Cross Estate Gardens: Bernardsville, New Jersey

Today I stumbled upon a hidden gem, tucked away in historic Bernardsville, New Jersey.   I had passed the sign for the Cross Estate Gardens many times, on my way through Jockey Hollow Historical Park, usually on my way to a berry or apple picking adventure, or visits to other parks and gardens in the area.  Each time that I passed the sign, I was reminded of my curiosity and desire to see what this mysterious place was, but never made the turn....until today. 

 I followed the long country road though the hills and forest, eventually winding up at the estate.  The house looked as if it had been long forgotten from a different era of history, surrounded by the quiet green landscape, and old stone walls and paths.  As I approached and entered the gardens, I felt as if I was walking into a secret garden, like something out of Great Expectations.  The property somehow felt forgotten, though I could see and feel that the mark of human hands and care for the property was present.

I walked down the path and into the manicured courtyard, and made my way down the rounded stone steps.  As I opened the gate, I caught a glimpse of a formal gardens that were full of color and blooms, my heart started to race with excitement and discovery. 

The intoxicating scent of autumn clematis filled the air, while pink anemonies stood tall and proud.

As I wandered around the raised beds, along the brick paths, I came across some bright botanical blooms.  The formal garden was two tiered with stone walls and historical traces throughout.

Throughout the garden, I could feel the balance between manicured and cultivated plants and those that felt more natural and wild.  Entering each space allowed for a different type of experience and contemplation, like moving though the rooms of a house. 

The 5 story stone water tower stands like a ruin of the past, a striking reminder that the marks that we make remain, even as everything around us changes.

 I will return to this great little garden again and again now, to watch it transform and change with each season.

Summer: It's not over just yet.

Every year it seems that as labor day approaches and the first days of school quickly turn into a weekly routine, summer is somehow instantly washed away into the distant past.  Pumpkins begin to emerge, halloween candy makes it's first appearance onto the grocery shelves, and those spooky skeletons and cobwebs creep their way into our daily lives, erasing memories of warm sand and cool water.

But as I consider this, I realize that it is way too early to forget about all of the things that are so wonderful about summertime!  The weather is still warm, skies are clear and blue, and fruits and veggies are ripening for the harvest.

So in protest of pumpkins (for the time being), I decided to go raspberry picking at a local farm.

Fall raspberries were abundant with Yellow and Red Raspberry bushes lining the rows.  The bees buzzed merrily about, while berries sparkled like jewels in the sun.  The blue sky created a crystal clear backdrop on a beautiful sunny day. 

I picked as many as I could carry!  When I returned home, I washed the berries and froze them so that this little taste of summer will last throughout the chilly winter months.

Drink Up!

Summertime is the perfect time to get together with friends, cook up some yummy recipes on the BBQ, and incorporate some of your favorite herbs into some fabulous and refreshing cocktails.  You can create some creative and complex flavors using just a few simple and fresh ingredients.

Fresh Picked Strawberry Spritzer

Macerate fresh strawberries with sugar until berries become soft.  In a shaker, combine with Gin or Vodka and ice, shake.  Add seltzer or lemon soda, and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

 Raspberry Mojito

One of my summertime favorites.  In a shaker, combine Rum, ice, simple syrup, fresh mint, the juice from half a lime, and fresh or frozen raspberries.  Shake.  Add seltzer or lemon soda and garnish with a lime slice.

Blueberry Limoncello Martini

Combine one part vodka, two parts Limoncello, Wild Maine or regular Blueberries, and ice in a shaker. 
Add a splash of seltzer or lemon soda.  Garnish with fresh blueberries, a lemon slice, and a sprig of lemon verbena.

Bloody Mary

One of my favorite pre-dinner cocktails this summer, the brunch favorite, the Bloody Mary.  I use fresh celery stalks from my garden and accompany with fresh sugar snap peas as a tasty snack.

Combine one part vodka or gin with two parts bloody mary mix with ice, olive juice, a celery stalk, salt, pepper, tabasco, and worcestershire sauce in a shaker.  Garnish with celery, an olive, and freshly ground pepper. 

Lemon Verbena Martini

Using a mortar and pestle, combine one tablespoon sugar and a sprig of fresh lemon verbena until a paste forms.  In a shaker, combine sugar mixture, one part vodka, one part limoncello, and ice.  Shake.  Add lemon soda, and garnish with a sprig of lemon verbena.

Salute, Cheers, and Enjoy!

Monhegan Island....My Anthill.

Summer is upon us, and those pesky back to school commercials are beginning to appear one by one.  Somehow, summertime always flies by for me, and with the warm weather comes so many things to do and see.  I must admit, I have gotten a bit sidetracked and distracted, letting the entire month of July go by without a Grown In the Garden post!  With that being said, I am eager to share two summer adventure spots with you as well as some highlights from my own garden this year.

Part One: Monhegan Island, Maine.

I returned to the island this summer, eager to continue my exploration and artistic research on the island.  Upon departing on the Elizabeth Ann boat I anticipated returning to the same island that I had watched fade into the horizon a year ago.  The weather on the island last July was perfect, crisp, clear, and sunny almost every day.  I learned about the island in this way, not really considering what it might be like in...let us just say...for example...dense fog?

I arrived that day to the Monhegan that I knew.  A world of bright red poppies swaying in the wind and surreal, painterly sunsets over Monhegan's little sister island Manana.

My first day, I was eager to get out and locate all of the places that I had remembered...this time without getting lost.  As I followed the trails up and down the rocky shore line, I discovered all different kinds of plants growing in and out of rocks.  I began to notice patterns within these little ecosystems, like how far certain plants would grow towards the water, and which ones prefered specific parts of the island.  These patterns were beginning to teach me about the landscape, and island that I was now becoming a part of.

And then, the island that I thought I was beginning to know so well, suddenly transformed as if it had disappeared into the sea.

The fog was altering the way that I was seeing things, rolling in and out in such a haunting way.  The landscape became more mysterious and dramatic, as shapes and forms were revealed in ways that were not visible when the sun was shining.  The fog also began to highlight certain seemingly invisible occurrences that I might typically pass by.

And little Manana disappeared for at least 3 days.

Then....the fog lifted.

And everything was clear again.

 

I realize that I will never fully come to know everything that there is about this magical island, though I feel like I know it and myself a little better now.  I know now what it is like, to feel like an ant wandering up and down, in and though the landscape, winding my way in and out of pathways, learning the way by sense and nothing else. 

Please stay tuned for Part Two.