Whistle While You Work
In addition to being HGIC (head gardener in charge), I am also the castle servant. I cook, shop, clean, wash, and putter. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. I have dedicated this garden to myself on behalf of all housewives and househusbands everywhere, tasked with the daily maintenance of a home. Ok, so it’s a castle. But it still works and I wanted to honor my best and highest self when I take out the garbage, haul the dog food in, and navigate the messy side of castle life.
So aptly named, the Servants Garden is an intimate patio and garden off the back of the house where during the castle’s early days, was intended for the service staff. Outside the servants’ wing, a stone patio is surrounded by a ginormous boulder, 8’ stone wall, towering cathedral pines, and the eastern face of the castle. It houses the rubbish box and has an entrance to the washery room, mop and broom storage, and vintage ice box. Deliveries came through this door originally, but now it serves as my access to the house for all industrial tasks. I am, after all, the only servant, and dammit, I want to feast my eyes when I take out the trash!
My plan is to work with the shade provided the hardscapes of the space and plant a variety of perennial shade lovers like hosta, ivy, astilbe, and a few simple annuals. I like to keep color schemes simple and compliment the amazing textures of the stone patio and pine bark.
So for the next few weeks, while the earth is warming and the threat of frost is behind us, I will be planning and shopping and preparing the garden beds and pots.
Stay tuned!
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