Around the Farmhouse

Our Founder Carmen Mathews was an avid gardener. Her green thumb inspired the creation of extensive perennial beds throughout the property.

In the backyard of the farmhouse towering rhododendrons provide the backdrop for perennial beds that include butterfly bushes, iris, fragrant lilies, peonies, yarrow,  and asters. Along the stonewall there is a lily garden that reaches its peak in the middle of July, and on the other end of the lawn, underthe false cypress you will find  hostas, ferns, Jack-in-the-Pulpits and astilbes.

If you step down into the sunken garden you will find more shade loving plants such as bleeding heart, columbine, campanula, hellebores, hostas and ferns. This enchanted place, bordered by stonewalls, rhododendrons and a goldfish pond, has been the setting for many different farm events.
Just beyond the farmhouse, inside the privet hedges, lies our culinary herb garden, originally designed by local nurseryman Sal Gilbertie. These herbs are used in our classes and by our campers.

Across the path you will find our Shakespeare Garden complete with quotes from some of the Bard’s famous plays. 

Our cutting garden runs the length of the old stonewall and features iris, heliopsis, coriopsis, delphinium, astilbe, lady’s mantle and peonies.  As you walk along this garden, toward the barnyard, you will see concord grapevines winding their way across the trellis. September is a lovely month to gaze up at the grape-laden vines and to take in the fragrance of the ripened fruits.

Along the stream on the way to the pond

On our Farm Road across from our stream stands Carmen’s original vegetable garden created in the mid-80s. This garden, with its decades worth of  compost-enriched soil, yields a bounty of fresh summer and fall vegetables that are enjoyed by our summer campers and are featured in our annual Harvest Dinners.  There is also a blueberry patch under the netting and raspberries grow along the northern fence line.

 
Closer to the pond, two other gardens are situated along the stream. One is a garden planted to attract passing butterflies adorned with buddleia, butterfly weed, asters, and bee balm. Next, across from the old oak, is a composite garden filled with a variety of plants in the composite family including rhudbeckia, echinacea, beebalm, tansy, and yarrow.

Around the bend, along the stream grow peonies, iris, and milkweed. Just over the land bridge at the south end of the pond sits a glorious peony and iris garden. At the end of June each year, this beautiful display is a must-see for many members. The pond is surrounded by many native plantings such as joe pye, milkweed, clethra as well as ornamentals such as flowering quince and ornamental grasses.

Behind Astronomy Hill is our large Lower Garden, in late summer and early fall you will find towering sunflowers growing among pumpkin and other gourds.