The Land Called Honalee aka The Garden of Angels aka This Old H

11 years ago

For those who are curious this is part of the story behind the Land Called Honalee. I have a very large ,old city lot up here in the frozen north and have dug up all kinds of turf cause I really don't like cutting grass. I haven't really taken too many pics of things since I didn't have much access to a camera till a couple of summers ago. That and I am so self conscious of my gardens not being picture perfect. Last year was a really bad year for me and my back garden got over run with thistles. I will get at it in the next few weeks and do my best to clear them out. Most of my gardens, as I may have said before, are what I would consider growing beds till we decide what we are going to do with this property. This is the house I grew up in and it is ready to be torn down. The dirt is older than the house and probably in worse condition. I have helped my dad in this yard since I was a little girl and probably played on every square inch of this property, pretending I had a farm or was Puff the Magic Dragon or that I was a horse........

So I have no really formal gardens as yet but a lot of plant material that I try not to kill. Grains, grasses and sunflowers are directly sewn for the most part. Didn't do anything this year since I had a few other obligations. Dad went into a nursing home after brain surgery and I had a litter of puppies in the spring and I am trying to clear things up around here in prep. for the inevitable.

I have over 200 peonies in the back garden and well over 500 irises all over the yard. You have seen the pot ghetto which is part of the back yard, that is my latest addiction and they will be planted in the front yard where my husband is destroying the lawn. At the worst, I will have to move quite a few plants from around the house when this place comes down but hopefully not all in one weekend!

This lot is 75 x 155 with a small house and garage. The rest is trees, and dirt. Dad planted this garden in the picture for many years until I came here in 2004 and this was it in 05 before planting vegies. It is now in peonies, irises, DLs, poppies, ect. ect. and what I call the back 40. That fence was built in 1967! :)

I'll try and take some pics of things if anyone is interested. I think it is all kinda disorganized at this time but so is my world. I'm just grateful I can dig in the dirt! :)

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Comments (10)

crackingtheconcrete
11 years ago
Oh, that's interesting! Yes, more pics.
I hope this isn't a daft question, but are you tearing down the house and then rebuilding on the same property? (Just making sure I understand)
Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
Original Author
11 years ago
CTC ~ No such thing as a daft question. People who stop asking questions, stop growing. :) I don't really know what we are doing yet since this property offically belongs to me and my brothers and sisters. I won't sell until Dad is gone unless I am forced to. I would like to buy them out and then purchase an acreage so I can take my time moving my plants. Then tear it down and rebuild to sell?? These are the ideas I have now but I have no idea what is in the plans of the Universe. :) I know all the neighbours around here and many are getting on so they will be saying goodbye too. Of course, this area has large lots and large gardens for new families interested in that sort of thing. Even the newer neighbours are gardeners! All the trees are mature and it is a very peaceful setting. I don't know if I could live here without this old house tho. :( Many memories are keeping me here and those same memories are begging me to leave. Who knows?
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hosenemesis
11 years ago
I live in grandpa's house where I grew up too. It's a big lot in a rural pocket of the suburbs, and everyone said I should have torn down the house when I moved in- it was so bad. My dad says I just better hope the termites keep holding hands.

As far as taking photos- I have found that creative cropping is the best solution for a yard with too many weeds. If you are careful, no one will be the wiser!
Renee
Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
Original Author
11 years ago
Renee ~ That is funny! I get told not to clean the spider webs or the house will fall apart! I haven't been able to chop my way into that back 40 all summer although I did pick about 4 buckets full of peonies in June and July. They were awesome this year! Lots of rain. I have irises in there too and DLs but not many. Most of my irises are along the south side of the house and in the front gardens now.

Love you picture taking techniques! :)
Thyme2dig NH Zone 5
11 years ago
Ginny, I would love to see more pictures. Your peonies must be an amazing sight.

That's a tough decision to have to make about the house, land, etc. You have a great attitude and I'm sure everything will work out for you.
kathi_mdgd
11 years ago
Hosenemesis,had to laugh at your comment about termites.I always tell my sisters in N.Y. that one day i'm gonna come home and find the terminates carrying my house down the street.

I think they need to change our state logo from the Golden State, to the terminate state.

Ginny i lovewhat you have to work with and what you have done so far.One day at a time,and prayers being said for your dad.
Kathi
Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you so much for your support girls! And, yes, we are all still girls! The last 7 years have been very difficult. I have 5 brothers and sisters but it is my husband and me who take care of Dad and this old house. Everyone wants part of it but none want anything to do with it if that makes any sense. Apparently, it is usually the youngest girl who takes care of the parents so it fits for me. I have spent the most time with Dad and am most like him I think. Many, many, many days and nights in the garden and yard. I lost my mom in this house the day after my 11th birthday and my brother 3 1/2 years later. This is the one and only house our family was raised in and the only one Dad ever owned like many of the neighbours around us. It has been a very bittersweet experience coming back after all the years away but I thank God for the experience.

It is very peaceful and safe in this old house and as I have said before, I know every inch of this yard; still finding toys I played with in the dirt. The trees got big, the sidewalk is rotting and the fence is falling down but it is still home. I can still smell the honeysuckle in the spring and the old lilac that is barely hanging on tucked in beside the porch. My sister's Grade 1 tree is 50 ft tall and there are new maples popping up everywhere that wern't here even 7 years ago. I can always put in new soil, new plants and even a new house and it won't take away my memories good or bad. I may have to be content with that and say goodbye when Dad goes........he'll haunt me anyway. Lol!

You can bet I'll be taking pics of my blooms in the spring. I won't be gone that soon! In the meantime, digging in the dirt continues into this beautiful fall we are having. One never knows what one will uncover or discover! Many thanks again ladies. :)
freezengirl
11 years ago
Honalee, I read your post above and couldn't help it-layed my head on my desk and cried from remembering my own history that echoes yours. Time in the garden seemed to be the only way to process and get through all those feelings. I always think of it as planting with tears and growing joy. Just remember love grows and heals many wounds.
Faith
Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
Original Author
11 years ago
I've heard it said, "You can bury many troubles by digging in the dirt" and I try to remember this when life gets challenging for me. Thank you, Faith, for the words of encouragement. I'm sorry it brought you to tears but glad you had such unique experiences with which to GROW from. I too faithfully practice growth and rebirth. Endings are necessary to make way for new beginnings. Part of the cycle of life.....or is that circle of life? Bambi or The Lion King, it is eternal.

Maybe the last fall in this old house and it sure is a beautiful one. Planting this Thanks Giving weekend, for us Canadians, and taking advantage of every minute nature is offering up. Grateful for all I have been given and more that is to come. Pictures will follow. :)

Ginny
aftermidnight Zone7b B.C. Canada
11 years ago
Whatever the future brings, when the time comes you'll know in your heart what to do. In the meantime take lots of pictures inside and out, pictures of the old house from all sides. Before and after shots even of silly, quirky things, things that make you laugh even things that make you sad, anything that has a little story behind it. Pictures of the peonies and other things growing where your dad planted them weeds and all. Buy a big album and put all these pictures in with little notations under each one, maybe something you and your dad could do together? It will be a lovely keepsake to hand down for generations.

I have my dad's old album from the early 1900's, unfortunately I have no idea who most of the people in it are other than my grandparents. I have no pictures of my grandparent's summer cottage where I spent the happiest summers of my childhood nor of my grandfather's beautiful english cottage, just the memories which I cherish.

I would have loved to have bought the house where I spent my early childhood. When we came back to my home town to live the property had been appropriated, the house torn down and now it's a parking lot. I still dream of the summer days when I used to hang out my upstairs bedroom window, the scent of crabapple blossoms filling the air from the big old tree just outside my window, this mingled with the scent of freshly cut grass from the neighbor across the street. That house is gone now too plus two other charming old houses. An apartment block stands where it and the other two houses stood. I know time marches on, things change, can't say they're any better tho.

Looking forward to lots of pix.

Annette

The Land Called Honalee aka The Garden of Angels aka This Old H

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