Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Beth Hall
Today’s photos are from Beth Hall on Tilghman Island on Maryland’s eastern shore, on the Chesapeake Bay. Beth says, “My husband and I purchased our house, an 1855 Victorian farmhouse, in October 2011. The house had some pretty nice established perennial beds, which my husband and I worked to enhance. We made some major modifications to the garden, too.
“The front of the house was hidden by gigantic overgrown boxwoods that were no longer attractive and made the front walk impassable. We removed the boxwoods and put in a perennial border on both sides of the sidewalk. We also enlarged the flower bed around the fountain and created a new flower bed. In addition, there is a large border in the back of the house which we enlarged all around. We refer to the outbuilding as the “Love Shack” which my husband and I have since stripped and repainted).
“Our next project is to put in a raised bed vegetable garden! My husband and I adore gardening and happily spend much of our free time working in the garden. I’m an avid fan of Fine Gardening magazine – I believe I’ve been getting the magazine for more than a decade and would not part with a single issue. I often go back and re-read them and have found them an invaluable source of information and inspiration.”
Aw, thanks, Beth! And thanks for sending in these great photos! I especially love all the warm reds and hot pinks in your garden. And the miscanthus is the perfect backdrop for your crane. Feel free to send in more photos! We’d love to see more.
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Comments
Beth, kudos to you and your husband for being brave enough to get rid of the overwhelming front boxwoods...frankly, your home deserves to be seen. It is very charming and your new walkway perennial border is very welcoming.
I agree with Michelle...the picture with the crane in front of the miscanthus is perfect.
Do you happen to know if your happy faced yellow daisy like flower is a rubeckia called Denver Daisy? Whatever it is, it definitely lights up your perennial bed.
That's a very fine example of the classic farm house that seems to be in the process of rehabing, I the new roofing. All the plantings in the beds look very attractive and healthy. Hurry up and put in your vegetable garden so it will be ready for planting come spring. Beth, enjoy your new home and thank you for sharing.
Tractor 1 - yes, we replaced both the upper and lower roofs and repainted the trim. The house is in good shape and mostly just needs cosmetic work. One of the reasons we fell in love with it is because the prior owner maintained it nicely but didn't do alot of renovations that would destroy the character.
Meander1 - yes, I felt somewhat badly about taking out the boxwoods as it is difficult for me to destroy a planting, especially one that old. Our neighbors, who own a B and B, used the branches for their christmas decorations, so it wasn't a complete waste. I am very happy with the way the front border turned out.
The rudbeckia are called "Indian Summer" - not sure of the full proper name. I believe it is an annual - I will definitely be buying more - collecting seed for next year as they have been stunning for several months now.
Lovely, I particularly like the heron and the front looks so welcoming!
Beautiful garden and house...and made all the better by the sweet gray-faced Golden Retriever watching over it!
Beth, did you say you & your husband "stripped in the Love Shack??" Sounds like a great plan!! Your garden is lovely beautiful property and home; the garden and plant selections fit in perfectly. I especially like the lushness of the planting around the Love Shack.....back to that theme again.....
I love this garden! Love the colors, love the shed, love everything about it.
LOL re:stripping in the "Love Shack", Green Growler!
The sweet gray faced Golden Retriever is Becca; she just turned 15 years old.
I'm really enjoying everyone's lovely comments!
Love your garden Beth. I would love to stroll along your flower beds as there is just so much to look at. Love the yellow rubeckia - very perky. What is that reddish bush/plant in the second pic? Power color!!
Patty-the beautiful color is new growth on a Barberry shrub. There are several of these on our property and I love them. It is a very deep salmony pink rose color when it starts growing in the spring. Thanks for the feedback!
Beth, I came back to look at your pictures more leisurely, I'm hoping in the future that you share some picures of the back of your house. I noticed that large tree next to your Luve Shack, what kind of tree is it and is it in good condition, it looks old. And it appears that it's got vines growing on it (English ivy?), I would remove those as they will sap the nutrients from the tree and eventually kill it... just a suggestion. I see the two ladders right there so I needn't suggest you paint your shed, two coats. LOL Boxwoods are really a large shrub, often pruned into various configurations, mostly privacy hedges, perhaps yours were too old and gnarly or you just wanted them gone. I would plant a small specimen tree in your front yard as replacement, something that won't shade your flower beds, maybe a semi-dwarf conifer or a witch hazel. I like old farm houses, they are interesting. Oh, it's day time and I see your Luv Shack light is lit, and the blinds are drawn, I wonder what that means. ;)
Love Becca, love the house, and charming gardens. Your property has such a warm feel. Lovely.
Hi Beth, Happy 15th Birthday Becca! It appears that she is standing in a giant dog-shadow. ;) And I bet her heart is just that big too! You and your husband have accomplished much in the name of love-shack. (teehee) We are fortunate that our husbands lend a hand in the great outdoors. Applause to you both.
Thank you to Ruth. Wonderful State-search idea!
Tractor1 - FYI re: the tree behind the now infamous "Love Shack" is a Mulberry, and yes that is English Ivy. If my husband has his way he would let the ivy have it's way with the Mulberry! In the middle of trying to strip and repaint the Love Shack (one coat primer and two coats of paint), it was dropping it's mushy staining fruit everywhere. I'm in favor of keeping it around since it's food for the birds (and even us if we get around to picking them at the right time). I will definitely share some more photos of the back of the house so I can show off our six weeks of work restoring the Love Shack!
Thanks for your suggestions about planting something in place of the boxwoods. Right now the border is all flowers and grasses and I would like to put in some shrubs for structure.
Thanks TerieLR and CWheat - The house and property were a true love at first sight - you know when you walk in a house and immediately sense it is right. The gardens are a joy to me. The prior owner gave us a good start.
Becca is a big love who I am happily spoiling with extra dog biscuits here and there (don't tell Daddy!)
As far as our joint gardening effort, my husband calls me the brains and of course, he's the braun. But I like the digging and shoveling too! My husband is retired and I'm still working so he gets to do most of the watering - he's a great nurturer and good partner in the garden.
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