“It’s as simple as this: a garden is like love. As with amour, a garden is a place you venture into with hope, energy, excitement, enchantment, and the greatest of expectations.”
— Carolyne Roehm, At Home in the Garden
Yes, I did venture forth on Sunday with such feelings as I visited Carolyne Roehm‘s Connecticut estate, Weatherstone, as part of the annual event, Trade Secrets, started by Bunny Williams to raise funds to help fight domestic violence. And I came out more in love than ever with flowers, trees, gardens, and all things Roehm. I had the pleasure of meeting her a few weeks ago at another event, and found her to be gracious, funny, and an excellent and knowledgable speaker, who could infect everyone with her passions, not only for flowers and gardens but also because of her determination to persevere in the face of any adversity. She greeted us Sunday in her birthday hat with a smile, incredible patience with our endless questions, and obvious joy in sharing her beautiful house and yard.
I spent almost four hours touring her grounds and buildings, and I could have stayed much longer except for the fact that I wanted to revisit Bunny Williams’ garden too (and although it was bright and sunny in the morning, it was so cold that my fingers were frozen on my camera.) Even after deleting blurred photos and a few with my frozen finger in them (oops) I still had over 400. For today I’ll share with you the beauty of the Potting Shed.
Although “shed” isn’t quite the right word.
The shed is really two rooms connected by a passageway to a third space, the glass house. Above you see the door to the glass house at one end, but we will enter through the other door into the first of the two main rooms.
As I entered I heard “wow, oh wow” quietly escaping from my lips, especially seeing this lovely swan and the pot rack. Wondering what to do with that bottle rack? (I know I have been!) How about this idea?
The shelves hold various goodies including galvanized pots and watering cans, wire and cement planters, and lots of baskets.
A variety of garden tools are hung on pegs and stashed in olive buckets and baskets. The peonies have not bloomed here yet, but in another month she will need those wire supports and many, many more!
On the opposite wall is her desk, and I tried to absorb some of the creative energy hovering around in the space.
Take a deep breath and imagine:
I managed to move on to the next room where the potting sink and counter line the wall on the left.
The walls of this room hold framed flora and fauna all in black shadow box frames for a most pleasing effect, but instead of examining each one I was distracted by the lilacs, again! Huge and fragrant blossoms!
And do you remember my favorite green bell jar? This is the first time I’ve seen the green, graceful shape in another real garden. I have decided to get a mate for my lovely one when I travel next time to Colonial Williamsburg!
After a few more sighs and deep breaths I turned around to see this tiered display of topiaries and another framed butterfly. The back porch of Carolyne’s house has many of these in blue and white pots and they are just as beautiful here in the terra cotta!
Some of the plants traveled to this nearby galvanized metal topped table. Owls and lanterns and hedgehogs, oh my. Also orchids!
This basket, hanging on the wall adjoining the first room, was about 3 feet in diameter.
It added so much warmth over this display of garden treasures.
These tulips are from the cutting garden. Just a little hint of the beauty awaiting us outside!
A short glassed passageway brings us to the large glass greenhouse.
You can see the plants lining the perimeter, but this room is also filled with antique garden treasures. Two of my favorites:
~ a balance, a favorite symbol of my libra personality and all the ups and downs that go along with it ~
~ and under the balance, this huge armillary ~
~ protected from the elements but still feeling very much like it is outdoors in the glassed space ~
~ topped with this beautiful griffin, or is it a dragon? ~
I could have stayed in the potting shed all day, but there was so much more to see, that I forced myself to move along out to the gardens. Come back another day to see them! (you can sign up on the top of my sidebar for an email notice if you wish)
So much inspiration! Thank you, Carolyne, for sharing your beautiful space with us for a great cause.
Another quote from Carolyne, on a paper she gave us at the entrance:
“… the things you learn from love and the garden, excruciating as they may sometimes be, inevitably make you smarter, more mature, ever more capable of fielding cosmic curveballs, and surprisingly, more at peace.”
Linda 🙂
Thank you for your visit to my blog, and please tell me if you have enjoyed this tour! I LOVE to hear your thoughts.
joining the fun at these parties
(thank you to the gracious hostesses Kim and Michael Lee):
Wow Us Wednesdays Rattlebridge Farm
Stunning blog. Thank you for sharing.
Oh, my! I don’t think I’d know where to begin! After the first 5 minutes I would have run out of wows. I, too, adore that swan! I have a miniscule swan collection that started when my husband gave me some Swarovski crystal swans one year. I love them, and this one adds the perfect touch to the space. I love the color of those bell jars, too. It’s a great green shade. I’m enjoying your garden tours, Linda! And congratulations on your daughter’s graduation. I wish her all the success in the world as she starts her career.
Oh Linda! I can’t thank you enough for this tour! I appreciate these women sharing their gardens for the world to see! I’ll be back tonight to take in more details.
Linda, I can just imagine the joy this day must bring to all who get to visit these gardens. Have to get myself up there for this event! Love the wooden swan, the topiaries, the tidy way everything is organized ~ if only my little garden table looked so organized. Glad you got to take this all in. Sorry the day was cold. I look forward to seeing more of your garden tours.
Linda, Take me on a garden tour any day but especially to see Carolyne Roehm’s Potting “Shed”! I can only imagine the sheer beauty to feast your eyes on in a four hour tour. Green Bell Jar and Lilac love too…*sigh*. I’m glad to hear that in addition to being passionate and knowledgeable, she is gracious too!
Wow is right, I loved the tour. “Potting shed”…I think I would call those beautiful spaces gardening rooms. Here I thought I had a nice potting when we lived in New Hampshire, it just goes to show that “ignorance is bliss”. 😀
I love all her books and swoon at her pictures. You have shared things I didn’t know about. I don’t have all of her books. Everything was beautiful. Thank you for sharing this lovely tour with us.
there is only one word that comes to mind Linda and that is Wow! That must have been such a treat to wander her property and explore her garden…the glass green house is spectacular, and the potting room is the envy of every gardener! Love the pots on the bottle rack!
What a thrill it must have been to visit Carolyn’s gorgeous gardens, her shed, and that spectacular greenhouse!….Is is a yearly event?….I keep sculling up and down trying to take in every detail!
I love love this potting “shed”, so enchanting. Thanks for sharing at Rattle Bridge Farms. Congrats on feature.
Oh I’m so envious- I would love to have done this! The potting shed and greenhouse are so dreamlike. What a wonderful life she’s created at this home.
You mentioned Williamsburg. I have a small green pitcher I bought in Jamestown where they make them on the spot. I don’t remember seeing the glass bells but I know I would be grabbing one if I did!
Thanks for sharing your experience at Carolyne Roehm’s estate in Connecticut.
the only word that comes to mind……STUNNING
Beautiful and inspiring.
Stunning ! …..thank you for sharing ….
Where can we find the pot holder ? ….