Bedrock Gardens

Bedrock Gardens
A Misty View of the Funnel Gardens
Location	45 High Road, Lee, NH
Coordinates	43°5′36.6″N 71°2′39.53″W / 43.093500°N 71.0443139°W
Area	35 acres (14 ha)
Created	1990
Operated by	Jill Nooney
Visitors	600 per year

Bedrock Gardens is a 20-acre (8.1 ha) garden located on a 35-acre (14 ha) property in Lee, New Hampshire, notable for its landscape design, its horticulture and its sculpture.

History

Named for its ever-present ledge,^[1] Bedrock Gardens was bought by its present owners in 1980, complete with a farm house, built circa 1740, a historic barn and three-holer outhouse.^[2] Over the next 20 years, it was extensively improved. The wooded areas were lumbered, a trail system was developed, and it was managed as a tree farm. A wildlife pond was built, and work was started on its multiple perennial and shrub beds. Hardscape in the form of walls, paths, water features and topographical improvements, have been added.^[3] Today it is noted for its concept of "the garden as a journey," with a starting point, "events" (or garden spaces) as places to go, and something to do along the way.

Interest points

Bedrock Garden's main attractions fall into three categories: landscape design, horticulture, and art.

The sculpture 'Monocula' is in front of a row of Arborvitae.

Landscape design

Bedrock Gardens include "garden beds full of unusual specimens of trees and shrubs: a diamond-patterned, 100-foot (30 m) fence on which 11 varieties of apple trees have been espaliered: a formal garden with pools, fountains, and water features; a 1-acre (0.4 ha) wildlife pond with a bridge, and 2 miles (3 km) of woodland trails."^[4] The smaller gardens include a more formal parterre, the spiritual "Spiral" garden, and the primitive "Dark Woods."^[2]

Horticulture

The Gardens contain over one thousand different plant species,^[5] many of which are in perennial beds, arranged with attention to texture, color, and size. There are other collections, such as the dwarf conifer collection, and the rock garden.

Art

Scattered throughout the 20 developed acres (8.1 ha) are small and large pieces of sculpture by several different artists. The larger pieces include two large arches, and a large Torii in the middle of a double allée. The owner of Bedrock Gardens is the sculptor Jill Nooney. Nancy Grimes, the owner of New England Garden Ornaments in North Brookfield, called Nooney "the most imaginative and energetic force in modern American garden ornamentation."^[6] Many of her sculptures are from old agricultural tools.^[7]

Further details

While Bedrock Gardens is currently privately owned, it is open to the public four days during the year, or by private appointment. Active attempts are being made to turn it into a public garden.

Gallery

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  The Spiral Garden, a spiritual place with moss and ventilator art.

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  The Wiggle Waggle water feature with the spring house in the foreground and the CopTop in the background.

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  The rock garden with pergola.

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  A perennial bed with barn in the background.

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  One of the Funnel Gardens, with GrassAcre on the left and the Allée behind.

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  A perennial bed on ledge with sculptures.

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  The Garish Garden.

• 

  The Paddock Garden with Arborvitae behind.

See also

• List of botanical gardens in the United States

References

1. Hargreaves, Kathleen (Summer 1995). "Taking root". New Hampshire Home. pp. 38–43. Accessed March 16, 2009.
2. Kozubek, Jim (September 7, 2008). "Original Heavy Metal". The Union Leader. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
3. Sweetser, Robin (July–August 2004). "A Garden That Keeps on Growing". Accent Magazine. pp. 34–42.
4. Byrd, Janice (April 8, 2001). "Salvage Yard". The Boston Globe. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
5. Siebenthaler, Jack. "Plant it in granite". Gardens & Landscapes (Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals).
6. Stocker, Carol (August 15, 2008). "Ignore the Gnome, Forget the Flamingo". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2016-03-15.
7. Umbrell, Trish (July–August 2004). "Scrap Artists". Horticulture (F+W Media).

Additional resources

• Nooney, Jill (March–April 1991). "Gardening on Bedrock". Fine Gardening (Taunton Press). Accessed March 16, 2009.
• Braden, Susan (August 1, 2001). "Art in the Garden". Brandford Review. Accessed March 16, 2009.
• Buchanan, James (October 2002). "Route 125: Highway of dreams". New Hampshire Magazine. Accessed March 16, 2009.
• Lessels, Allen (Autumn 2002). "Sister act". People Places Plants. Accessed March 16, 2009.
• Wilson, Craig (October 25, 2002). "Unique art makes garden year-round retreat". USA Today. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
• DuChene, Pat (July 13, 2003). "Gardens prove fertile ground for antiques and collectables". Antique Trader. Accessed March 16, 2009.

Sculpture-related

• Stocker, Carol (March 17, 2005). "Patios, walkways. and plants give fresh perspective". The Boston Globe. Retrieved March 15, 2009.
• Stocker, Carol (March 6, 2008). "A green event gets greener". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2016-03-15.
• Felici-Gallant, Lynn (July–August 2008). "The Spirit of Sculpture in the Garden". Accent Magazine. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
• Votaw, Melanie (December 2008). "Breathing new life into reclaimed metal". Copper in the arts. Copper Development Association. Retrieved March 16, 2009.

External links

• Bedrock Gardens website