Jill Beringer and her handy husband have transformed their property in Delaware over the course of 27 years.
"I am a gardener in Hockessin, De. When we built this house back in 1990, it was at the edge of a former horse pasture and had exactly two trees. We put my children's sandbox under one of them for the little shade it provided. Twenty seven years later, I have more than enough shade and have been slowly taking over the yard- i.e. former soccer and lacrosse practice field- for my garden. We live in a development on about a half acre, with a hedge row along one side of my pie-shaped lot. It's rather wet so I have to find things that can take the moisture and compete with red maple roots. We are in the process of adding a stone sitting area under the biggest maple with a path that leads around below the deck which my husband built. We are doing it ourselves though it's like doing a puzzle but with REALLY, REALLY heavy puzzle pieces. He also created the trellis one year for my birthday. Love having a handy husband! Still a work in progress! ( Not the husband- the garden:)!"
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Comments
beautiful
Lovely! Hope you have time to sit and enjoy the beauty.......even though there is always something hat needs attention when you do all the work yourself.
Spectacular, Jill. Love the organic curved beds. I applaud the swap of lawn for garden gems. The stone work is a splendid complement too. You've created quite the delightful suburban oasis. That clematis is really grabbing my attention. Looking forward to what else develops in your garden. Thank you for sharing.
Lovely! This garden is right in line with my style. We must be kindred spirits, in gardening. What are the blue starry looking flowers that you have planted with the yellow foxglove? I love that combination! Keep up the great work! Love your dragonfly too!
Thank you Laurie:) The blue flowers are Amsonia 'blue ice'. They stay about a foot tall- much shorter than other varieties of Amsonia.
Thank you! You should see the pile of rock still waiting for us!
Lovely! I always like to see a garden that has so many years in it! All that flagstone is beautiful but heavy! I can empathize having just edged in some new beds with rocks. What is the pink flower in the first picture?
Thank you Tami- The pink flower in the first picture is centranthus ruber- hope I spelled that right. It comes in white too but I like the red!
So beautiful! I was disappointed when the pictures ended. Thank you so much for sharing and please send in more pictures later in the season.
I love your hands on gardening accomplishments, Jill. You and your husband look to be a great team and, since you are still tackling new projects, you must enjoy working together. Your existing flagstone steps/pathway is so handsome so I'm sure the new patio will be awesome. I hope you will share pictures when it is completed. Are you the crafter who made the playful silverware dragonfly? So cute.
I can see all the fun you've had transforming grass into garden beds. There would have to be some interesting and improvised lacrosse and soccer rules if your boys (now men themselves) decided to get out the old ball and kick it around.
Thanks so much for the kind comments- My boys are past the sports phase but now I have "grand puppies"- and they don't follow any rules! :) And I am not the crafter of the dragonfly- it was purchased on a trip to Eaglesmere in Pa. a few years ago. The patio is completed but currently has a dinghy sitting on it while my husband excavates under our deck to fix the drainage. My plants would all appreciate a little less "swamp" and I am itching to finish the walk and have a reason to buy more plants!
I totally understand your anticipation for plant choosing and buying. One of my favorite things about finishing up a hardscape project is that then it needs to be "softened" and enhanced with plants. It's a virtuous cycle...or, at least, that's what I tell myself!
Good morning, Jill. Beautiful gardens. You appreciate them so much more when your
hands were the ones that got dirty. Love the flagstone walk and looking forward to seeing the finished patio. Make sure you get some comfy chairs to sit in on that patio to enjoy your hard work. Thanks for sharing and have a happy weekend, GPODers.
Please send more pictures. Your garden is gorgeous, and I love the mixture of plants.
It's all gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! I love all of it. The colors, the combinations the hard scaping, it's all quite lovely. I envy you the talents snd skill of your husband!
Thank you! He's a keeper!
Hi Jill! I live in West Grove, Pa so I am only 25 minutes from you! I would love to get together and swap gardening stories. Love the pergola( lucky girl!) and your paths and plantings. I know one plant that loves wet feet. It is the red cardinal flower. Thanks for sharing!
Have it! (cardinal flower)- It's very happy :). And I would be happy to talk plants! My husband would be happy for the break! Do you garden too?
Yes, my garden was featured a few days ago...
Oh! I just checked! It's beautiful! It looks like you have quite a bit of property- I'm very jealous! Lets get together!
My email is [email protected]
Lovely. Wish I could wander through your beautiful garden:)
Jill, enjoyed reading the story of your garden. Somewhat similar here, except my wife is not a gardener. We also started with a blank slate, on a half acre, and expanded the garden as the kids grew up.
I love the curved garden beds. Nice collection of perennials. Your flagstone walkway is beautiful. Keep up the good work. Thanks for sharing.
Jill - as your sister I must say that you are far too humble. The photos are beautiful but only begin to capture the beauty of your garden - especially with the stone pathway - and your passion and handwork have a persistence and joy that only true gardeners share! Looking forward to the next iteration of this masterpiece! Congrats...
Thanks- but you are a bit partial! :)
Gorgeous! Just gorgeous!
Jill, what a lovely garden you have created. AND fyi, husbands are always a work in progress. Thank so for sharing.
Hi Jill, I thoroughly enjoyed your garden pictures! And you are right around the corner from me! I am in Newark. About 20 minutes from you and 20 mins from Rhonda! I would love to get together with you both!
By the way, does the Centranthus reseed much?
Dorothy
Great! Give me your email and we can arrange something. And no, the centranthus reseeds gently- not a problem. Wish it did more! And I have it in the driest part of my swampy yard- My email is [email protected].
That would be fun!
[email protected]
Great team work on a great creation! Thanks for sharing your story and garden!
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