Monday, August 17, 2015

Siting a Pair of Garden Chairs: Wait a Year?


 Mere weeks in our ca. 1900 home, we returned from 10 days at the beach last Saturday.  Seeing the garden, walking into the house, was not for the faint of heart.  Eyes cannot rest upon any layer, without seeing something demanding hours/days/dollars of attention.  This early in the game, most of the layers are connected.
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Example?   Simply siting a pair of garden chairs.  Mere weeks ago, below, in their original home, you can barely see the top of one of the chairs on the graveled Bay Terrace.


Chairs, garden, interior a trinity of delight in these 2 pics, above/below.  Sitting in a chair, below, saying hi to Laura.


Now, below.  The same chairs await their new life under a century old pecan tree.


 The pile of bricks, below, had been 2 chimneys for the 4 coal fireplaces in the house.  Sadly, they did not pass inspection.  Jewelry-on-the-house, is how I thought of those gorgeous chimneys.  Replacing them, years down the priority list.


Beyond the pile of bricks, below, the burn pile.  Decades in its spot.  This is not amusing.  


Living without a garden, above, is frustrating in unanticipated degrees, yet I have zero regrets about moving.


My cottage garden, above, was for its location.  Excitement mounts, hourly, creating a historic American farmhouse landscape.  Nothing 'cottage' about it.  Adding drives/lanes/paths, a wrap around porch, moving sheds, planting an orchard/potager, ripping out foundation plantings and spreading a luxuriously decadent amount of gravel, renovating the pond, clearing & building a barn, removing invasives from the woodland, and opening views.
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The layers of excitement have reintroduced me to an old foe, impatience.  My cottage garden began upon a barren lot I chose, then sited the house ahead of construction.  Ironically, have shared, more than once, and meant it, that my garden taught me 'patience'.
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Here I am again !  Glad it's a lesson on patience our new garden is providing.  Had been wildly worried I would grieve for my old garden.  Sorrow ahead of leaving was great, Beloved was there for the worst of it, and still loves me.
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Calming to know putting in a garden is a process, well trod for centuries.  There is an order to how each layer of a garden is installed, almost a mathematical equation.
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The order of installing a garden is why I have a career as Garden Designer.  Human Nature is impatient, and jumps the order.  My chairs will sit, awaiting their proscenium.
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Garden & Be Well,    XO T
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Have zero clue, probably for a year minimum, where this pair of chairs will land in beauty again.  Impatient to know, yet the anticipation is a delight.

7 comments:

  1. Faint of heart? Not you. I have no doubt at all that this garden and house will step by step move along at a measured pace until some August day in the future you two will be sitting in those chairs and gazing with pleasure on what you will have created. No doubt at all. I look forward to following your journey.

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  2. Great post! How do you figure out where to start when so much begs to be done? Please walk us through what to consider on what order, I have no idea what to do with my new to me old farmhouse on 5 acres.

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  3. Your 10 days at the beach causes me to want to get back to skecthing some badly neglected projects for others - so I can take off for at least half that, guilt-free. Mostly trying work has held me back the last few years, but not all. The former cottage, the new farmhouse - inspiring.

    Those chairs will be just right...

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  4. I used century old chimney bricks to build a little courtyard next to my studio. I have faith that your bricks will become something beautiful again.

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  5. It is a joy to hear you process all this.

    Much to learn from following you around the land.

    Excited to see it unfold!

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  6. I grieve for my old garden. I miss it x

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  7. "No regrets" is exactly what I wanted to hear! What's life without meaningful work, eh? I've a similar chair, around 30 years old but, every year I put water seal on it and it's still useful and beautiful.

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