I'm on (well-earned) vacation this week. We've mixed and mingled chores with a visit to the flea market, lunch at a great new BBQ truck in Middleburgh, a shop hop in Rhinebeck where we lusted after honey at Bumble & Hive and tasted olive oils and vinegars at Pure Mountain (so that's what real balsamic vinegar tastes like!), naps on the couch, and--yesterday--a long-discussed visit to the Berkshire Botanical Garden. It's only an hour away, the drive is lush and relaxing (it helped that we left here at 8 am and it was the 4th of July), and the reward was so worth it! We could have stayed hours longer if not for the heat and humidity, and we plan to go again in the Fall. And next Spring....
The colors were alive; the air was scented with pine, whispered remnants of faded linden flowers and the perfume of daylilies. A faerie garden lured us into her shadows, we kissed in the secret room created by the draping branches of the linden, watched honeybees in the catmint, and were inspired by the vegetable gardens. We took a few photos, and invite you to glimpse the beauty of the place:
We can't wait to create a second vegetable garden using this model! They plant 8 tomatoes in a 4' x 4' bed--who knew?
I absolutely love the architectural excitement of dried allium, in this case interspersed randomly amongst the flowing daylilies.
Brazen, isn't she?
Bee balm and an unnamed friend...
Butterfly weed (not bush) will definitely factor into next year's planting, along with another honeybee fave--catmint.
One settles in to swing and ride the scented breezes to the sound of sweet chimes. Here's a video but for some odd reason the video feels creepy rather than the utterly magical experience it was.
From the Martha Stewart Cottage Garden, burgundy sorrel, a sweet plant that will be added to the Japanese maple's pot next year.
Sometimes, exotic beauty is right outside your very own door. This is a canna flower in our yard; Linda says it's the first time she ever got a flower from one!
PS....all photo credits are Linda's. Thanks, Linda!
12 comments:
I love daytrippin! I've lived in the KC area all my life. This is the first year/summer, I'm actually "seeing" some of the area sites. You must live in a beautiful area. Nothing to smell around here except fumes...ewwwww
What a glorious place, how lucky so close to you. I adore that vegetable garden. Love the butterfly weed. You are right, the video seemed like the opening to a horror movie...something bad about to happen, lol! weird.
A lovely garden, but why did the video not show the swing from a front view, it was weird.Lovely deep colours in the day lilies,Cheers from Jean
Linda shot the video as we rode the swing and listened to the chimes. Made us laugh that such a magic thing translated the way it did!
Ashling,
You fitted so much fun and good use into one great Day trip. Wonderful and lovely that you enjoyed it so much too.
Here in Cheshire, England we are having a horrendous summer season. Unending rain falling in torrents and causing flooding.
A strange old world!!
Eileen
Hi Linda, sorry about the swing comment, but it was a bit different. I loved the way it was in its own little house, and high up inside almost like a bell tower. Yes, you could do with our cooler days, hope your heatwave cools down soon.Cheers, Jean
Nancy--absolutely no need to apologize! It was a weird video!
What lovely little jaunts you've been taking. I must visit that botanic garden when day on my way to the Catskills! And I'm wondering how far Middleburgh is from Albany, where my eldest lives--he loves bbq.
Wow - what a gorgeous place! I could get lost there for a day too!
Oh - and Pip is amazingly beautiful!! May she continue to gain weight and grow strong.
It was a little Stephen King-ish, as though a ghost of a little girl was there. Maybe it could become a little film short. A horror short. Is there such a classification? There should be.
I kid. But, you started it. :)
It sounds like a nice way to spend the day.
What a beautiful and relaxing place to visit. I would be very inspired and rejuvenated. Thanks for sharing.
Such wonderful inspiration! What a beautiful day.
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