We have lived here for 25 years, during which the garden has
evolved as I have. Many of my grandiose ideas have mellowed
and what you see is a more reasonable expression of my dreams.
Today, my 2/3 acre garden is used for research, teaching, testing
design ideas, and enjoying. This includes finding plants that
are drought tolerant and that are bested suited for Central
Ohio soils and climate. To test plants, I practice the adage
of using three of the same plant in the garden—they just
are scattered in different environments in my garden instead
of all in the same spot.The earth oven, our newest project, was inspired and guided by Kiko Denzer's book "Build Your Own Earth Oven." The project was quite complex - take a look behind the scenes!
Tony and I love stone. The stone walls and beds have wrapped
around the house as time and money has allowed, starting at
the front and progressing around the west side and to the
back. One of our most recent additions is my longed-for terrace
and nursery at the southeast corner of the house.
There are 26 different garden areas consisting of shade gardens,
sun gardens, herb areas, rock areas, a very young conifer
garden, a vegetable garden and more. There are approximately
46 troughs, numerous container vignettes, a greenhouse and
one garden in the process of “cooking”.
I have been an “organic” gardener since the mid
90’s. I took a course on greenhouse management in the
early 80’s and learned about the pesticides and herbicides
that are used in that environment. I realized that somehow
poison and growing greenhouse crops that would be in one’s
home didn’t seem to go together. I banned Malathion
and its like from our home. But, we had young children….
I was working outside the home… time passed before I
transferred those feelings to the outside. In 1992 I went
back to school for a Master’s in horticulture. After
reading Silent Spring as part of an English Lit course (had
to take a mental break from science!), the vague uneasiness
I felt solidified into a resolve to do without synthetic chemical
inputs, and to understand the role of “natural”
inputs in the garden. I often say that I am a 97 or so percent
organic gardener…. there are just some things you cannot
know.
I am in my garden every day that I am home during the growing
season: March through November. I use my garden as my exercise:
physically, mentally and spiritually. It must be as healthy
as it can be. I amend the soil every year with compost. This
can be animal manures (mushroom compost is the best if you
can find it; also working on finding well-rotted llama poo—heard
it’s great) or leaf mold.
There is something going on all the time, even in winter.
The subtle beauty of winter is just as welcome to me as the
emerging life of spring, the hot colors of summer and the
russet splendor of autumn.
Please enjoy the diversity of our garden and our three cats
Mocha, Fred and Sammy.
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