This garden was begun 12 years ago, inspired by the views of the salt marsh and waters of Stillhouse Cove directly across from the property. Two other features of the site that began as challenges but now add to the garden's special character are the corner lot and the slope down to street level at its southern end.
This is a four-season garden, in bloom for ten months of the year. The plantings incorporate trees, shrubs, grasses, perennials, self-seeding annuals and biennials, ferns, herbs, clematis and roses, as well as spring and autumn flowering bulbs. Thirteen trees and over 50 shrubs have been planted in the garden since its beginning.
Plants were chosen to thrive in this bayside environment with a minimum of supplemental watering and without the use of pesticides, herbicides or synthetic fertilizers. As a result it now attracts many birds, including hummingbirds, and insects such as dragonflies, butterflies and honey bees.
Other features include the use of rain barrels and compost bins, no lawns to mow and minimal weeding needed. It is easier to maintain than a beginning gardener might think, and in the heat of summer there are cool and private places to sit and admire the views of the bay.
