Garden Photo of the Day

A Garden Around a 280-Year-Old Home

A garden styled to fit a beautiful old space

An old log-cabin-style house in a green garden

Hello, Fine Gardening. It’s Jojo again (Jojo’s Lancaster Garden), and do I have a phenomenal flower tour for you! The apple does not fall far from the tree. I learned everything from my spectacular, beautiful mother. She is masterful in everything she does, including flower gardening. She is a skilled decorator, flower gardener, candlemaker, and primitive antique dealer. She is as whimsical as her flower gardens, as topiaries are her absolute favorite. Everything she touches turns to gold.

Two women sitting in a room filled with antique tools and a large fireplaceThe two of us on Mother’s Day. It was the perfect day for a fire to keep us warm from the damp, cold rain.

An old log-cabin-style house in a green gardenMy mother’s house, in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, was built in 1740.

Small topiary plants growing in pots on a wooden tableMy mother loves topiary gardens. She is a true container gardener. These are her rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus, Zones 7–10) and lavender (Lavandula stoechas, Zones 7–10) topiaries. She also has several gorgeous lemon cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa ‘Goldcrest’, Zones 7–10) topiaries.

Planter in the shape of faces filled with flowersFull of whimsy, my mother loves head planters and knows just what to plant in them to make them look alive.

Assorted pots filled with flowersIt’s a magical retreat whenever we visit.

View of a garden with many ball-shaped topiaries in potsMany topiaries dot the landscape.

A rustic table on a porchIt’s so lovely to sit here and have lunch. The overhead fan is glorious.

View of a garden past a large hanging fernThe ferns are always the stars of the show.

A silver-leaved fine trailing out of a head-shaped planter with other potted plantsI think the Dicondra ‘Silver Falls’ (Zones 8–10 or as an annual) looks stunning spilling over this head planter. My mother definitely keeps this entire space reminiscent of the 1740s.

A small fig beginning to developThe fig tree (Ficus carica, Zones 7–10) is showing glorious signs of life. I cannot wait to taste these fruits.

A large metal tub filled with herb plantsThis primitive tub is now an herb garden.

A small log cabin on a grassy hillsideThe summer kitchen is cozy and dreamy. It was once my mother’s shop.

View of a patio and garden with many pots filled with plantsOne last view of this magical garden space.

 

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Comments

  1. blondie3 05/21/2021

    Your mother is my kind of gal! Fabulous topiary, I Love them too....she has a very good eye. Thank you for sharing, I enjoyed my morning tour.

  2. User avater
    cindijacobs 05/21/2021

    love the shared gardens and especially how she used the statue heads and embellished them with flowers. Gardens with interest are beautiful and your moms is one of them. Glad to see your bond is so strong ❤️ and you value her so much.

  3. gardendevas 05/21/2021

    Gorgeous and inspiring! Love the mix of primitive structures with the manicured topiaries, natural with groomed, lush with restrained.

  4. User avater
    treasuresmom 05/21/2021

    That cabin is unreal! Would love to see it in person & touch the logs that someone long ago also touched. Your mom sounds like my type of person ;)

  5. wittyone 05/21/2021

    That little summer kitchen is just adorable sitting there on the downside of that hill in all that green space. Love it!

  6. PattyLouise 05/21/2021

    Love all of this! Love the plantings around the summer kitchen! Very well done & very inspirational! Love all of the detail!

  7. User avater
    simplesue 05/21/2021

    I would love to know people in real life as inspiring as this woman!
    This is a dream!
    Pure inspiration, amazing creativity!
    A fantastic lifestyle!

  8. btucker9675 05/21/2021

    OMG (Oh My! Garden)!!! Everything about this house and garden is simply magical. Your Mom is magical! The sweet faced boxer is magical!

  9. Doxnmomx2 05/21/2021

    Thank you for introducing us to your mother! Don't you wish the people who built the house could see it's still loved and cherished? The topiary are marvelous and, note to self, get more pot heads! And give your boxer a kiss!

  10. foxglove12 05/22/2021

    Wow! What a beautiful place. Love it all. Thanks so much for sharing your mother's passion.

  11. perenniallycrazy 05/23/2021

    Charming!

  12. erla 05/24/2021

    What a treasure to be able to care for and enjoy a home so historical. Would love to see the inside as well.

  13. user-5117752 05/25/2021

    Oh what treasures your photos show!!! It's all magical and historical at the same time. Just look at how we all reacted in a similar way!!! What a very special woman your Mother is!!!

  14. zusubee 08/30/2022

    A weed free lawn, now that's an achievement. Congrats.

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