Building Eden in Edenton
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Whenever we move to a new environment, I dive immediately into the house cleaning, decorating, personalizing, getting everyone comfortable. But the outside environs are equally important, and the garden must be created that “works” with whatever kind of house we settle into, urban, suburban, woodland, mountain, historical.
This sojourn is no different. I’m once again building Eden in the backyard. The soil is different. The climate and planting zone are new to me. I’ve learned of a new “must-have” vine, and which of my perennial favorites aren’t going to like the hot summer nights here. I haven’t had a flat garden in 40 years, and never one at sea level. Yet, I’m totally at home kneeling in the soft, black, sandy soil. Some pass-along plants came with me in newspapers, boxes, or jars. When they poke through the soil, fresh and alive, it will remind me of the friend that passed it along.
The theme of this garden is, well, old. That’s right, it’s a new old garden to go with the new old house. We have some photos from former home owners to inspire us and take the garden’s attitude back to the 30s and 40s when the entire property was a garden of azaleas, camellias, and bulbs. With the help of my son Jeff’s design work, we’ve laid out the structure, and I’m so excited with how it’s coming along. Keep in mind, gardens are never done.
One area that is quite unique (that means I just made it up) is the History Museum Garden. Located behind the guest house like a well-kept secret, guests can peruse the history of the property. I’ll take you on the walk, if you’d like.
The chunks-of-concrete stepping stones take us behind the guest house. They were once the front walk to the house. The concrete was poured over the brick walk in the early 50s. It was busted up around 2005 and the brick walk replaced. The concrete chunks were repurposed into a fire pit and flower bed edgings. Now, it’s once again a walk way. The plants on the stones are wooly thyme, creeping Jenny, and liriope all transplanted from this property. The red pump and the goat bucket are antiques, and the seat is vintage 40s-50s. Along the fence line are 70-year-old Hostas from a friend, divided with Herculean effort! The ground cover in this garden is a moss collection from many places. It’s all growing great! The shelf on the fence holds artifacts (junk mostly) found on the property. The crafted stepping stone is a collection of more found items. A toy soldier, marbles, a dog collar, a table knife, are all part of someone’s past. The museum wall, the back of the guest house, is the legacy of 206 East Queen. The ladder on the wall shows the sequence of home owners. We hope to add a few more rungs prior to 1894. The ladder itself is constructed using materials left stored in various places of the property. The items on the wall are significant to either an era or a family. The big horseshoe was buried 18” under in the front yard. The flag flying was the Nation’s flag at the time the house was built (1790). The buoy bell reminds us that Edenton was once a lively shipping center. The school bell is a tribute to the neighborhood school across the street, now senior apartments. The brass knob-and-tube plate was the original light switch in the house, the glass conductor celebrates the wiring of the entire house. The trowel, found buried in the yard with the gardener’s initials carved into the leather handle, is from 40s. The 50s NC license plate is for the family who used to park 3 VW Bugs under the carport which is now gone. The washboard is reminiscent of the wash house that used to stand here in the yard. The two-man saw is circa 1870, an era of growth for Edenton.
So, yes, it’s a garden unique to this house. I just made it up. And I got very dirty all while happily keeping balance in my life.