A Story Book Garden in the Country

a nature lovers dream

STORYBOOK GARDEN IN THE WOODS

WRITTEN BY THERESA ST. JOHN PHOTOS BY SUSAN BLACKBURN PHOTOGRAPHY

“And the secret garden bloomed and bloomed and every morning revealed new miracles.” ― Frances Hodgson Burnett,

The Secret Garden

When I was a child, one of my favorite books was ‘The Secret Garden’ by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I often tucked myself into our front porch swing, turning pages, wondering how on earth this spoiled little girl found her way into a hidden garden no one knew about – other than a smart little robin. I also imagined this overgrown and unkempt hide-away must be filled with possibility – if someone would only take the time to care for it, breathe life into it again. Jim and Meg Dalton have been happily married for 33 years. They bought their property in Middle Grove 20 years ago. They They loved the woodsy area in Upstate New York and spent hours imagining how to create a garden that would bring pleasure for years to come. Luckily, they both enjoy gardening. “My mother had a beautiful garden at her home in Altamont,” Jim says. “I often worked in the yard with her. It was fun - getting my hands dirty, designing little areas of color with flowers and plants around the yard.” Meg is an artist at heart, Jim is an engineer – joining forces to work on the property makes sense. “We both have a say in the garden’s design,” Meg tells me. “I have garden beds that I’m in charge of, and Jim does too. We work on other beds together. Bouncing ideas off of each other works out well.”

Over the years, the couple added meandering paths throughout their 3-acre garden. There are impressive dragon statuaries, an enormous stone horse, and, when the weather permits, Meg’s hand-crafted quilts are displayed outside on a moveable wall her husband designed. Visitors can find benches for seating and modified Adirondack chairs that have Jim’s signature touch all over them. Some chairs are left in natural wood-tones, while others boast a bright, forest green. The couple loves roses. There are around 35 varieties of David Austin rose bushes in the garden. “We discovered them a few years ago,” Meg sighs contentedly. “Jim loves the red roses, while my favorite is Carding Mill.” I know nothing about roses – other than the fact they look and smell beautiful. Thankfully, she’s kind enough to explain these species are a beautiful blend of pink, apricot, and yellow. Parts of the garden thrive in shaded areas, and other components do well in full or dappled sunlight. “At one time, we had so many different hosta plants,” Jim states. “Over the years, we’ve added other plants for balance and height.” One of their most exciting finds on the property is a bleeding heart. “The most remarkable thing about this plant is its yellow leaves and white flowers,” the couple tells me in excited voices. “We’d never seen it before, and suspect it probably occurred as a cross-over between plants.”

Jim and Meg Dalton

Jim searches for a magazine. I can see where Fine Gardening Magazine named it one of the best new plants for 2016. Impressive. The couple holds a patent on the bleeding heart plant – sharing that it sells well at Terra Nova Nurseries, located in Oregon. Hybridizing some of their 1,200 hosta plants has shown promise, too; they’ve registered a number of them with the American Hosta Society. “We have several garden clubs that come to spend a few hours on our property during the warmer months,” Meg tells me. “We’ll often start the tour as a group, and then one or two will wander off on their own, exploring the area, sitting on benches, just breathing in the beauty of it all.” “Sometimes they’ll bring a picnic lunch and just relax. When that happens, we might serve our lemon cookies, which is always a treat,” Jim interjects with a grin. “We were so excited to see Saratoga Secret Garden bring a group of children here to scout the gardens. We have a small pond with fish, frogs, and tadpoles they quickly discover on their visit. They love feeding the fish, and we love watching them have a great time.” “We’re happy to share the gardens with anyone who wants to visit,” Meg ends our interview with a grin. “ Who knows? We might even have a fresh batch of cookies…” I, for one, can’t wait for Summer to arrive so I can visit myself. To arrange a by-appointment-only time to see the gardens, you can reach Meg and Jim at jmd62687@gmail.com.

When I ask about her famous Lemon Thyme Cookies, Meg laughs, a welcome sound on a dreary Monday. “A good friend of mine, Wynne Trowbridge, got the recipe from a friend of hers. But, no matter how many times she made them, each batch turned out different. One day she decided to buy a package of Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough, adding her own inspiration, and the rest is history.”

Lemon Thyme Cookies

1 tube Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough

2 tsp. lemon extract

1 tbs. Dried and crushed lemon thyme

• Mix the above in blender.

• Use small scoop and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet about 2” apart.

• Bake in 350 oven for 10-12 minutes until just lightly browned around edges.

• Cool briefly on cookie sheet before removing to rack to finish cooling. S S