Enter through the gate, walk with me, and see how I have taken a small amount of space and turned it into my "garden." We begin at the back
porch, where a cement angel,standing with her hands folded in prayer,
gazes upward toward the Heavens. Flanked by a rhododendron which
produces lavender blooms, she watches over my little herb garden.
This year we have spearmint, parsley, chives, lavender,basil,and marjoram.

At the corner of the house is a flowering shrub, now adorned with a multitude of small
white flowers which make a sweet fragrance. The shrub is quite old and has stood there
since I was a child. I am not sure what the name of it is? I suspect it is in the spirea
family. As we circle this tall shrub we come to the new rose garden. This Spring we
removed the "old monster" of a climbing rose bush which, again, had stood there since
my childhood, and had taken over the whole side of the house. We replaced this rose
with a garden of tea roses, in a rainbow of colors. They are in bloom now, and are
spectacular. They are hidden from the frontview by a huge old Arbevitea, at the front
corner of the house, inside the fence.

As we follow the fence which encloses the lot alongside the house, we see on the outside
a line of evergreens of various heights and shapes. Inside, there is a pair
of hosta's under the old Arbevitea. Then a line of bulb plants along the
fenceline, which are fronted by alternating Arbevitea and Rugosa Rose
shrubs, with which I hope to close out the busy highway that disturbs
our serenity.

Along the farside of the yard, we find first a corner of much varied
plantings. At ground level there is perwinkle peeking out from under
violets,under a white pine tree. We also find in this corner Yucca as
well as dogwood bushes. They have all blended in a nice way, entirely
enclosing and softening that corner of the yard. We walk along a line
of three more pine trees Fitzer and another Arbevitea, with more hosta
and violets below, and peeking from behind those, two Forsythia bushes.
Then we see an alcove in which a small cement angel sits on a pedistal.

The little cherub sits looking downward at his feet, where there grows
Snow on the Mountain, and various colored petunias, and poppies. Behind
the angel are two young Burning bushes. On we move to another indented
area which displays more dogwood bushes, fronted by various rose plants
of dark red color, and a ground cover of Sedam.

At midpoint, we come to a Mulberry tree, beneath which sits a little cherub looking upward.

The surrounding limestone border is planted
with Lilly of the Valley, white and red tulips. Just ahead a burst of orange
Asiatic Lillies catches your eye, in front of these are Appledorn tulips.
A few steps away we pass two Dwarf Bing Cherry trees, inbetween these is a
planting of rhubard, fronted by Blazing Stars. Then as we reach the back
corner of the fenceline another conglumerate greets us. Here we have an
Apple tree, and two apricot bushes, another dogwood bush, hosta,Snow on
the Mountain, Daylillies,Dusty Miller, petunias,and another cement angel.

We now have reached the vegetable garden which lies behind
a wire fence. Inside, the strawberries are sweet smelling,
the red raspberry's have begun to show fruit. Because of the plentiful spring rains the tomatoes and green
peppers are doing marvelously. Due to the weather this year everything else we planted is not progessing
very well. But, normally there would be a variety of salad veggies growing, and string beans. In front of
the garden, there is a line of cushion mums, centered by a Dwarf Pear tree, which due to the miracle of
grafting, has five varieties of the fruit. At the garden gate we have come to the Dwarf Peach tree called
Reliance, and about 15 feet from this is a dwarf apple tree.

Around the corner of the garden stands my Witch Hazel
tree, closely positioned next to a pine of the cedar variety.
Under these, another Burning Bush,lavendar
Spider Lilies,and various bulb plants; including
purple tulips. In the Spring we see the Crocus,
Squill, Sunny Twinkles, Snowdrops, and then
Rosey Bells. In this area, the back of the yard
is then shaded by tall lilac bushes. Here lies
the shade garden, in which the Madonna statue stands,
surrounded by hosta,lilies,and newly planted fern.

Behind the garage, you will see the two grapevines growing on arches.
More herbs are at their feet. And at the back corner of the garage, a
dwarf plum tree. Here we have a cement birdbath, on which sits a small
angel kneeling in prayer. Alongside this, another Burning bush, hosta
and fern. On the side of the garage, you see a small bulb garden in
the shape of a teardrop. This is the Spring garden, the first to burst
forth with life each year. Across from this, we see another angel on
a pedistal, with it's hand lifted to the sky, as if waiting for rain.
We have reached the end of our tour. All this is planted in an area
about 75' X75' and is not too overcrowded. And it has provided some
seclusion in an, otherwise, unpleasant area which has a small factory
a busy highway, and several businesses nearby.