Comments

1. 
   user-1020932 03/18/2015

   all beautiful to see, healthy and vigorous plants but i am MOST envious of all your stonework

2. 
   greengenes 03/18/2015

   Rocks, rocks and more rocks! I love it! Did you make all the rock walls? They sure anchor your place! The view of the lake while walking up your stairs is stunning. Great shot of the cinnamon fern against the warm wall and those swallowtails are beautiful! We didn't see many of them last year. Iam hoping they will be around this year. Just a wonderful place to live and play in Avis. Thanks for sharing with all of us hungry gardeners!

1. 
   davsav 03/18/2015

   When we bought the property 12 years ago it was a house on a bald hill in a very woodland area so erosion was a problem that we needed to tackle. Kevin Buff and his crew installed all of the stone walls and stairs. We did the planning together and I did the planting and dirt work. So much fun!

3. 
   wGardens 03/18/2015

   Like Jeff, I too, love the stonework! Is it original to your property or did you have it brought in? Also, I like your terrain that you have to work with, bumps up the interest. Great photo of the button bush with the swallowtail. It all looks so inviting. Thanks for sharing!

4. 
   NCYarden 03/18/2015

   Drool, drool, drool. I would love to see an aerial shot of your property...it's amazing. And all those stones...my goodeness...more drool. It is all so beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

5. 
   meander_michaele 03/18/2015

   You have a beautiful piece of property, Avis and seem like the perfect owner for it...accentuating little nooks and crannies with delightful plant choices that seem so happy to be part of your world. The stonework appears timeless and in complete harmony with nature's gentle changes in elevation.

6. 
   Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 03/18/2015

   Wish I had something original to say! I'm green with envy over all of your stonework and am in awe of the photo of the tiger swallowtail feeding with its wings relaxed; that's so unusual and beautiful. that iris is really a striking color and there are few garden scenes more beautiful to me than ferns with stones. Thanks Avis!

7. 
   terieLR 03/18/2015

   Lovely Avis. Is the pond on your property also? I can almost smell spring as I view your gardens. Delicate fern fronds always make me sigh. They subtly add grace to gardens. Happy gardening!

1. 
   davsav 03/18/2015

   Yes the pond is off our back yard and is there are lots of natives. We have button bush, milk weed and tons of different native ferns. I leave a large swath for the birds in the winter and just mowed it down this week. Now to wait for the ferns to peak through in a few weeks.

8. 
   annek 03/18/2015

   Love....everything. The stonework is the dry stack look with mortar snuck in behind, right? Oh the graceful curve of your ston steps, the charming plants nestled into the much, and the beautiful wildlife. Eden!

1. 
   davsav 03/18/2015

   Yes the stonework is anchored with mortar so that the kids can walk on it safely and I can access the beds easier too. My goal was to make the hardscape play/explore areas too. Thank you for your kind comments.

9. 
   GrannyMay 03/18/2015

   The stone features are wonderful! Love the glimpse of water past the Russian Sage and Cleome, not to mention the Swallowtail butterfly and the Cinnamon Sage. Thanks Avis!

10. 
    sheila_schultz 03/18/2015

    Truly, truly beautiful, Avis.

11. 
    HelloFromMD 03/18/2015

    Hi Avis, I adore your bridge. If I was little, I'd set up some toys to play there. I'm guessing you have some moist to boggy areas so your buttonbush and Clethra are thriving. I have dry shade so although I find those shrubs tempting I suspect they would look terrible if I didn't water them regularly. It seems a big part of gardening is understanding your site and growing conditions. I'm sure a lot of folks are making adjustments after 2 very cold winters in a row. Sure 'push the envelop' but I think it pays to have most of the garden solidly hardy. Sorry I guess winter is still affecting me, I had to bundle up this morning to rake as it is below freezing! You've done so well to have a beautiful garden in spite of the deer.

12. 
    GrannyCC 03/18/2015

    I too love all the stone work.Your whole place is like a lovely secret garden. Wonderful place for children and wildlife.

13. 
    Nurserynotnordstroms 03/18/2015

    Avis,I love the area down by the bridge,I could sit and relax and listen to the flow of the water as it gurgles down stream. Well actually I would sit and think of my next project and mentally plant more fern and natives next to the stream. We all know how that goes we have intentions of placing benches etc...for relaxing but instead we are off to the next project,but that is being a true gardener. Can anyone relate to that????

1. 
   meander_michaele 03/18/2015

   You read my mind...it's all about the thinking and doing...and then some more thinking and doing!

1. 
   Nurserynotnordstroms 03/18/2015

   I love the doing part,in fact I'm hoping the sun stays out so I can garden after work. Why can't the work week be two days long and the weekend five days long ,so I could garden more. I guess I have to wait for retirement,however I still LOVE my business. Happy gardening

1. 
   meander_michaele 03/18/2015

   I gather that your professional business life keeps you more indoors than out.
   I am going to have a giant "thinking and doing" project coming up since just today we took down our old beloved willow. First, we have a big clean up to do. This was how the willow looked at sunrise before the tree"exterminator" arrived. Now it's just a pile of sawed off limbs...boohoo.

1. 
   GrannyMay 03/18/2015

   So sorry you had to take down your beloved willow! That would be a huge emotional loss and a difficult period of adjustment for the garden too. I hope you find ways to turn its absence into a blessing.

2. 
   meander_michaele 03/18/2015

   Thanks so much , May, for the understanding words. I'm working on the lemonade from lemons philosophy but, no matter what I plant, nothing will ever reach that impressive height and grandeur. I'm leaning towards a "grove' of dogwoods because that is my favorite ornamental tree. I love dogwoods during all 4 seasons and I actually have 2 babies that arrived and seeded themselves in the shadow of the willow on all their own...maybe a message from Mother Nature...what do you think?

3. 
   GrannyMay 03/19/2015

   Michaele, it must be a good omen that you already have 2 dogwoods that have volunteered to be there. You had a wonderful, grand tree to enjoy. Now you have the opportunity to create a very different space to enjoy in a new way. I'm so glad you were able to get that wonderful last photo.

4. 
   terieLR 03/18/2015

   A grove of Dogwood sounds lovely! Sorry for you this evening of the day you had to say goodbye to willow. I know the loss.

5. 
   meander_michaele 03/19/2015

   Thanks, Terie, the willow did prove she had one last moment of being very photogenic...ha, good lighting always helps!

6. 
   terieLR 03/19/2015

   A glorious shot! Hugs across the miles. ;)

7. 
   Nurserynotnordstroms 03/19/2015

   It is so sad to have a tree removed but so nessary sometimes,we had to have two old big leaf maples removed,it was several years between but still so sad to see them gone. Your photo is so beautiful that is a an amazing shot. Good work. Can you use the wood for fires? We are still burning some of ours. I love evening outdoor bonfires. We even had one tonight,I was going to work in the gardens but I really wanted a fire. Loved it.....yes I'm indoors all day I own a bridal boutique and a hair salon and I make jewelry and custom bridal accessories,I love it but it does keep me really busy. Gardening is my zen and my way to recharge. It's been so nice chatting with you. Have a wonderful evening!

8. 
   meander_michaele 03/19/2015

   Sounds like you have a lot of irons in the fire, Glenda, in your professional life. I can certainly understand why immersion in gardening is such a welcome respite. Our tree guy mentioned that willows make for crummy firewood so we will lug it to a big burn pile where we have various fallen limbs from our woods stock piled. Glad you had a nice relaxing evening...gotta' do that sometimes to recharge the batteries.

9. 
   Nurserynotnordstroms 03/19/2015

   I just read you had two baby dogwoods reseed in the shadow of the willow,and yes I think that's Mother Nature telling you what would be perfect tree in that location.

14. 
    user-7007327 03/18/2015

    Flowers, stone walls and blue door, what more could ask for.

15. 
    Meelianthus 03/18/2015

    Beautiful property Avis, and you have certainly done the woodlands proud with your very natural looking plantings. Is that a stream that runs thru your property? Your garden bench looks like a nice warm, sunny spot to sit and contemplate your next mission. And as all have said, the stonework is such a beautiful addition. Thanks for giving us more pics.

16. 
    perenniallycrazy 03/19/2015

    Talk about a rejuvenating and restful retreat. The stonework is absolutely beautiful. Wish I lived there!

17. 
    Cenepk10 03/19/2015

    So so gorgeous. Your hard labor has paid off. Heaven on earth.

18. 
    [email protected] 03/20/2015

    beautiful property, beautifully landscaped!

19. 
    schatzi 03/20/2015

    Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! Love it all.

20. 
    thevioletfern 03/27/2015

    LOVE Buttonbush! Such a beautiful setting and beautiful creatures.