Local Garden Tour Part 2

At the second house, located in  Hadlyme near the ferry landing, Laurel explained the garden room concept. This garden was also mature, having been designed 25 years ago.  The home owner/gardener had recently designed a garden room to memorialize her husband.  Up the stone steps, you entered a rectangular area with a vine-covered, 2-sided stone wall that enclosed a large slab stone bench and a small pool.  This was just the first of many rooms in this garden.

This "room" had a larger feel with flowering bushes surrounding at the "people level" but enormous, old trees providing a cathedral effect, especially with the sunset filtering through the treetops. Laurel had weeded furiously earlier this summer to prepare the area for a poetry reading--but rain had cancelled the event.  That's the kind of summer it has been, we all agreed.

Lori and Sue head down a stone stairway to a lower level which Laurel called the allee since it was a long narrow "room" with flowering shrubs and tall trees closer to the road.

The view back up the steps to the upper room. The steps and walls are covered with climbing Hydrangea.  The effect of light and shadow was marvelous.

We didn't have time to sit as the sun was setting.  We did have time to go down the road to the ferry landing and see the last of the sunset over the Connecticut River.

Thanks to Laurel White, personal gardener, for this tour of two lovely, old gardens near the banks of the Connecticut River and to Sue Hewes for arranging this event.  Sue and Laurel worked together--until Sue retired this summer!

July Meeting / Local Garden Tours

Laurel White, personal gardener, met about a dozen garden club members and guests to guide us to two local gardens which she maintains.  The first garden was in East Haddam near the Goodspeed Opera House. 

Sue (in blue shirt) introduces Laurel White (in blue shorts).

The first garden had multiple terraces beside and behind the house.  Behind the house a brook carved a deep ravine and an island. A couple of bridges led over to the rocky island. A viewing spot behind an old tree allowed you to see the whole area without going over the bridges which were moss-covered like the brick terrace shown above.

Old tree on stone terrace overlooking ravine.

Writer's studio overlooking ravine and stairs to one of the bridges.

Laurel told everyone about discovering the poppies in the garden. She marveled at the colors and told a story about seed collection. Laurel gave everyone some poppy seeds to plant in their own gardens. Sue will distribute them at the August meeting.

The perennial beds were on the far side of the house from the brick terrace where we started. The gardens were near the road but seemed very secluded. Laurel is just learning how to recognize the plants at all stages--and weed appropriately!  The beds are mature and lush with plants and decorative accessories.

The  perennial beds were on several levels and when you came to the house level from the steps under the arbor (left), the view was panoramic.

A third terrace in a corner of the house displayed some tropical plants

and a colorful hanging basket to end the tour of the first garden.