Recently, Mike and I had houseguests that couldn't stop gushing over our house. I was flattered by this endorsement and it got me thinking of the reasons I love our house. I wanted to share a few photos and a few thoughts but the words that flowed out of my pen were mostly about the yard and garden.
An Ode to Small Acreage
A rickety wooden fence lines the south edge of our property. It looks kind of ramshackle and scrappy from the street but makes an excellent backdrop for the royal purple clematis to climb and thrive. This jewel of a plant doesn’t need much; it just grows and pleases.
The space near the garage is a bit wild. A handful of spindly raspberry shoots planted three years ago have worked their way into a patch and are producing tasty morsels, and a cacophony of wildflowers, some very happy hens and chicks, and sky-high hollyhocks burst out of a low-slung planter. Around the corner sedums threaten to take over and a carnation planted by the previous owners continues to thrive. A burst of perennials produces blooms throughout the season and shows off hues of lavender, periwinkle, and fuchsia.
Another rickety fence lines the north edge of our lot providing a backdrop for raised beds and containers. Each year an assortment of leaves (Lettuce, kale, spinach), rhubarb, peas, and strawberries enjoy a long growing season filling our bowls again and again.
In a nearby wooden planter we grow tomatoes, an act equal parts hope and heartbreak. Some grow strong from the start, others progress slowly. Most likely, no matter how well they flourish, we’ll have the same panic induced rush to cover them during the first frost of the year and we’ll get the same amount each year, which is not many. Mother Nature isn’t always kind to tomatoes in Montana.A derelict stump hauled from a construction site serves as a unique planter. I imagine it will return to the earth one day but for now it grows wild and flourishes.
Size is a matter of perspective. My friend Rob’s sister Sandy, an avid gardener, oohed and aahed when she saw the size of our property. Compared to her place in London, it was spacious. Others cringe when they see how close our neighbors are. As for me, I grew up on two acres where my family had an abundant garden, so I had always thought that it would be a shame to live on anything less. But I didn’t really know what it meant to maintain two acres or even one half. I have come to realize that for me smaller is better, and a tenth of an acre suits me just fine. With a little bit of hard work and a whole lot of love, it is easy to keep up with the yard. It’s not hard to fit in a daily ten-minute walk around the house to do a bit of plucking and pruning. This is a tranquil almost meditative experience and is enough to keep things tidy. On my small lot I can connect with my space each day. It is big enough to keep me occupied and happy, but small enough that it’s not a huge undertaking. It is gardening bliss.
A few more photos...
More stories about home:
- The River House: https://annvinciguerra.blogspot.com/2021/09/special-place.html
- The Old Farm: https://annvinciguerra.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-old-farm.html
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