My husband and I moved here in 2013 having left our home in Beverly with lots of mature garden beds, shrubs, a new fence, and gorgeous blue hydrangeas blooming. It was hard to leave the gardens I’d nurtured, we had been there 12 years after all, but in the end it wasn’t all that hard once the time was right. And boy, was it right. Our honeybees died from street mosquito spraying and the ancient apple tree out front blew over, completely uprooted, in a storm. We took those as signs it was time to go. We were heartbroken about both losses. For three years prior to deciding to leave our hometown I was getting daily emails of possible homes. There were a few to consider looking at but really there was nothing with acreage that looked like a good fit. Beverly had nothing, neighboring towns had nothing. Most homes had an acre or less and the prices were too high for the quality of the home. We weren’t up for buying an overpriced fixer-upper in an expensive town just to say we live there. We didn’t need the school system because our daughters were already out of college. Living by the water was an option but not if the homes were with speaking distance, and most are. I don’t think neighbors would appreciate chickens clucking and squawking after they lay an egg. We didn’t want to risk losing our honeybees again and we needed space for our future hens. And after living near a busy street and working in Boston we were ready for a quiet home to come back to at the end of the day.

Once we made up our mind to get serious about moving our realtor convinced us to look outside our range, slightly further away than we originally wanted. She convinced us to go visit a home with her, a traditional Colonial by all accounts, with nearly 7 acres, abutting conservation land and trails, and lots of fun for parties. We entertain a lot so when our realtor said it was a good home for parties, too our ears perked up. The home our realtor wanted us to see was a fellow realtor’s home. Our realtor had been there for a party and in fact the previous owner had held many parties, 100 people at times, at our home. It seemed to be what we wanted, albeit a bit further out than we originally wanted, but it had the privacy, acreage to protect our bees from spraying, room for a large vegetable garden, room for the dogs to explore off leash, and it was close to major routes to get into Boston for work.

From the moment we turned onto the gravel driveway I knew it was the one. I love gravel driveways. Sold.

We arrived at the top of the driveway and were greeted, as if on cue, by a doe and her twin fawns right on the front lawn. Sold.

Inside, the house had a large kitchen, French doors, beautiful crown molding, and best of all it had oversized windows everywhere to see outside. Sold.

We walked the property line and it had stone walls way in the woods. Sold.

Lots of potential for gardens and a wee farm. We just had to put in the work. And THAT we have done. Usually happily. Sometimes begrudgingly. Always pleased with the outcome. A good friend says, “Your reward is in direct relation to your sacrifice.” We have certainly given this property our blood, sweat, and tears. We have been here 8 years and it’s still a work in progress. That’s where the lesson in patience comes in.

When you plant a garden it doesn’t instantly grow to maturity – it is a leap of faith and can take years to see your vision become a reality.

Patience. Effort. Time.

2013 – 2021

A few years ago I took some classes in landscape design and maintenance. I also volunteered at Long Hill in Beverly, part of the Trustees properties, to learn more hands-on pruning and planting. Since taking the course I’ve designed gardens for friends and improved our gardens. So many years of trial and error and learning on my own. But, that’s how we learn, right? We get in, get dirty, try a plant here, try a plant there, and see what works. I’ve had lots of failures over 32 years but I’ve also had great successes, too. I’ve learned the hard way at times.

My garden style is not formal. My gardens are full, sometimes messy, always lush, fragrant, beautiful. I’ve planned them so that some perennials bloom in spring, some in summer, and some find their full glory in the rosy glow of autumn. My hope is that our gardens invite our guests to bend down and take a deep inhale and breathe. Most importantly, our plants and shrubs are pollinator-friendly. We definitely have the most interesting insects and birds here. The first time I saw the hummingbird moth I had to do a double-take and grab my camera.

Gardens are always evolving. Sometimes plants die and you don’t know why. Sometimes they look awful and have to be moved. I do my best to keep them thriving and they in turn keep the pollinators alive. Gardens are meant to be enjoyed and I really do enjoy them.