No joke. This garden's name is "The Lord's Garden" and it is in Eden, NY. When I went to visit this garden for The
National Garden Festival's Open Gardens, gardener Mary Jane was working in the garden. It is an expansive garden with great underlying structure in its defined boxwood-lined alleys and side "rooms" with themes and trails. This was not a garden with defined, mulch-laden beds of distinct ornamental plants.
What made it unique was its bending with the natural forest on the site. It wasn't so prim and proper that it felt like anything other than like being in a meadow beside a forest. There were unassuming ponds, bogs, native plants, fruiting trees, and a great collection of trees and shrubs. When you we were walking around at the outer edges of the garden, you could easily turn a corner and find yourself in the forest that surrounds the garden - it blends that easily. Dazzling color? No. Peacefully-green with the occasional pop of whatever's in bloom.
I happen to be touring at the same time as Buffalo News Garden Columnist, and WIVB Garden-guru Sally Cunningham. She had me try both black mulberry fruit and white mulberry fruit for the first time. Black is sweeter.
Of the many gardens I've visited over the years, this is on of those gardens that feels "natural" despite its formal structure. As if the birds, bats, bugs and butterflies would find it just as attractive as I did.
I think if the Lord did have a garden in Eden (NY), it would be this one.
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| This is a photo of Sally Cunningham taking a photo of me taking a photo of her. |
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| White mulberry fruit. |
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| The black mulberry fruit was sweeter. |
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| Turn a corner and you're in the woods! |
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| Mary Jane arriving to answer our questions. |
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| Another pond. I think I counted four ponds altogether. |
What made it unique was its bending with the natural forest on the site. It wasn't so prim and proper that it felt like anything other than like being in a meadow beside a forest. There were unassuming ponds, bogs, native plants, fruiting trees, and a great collection of trees and shrubs. When you we were walking around at the outer edges of the garden, you could easily turn a corner and find yourself in the forest that surrounds the garden - it blends that easily. Dazzling color? No. Peacefully-green with the occasional pop of whatever's in bloom.
This is one on my list too. I love natural looking gardens where wildlife is free to frolic. It really looks like a lovely set of gardens.
ReplyDeleteIt is lovely. She encourages people to have picnics there for Open Gardens. Ground was a bit squishy when we were there though.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos! It looks so lush.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Lush is an understatement! We've had so much rain the last couple months that EVERYTHING locally is lush!
DeleteJim, I just wanted to let you know I visited this garden. It was as nice as you posted. You also covered more ground at this property than I did. I am calling on the Farm tour on Monday. I hope to get a seat on the bus.
ReplyDeleteIt was not a "manicured" garden - it was humble and welcoming - to birds bees, bugs too. Having to duck the occasional branch or push extending shrub branches out of our way as we walked along only accentuated the feeling you were genuinely walking through a forest - even though it was a garden of a great collection of planted trees, shrubs, grasses, and perennials. There should be plenty of room left on the Farm Tour for you.
DeleteGreat post, wonderful photo:) Greetings
ReplyDelete