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| A glimpse of the grounds |
Stopping by Virginia's Chesapeake Arboretum with my ninety-two-year-old mother, I feel like I'm visiting my grandparents on the farm. Remember when people grew their own food? In the American South fig trees and pecan trees thrived in backyards. Veggies grew in garden rows. And cannas, hydrangeas, and azaleas provided flowers to be cut for indoor enjoyment. That's what this place is like.
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| The Caleb Williamson Farmhouse and its grounds are part of the Chesapeake Arboretum |
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| Canna |
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| Nature's Classroom |
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| Hungry caterpillars |
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| Hydrangea |
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| Japanese cedar |
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| Sprawling fig tree |
My mother sits on a bench shaded by the sprawling fig tree as I wander around the old homeplace. Bluejays call to one another from nearby trees. Occasionally one swoops in and devours some of the abundant ripe fruit. A gardener comes over and says we should help ourselves to some figs. I pick one for my mother and she finds it delicious.
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| Lovely trio |
Places like this one inspire me and reinforce my long ago decision to turn my suburban lot into a homeplace garden.
For more information about the Chesapeake Arboretum, visit their website: http://www.chesarbor.org.
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