Barbara’s downsizing story

Today ’s photos are from Barbara Holdridge in Maryland , who says,“My response toPat DeSocio ’s account statement of her loss of her former darling gardenwas semisweet . I , too , have downsized , but drop off not one but two gardens precious to me . And there ’s a moral in my story . Like Pat , I had to downsize , not only because of climb up maintenance costs , but because of wear and tear on me , after forty year of creating and run a garden area of about six Acre of my belongings , with a three - one-fourth Akka pool , a Japanese - style garden , fountains , swans , and peacock . There were garden tours and a garden awarding . When I downsize to a very pleasant condo in a green place setting , I still felt that call for to dig out my hands in the soil–-we all know the feeling–-and create something . Since there was a patch of ground outside my window with only dead pines and unsightly bushes , I received written permission from the president of the condo dining table to start a very minor garden there . My feat were reward with an abundance of perennial , pink wine , midget coniferous tree , and lots of boo , butterfly , and bee . neighbor loved it , and I felt unspoilt cultivating my little garden as it produce , and watching the weather condition day by day like the old nurseryman I was . The soil was terrible , so I amended it . The cervid were all ears , nose , eyes , and teeth , but I fended them off with various sprays , which I alternate to keep them worried . The destruction of the write up ? The condominium board short charge laborers over early one sunrise , at the top of summertime , to demolish the garden , toss my poor uprooted works aside , and replace my garden with leggy Echinacea and untempting itea bush . I sued for breach of contract and they settled in due course , but I am now gardenless . I have done the only thing I can-–put grow visible light up in my sunroom , grease one’s palms flowering tropical plants and a large potted lemon Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , and put all of my effort into assay to make everything thrive . And the moral ? If you need to downsize , and you still have that gardening itchiness , solid ground where there is confirming pledge that you could garden–-and not only get everything in writing , but also execute by an attorney!“Oh Barbara , this is heartbreaking . But I ’m so glad you ’re still growing and booming . Wow .

Want a guided tour through Barbara’s former garden at Stemmer House? Check outTHIS VIDEO.

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A view towards the pavilion overlooking the pond at Stemmer House

Cleopatra with her cygnets at Stemmer House

The Blue Bridge in the Japanese Garden at Stemmer House

The Moon Gate at Stemmer House

Trellis arch with lilies at Stemmer House

New Little Garden thriving in June 2014

Little Garden through my window screen in August 2014 (past the development’s hydrangeas and iteas), just after I had planted more bright coreopsis, one day before the Heartbreaking Demolition: Yellow and red roses, hostas, coreopsis, penstemons, belamcandas, veronicas, stonecrop, ajugas, ‘Blue Chip’ miniature butterfly bush, pink muhly grass, dwarf spruces, rose tree, thalictrum, daylilies, liatris, etc.