Even the critters are welcome here
When the house was being built in 1978 I often saw white tailed deer browsing in the forest and field. I knew I would have to adapt to thier presence since they were here first. I accept a bit of damage from nibbling deer because they are so beautiful. My favorite time is early summer when the Does bring the baby fawns to play on our lawn. We see many different species of birds at our feeders and bird baths as well. This summer a Perigin Falcon spent a few weeks nearby and often came to the bird bath in the woodland garden for a dip. The ring necked pheasants are plentiful0, we find them to be very beautiful and entertaining. Norhtern Flickers, Pileated Woodepeckers, Downy Woodpeckers, Hummingbirds and of course Squirrels are regular visitors.There are bears in the forest and though we may occasionaly see one drop in for a drink from the back birdbath they usually stay away. This summer one bold black bear came to snack on some apples and seeds I had put out for the birds. He was not particuarly welcome and thank goodness has not come back. I open the garden to human visitors once a year, usually in the first week of July, when the roses are in thier first big flush of blooms. |
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The garden developed in stages and there are always new devleopments
At first the garden consisted of 20,000 square feet of grass with numerous fir and birch trees. Shortly after moving in I developed a small hillside garden next to the back patio area. It was mainly evergreen shrubs and rock garden plants. I discovered I really do not like the standard evergreen shrubs and eventually they were all removed. In 1991 I tackled the weedy hillside that seperated the front lawn and the alfalfa field. I planted huge numbers of perennials given to me by my aunt and my father and used large rocks to add interest. I expanded the plantings around the patio and after disease caused the removal, of two large fir trees from the back lawn, I built an island bed and used the stumps as planters for annuals. A glass greenhouse was given to me by my parents and I use it to start literaly thousands of bedding plants every year. In 1996 a large birch tree was cut down due to roots spreading into the lawn area so I decided it was a good place to build a rose garden. The same year I built the pond and water fall in the patio hillside garden. More trees were removed the next year allowing more light into the garden so I developed a mixed shrub and perennial border around the outside of the back lawn. A second smaller rose garden was built at the east side of the front garden. The woodland garden was next, using rocks from the property, to build a raised bed in the centre and to line the path. More beds and borders followed until now the house is surrounded by beds and the border goes all around the back lawn. Paths and arbors have been added and a second greenhouse came in 2001. My daughter started a small herb garden in 2000 and expanted it in 2002. The vegetable garden produces tomatoes, peppers, carrots, onions, beets, kholrabi, lettuce, spinache peas and beans. A row of asparagus is an early summer treat as are the raspberries that block the view of the compost area. A small alpine garden was added to an exstension of the front border in 2000. Future plans include another copper arbor to support the climbing roses on either side of the back door of the garage and a half cirlce arbor at the entrance of the secret garden. I frequently say I don't have any more plans to expand the garden but ideas keep popping into my head. My family has come to dread the words "I have an idea" since they know work will be involved and they may be drafted to help.
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