio area surrounded by a low stone wall. We call it the picnic area, as this is how it was described to us by the Parisers, the prior long-time homeowners. They have told us there […]
The most strenuous and difficult projects are often the most rewarding. I know this, but I still agonize over them. I wonder – what if I can’t complete the task or what if it doesn’t turn out the way I expected. Rarely am I satisfied with my work, so the later concern is always topmost […]
Spring cleaning in the yard can produce dramatic results, as demonstrated by my last big project on the property. Before and after photos render such an interesting, and for me, satisfying look back. Along the south western edge of the property is part of the old Catalpa Road that had not been uncovered in many […]
Designing and building woodland paths is a fun and rewarding experience. No matter how arduous the preparatory work to make the paths, upon completion the feeling is one of amazement and satisfaction. The woodland paths in my garden are designed to make all parts of the garden visually accessible. Additionally, they are necessary for transporting […]
My most ambitious project yet, a woodland garden, has begun in earnest. The woodland is a triangular area of the property that is completely overgrown. The original owners had horses in this area (I have found full size and pony size horse shoes while digging in the yard). The fence, except for a decorative section […]
When I bought the house there was an overgrown part of the yard that I could not figure out how to landscape. There were very large yew bushes covering a sizable area. They had obviously been pruned on occasion, but not recently and all the lower branches had died. The lower branches were about 10 […]
