I've struggled dealing with our overgrown acre and a half landscape, around our 1929 stone house, absent my gardening companion's efforts.
So I was really amazed, visiting a wonderful historic house and landscape today, with a gardener who'd never owned a house or garden before 5 years ago (she and her husband lived in high-rises before). She took on not only a historic house, but a HUGE landscape.
She's done an remarkable job as a single gardener (her husband still works abroad). And she's been faced with more than her share of the challenges of old trees, micro-bursts, contractors who want to take advantage of her situation, etc.
But she's determined to be a good steward of both her house and landscape.
From my perspective as a gardening coach, she's doing a tremendously good job. My advice was -- it's OK. Landscapes change. Trees come down. Add mulch.
And her real contribution was to continue to bring life to a wonderful house, which has been a refuge for its owners for a LONG time.
The landscape will continue to evolve -- there's nice woodland and charming plantings around the house and smokehouse, including a lovely fenced vegetable garden.
So I was really amazed, visiting a wonderful historic house and landscape today, with a gardener who'd never owned a house or garden before 5 years ago (she and her husband lived in high-rises before). She took on not only a historic house, but a HUGE landscape.
She's done an remarkable job as a single gardener (her husband still works abroad). And she's been faced with more than her share of the challenges of old trees, micro-bursts, contractors who want to take advantage of her situation, etc.
But she's determined to be a good steward of both her house and landscape.
From my perspective as a gardening coach, she's doing a tremendously good job. My advice was -- it's OK. Landscapes change. Trees come down. Add mulch.
And her real contribution was to continue to bring life to a wonderful house, which has been a refuge for its owners for a LONG time.
The landscape will continue to evolve -- there's nice woodland and charming plantings around the house and smokehouse, including a lovely fenced vegetable garden.