Secret Gardens
Before we can even begin repairs at Little Mount Vernon, there has been tons of cleaning out and demolition. But here it's not just the house that needs some demolition. There is also the YARD!! After nearly 20 years of growth, the once beautifully manicured lawns and gorgeous gardens have grown into a mangled jungle of vines, trees, and unwanted bushes. It's hard to find the good shrubs amidst the mass of growth which has taken over. And the old house sat masked from view to the public by all this greenery.
Enter my one man "fix-it-up-chappie"
Dwight began the process of pulling the vines that were growing all over the house and up the base of the trees, sawing away limbs and trees that were leaning on the house, and bulldozing down the extra bushes and trees in the yard so the oaks, crepe myrtles, tea olives, camellias, rosemary, azaleas, and other undiscovered as of this writing shrubs, can see the sunshine again. There's plenty of work to be done because the property has over 6 acres to clear.
I LOVE to find treasures whether they are inside or outside. First there was the uncovering of the tall limby crepe myrtles. They looked as if they had been reaching for some sunshine for years. When all the brush was removed from around them they bloomed all over the yard with beautiful fuchsia pink blossoms, and they weren't the only pink blossoms either. It turns out what we first thought were just nice looking weeds are better known as rose glory bower.
Well, that is according to an app that Grace found called PictureThis. Look at what else the app identified. What are your thoughts? Seem accurate to you?
No doubt, there is such a variety of foliage at Little Mount Vernon. I love the way the old oaks, Chinese Chestnut, pecan, magnolias, hickory, and Chinese Fir trees branch out and fill the large expanse of sky when they are set free.
Next spring it should be wonderful getting to watch the azaleas and camellias all over the South front yard bloom! And I can't wait for the tea olives to unleash their fragrance and fill the air with their sweet aroma!
One thing for sure about this old place, every day is a new adventure!