The Open Garden of Marilyn and Peter Zaret
see Directory for address
3:00 to 6:00, Sun. & Mon., Sept. 12 & 13
Marilyn writes ....
ARCH de TRIOMPHE
After twenty years of relentless designing and digging around our quirky 1760 home, we relented and sought the sage advice of Montclair's landscape designer extraordinaire, Chuck Baum. That was the day I became a Baum girl, like many of my garden club sisters before me. Now that's Baum, not Bond and Chuck, not James. Shaken, not stirred, both men approach their life's work with creativity and calm confidence.
It has taken two years to complete my favorite project: a functional tree swing that mimics an ancient gateway and forms a 30-foot-high organic picture frame when
viewed from the west end of the pool.
In August of 2019, Chuck stood on that spot and drew a sketch of his vision. Months later, concrete was poured and steel pipes were installed. Meanwhile, on the trunk of my beloved pine tree, trumpet vines flourished, competing with climbing hydrangea and wisteria, spilling over with no limbs to climb.
CJ Miller, my artistic arborist, returned with his bucket crane to weave bamboo stalks and twisted limbs through an arch that connected the tree columns, as Chuck gave detailed guidance from the ground. Completed this past week, our tree swing has magically morphed into a nearly identical image of that drawing from two years ago.
This is the eighth Open Garden of 2021 and a blessing that so many of our members continue to host and dozens more continue to embrace these warm afternoons of beauty and bonding. With little chance of soon returning to our traditional gatherings,
I'm hopeful that there will be more Open Gardens this year. Consider choosing your own day before winter separates us again.
Friends and families of our club members are welcome. Masks are optional. Contact Marilyn at marzaret@comcast.net if you wish to host this fall.
Comments