Another winning combination
Dennis Hill State Park, Norfolk
Pavillion
Lunch at the Cafe in Norfolk, with a view of Infinity Hall
Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Historical gardens, Hartford
Largest magnolia tree in CT
Our next DEEP Sky’s the Challenge site: Kettletown State Park in Southbury.
We also stopped at the Glebe House/Gertrude Jekyll Garden:
Lunch at Leo’s “Fit for a King”
Gorgeous day to hit a few DEEP Sky’s the Limit and CT Historical Garden sites
HARKNESS STATE PARK (a DEEP Sky’s the Limit and CT Historical Garden site)
Waterford, CT
Beautiful natural features on our walk
The Gardens were in great form
ROCKY NECK STATE PARK (DEEP Sky’s the Limit site)
Niantic, CT
Sweet walk along marshes and vistas
(Lunch at the newly reopened HALLMARKS in Old Lyme; excellent ice cream)
FLORENCE GRISWOLD MUSEUM (CT Historical Garden site)
Old Lyme
Gardens were lovely
DEEP Sky’s the Limit site: Horseguard State Park in Avon
View from the scenic overlook at top
The Cliimb
Wildflowers were abundant; hemlocks were in good shape
CT Historic Gardens: Stanley-Whitman House, Farmington
Lunch: Claudia’s, Farmington
24 August 2018
Cherry and I head to our penultimate DEEP Sky’s the Challenge hike: Seth Low Pierrepoint State Park!
(text from DEEP website): Seth Low Pierrepont State Park Reserve was a gift to the Connecticut State Park and Forest Commission from Seth Low Pierrepont upon his death in 1956. Mr. Pierrepont was a millionaire and ex-diplomat who served as a United States official in Lisbon, Rome, Paris, Santiago and Chile. He also worked as chief of the American Division of the State Department. Mr. Pierrepont purchased the estate from the Scott family in the early 1930’s.
Then lunch of hotdogs and homemade ice cream at Cherry’s good find: Heibeck’s Stand (along with their adjacent owned garage bathrooms!) (text from their website): The History of Heibeck’s began when George and Katherine Dlhy (pronounced Delhee) Heibeck moved to Georgetown in 1931. Katherine (known as Dodo by many) cooked in her own kitchen and served home cooked lunches in the two front rooms of the main building. She made her own pastries, pies, and cakes. The office employees at the Gilbert and Bennett Wire Mill were regular customers. As soon as they moved to Georgetown, they started improvements to the property, adding redwood log siding and a porch to the main building, and started building Heibeck’s Stand, which was originally located about forty feet from the main building and then later moved and attached to the main building where it is today.
And finally a quick visit to the Weir Farm National Historic Site gardens where I received my note card gift. (text from their website): A National Park for the Arts: Visit the home and studio of America’s most beloved Impressionist, J. Alden Weir, and walk in the footsteps of generations of world-class artists. Set amidst more than 60 acres of painterly woods, fields, and waterways, you’ll soon see why Weir described his home as the “Great Good Place.” Weir’s farm is a national legacy to American Impressionism, the creative spirit, and historic preservation.
Posters of CT Historic Gardens by various artists made into note cards
Hard to believe but we have only one more hike! It’s a tough one, too. We will wait until it cools down in September to finish up.
(Text from DEEP website): The Moosup Valley State Park Trail (MVSPT) is a 5.8 mile rail trail in eastern Connecticut. It passes through the towns of Sterling and Plainfield on the rail bed of the former New Haven Railroad. It is a link in the ongoing assemblage of the East Coast Greenway. The former New Haven Railroad operated along this rail bed from 1898 to 1968.
In Plainfield, the trail is about 2.2 miles long with its western terminus at the River Street parking area. Heading east, the trail skirts the edge of the Moosup River Valley and offers occasional scenic vistas.
We had a fun lunch at Deary Brothers Mike’s Stand
(Text from Deary Brothers website): As we celebrate our 81st anniversary, we are honored to highlight the fine heritage of the Deary family and that of the outstanding employees who are the foundation of our success.
(Old) Tom and (Old) Jim Deary (of Dudley, MA.) founded Deary Bros. Inc. in 1913. They processed milk and other dairy products and distributed their goods from house to house. They expanded their business into other areas and eventually opened this ice cream stand in 1937. They found a perfect location, however the house that stood at the desired location had to be moved around the corner to make room for the new business. The original house would eventually become the home of (Young) Tom and Teddy Deary and their thirteen children. Each of the thirteen children worked countless hours at The Stand.
Mr. Jones and Bill Moyer initially ran the family owned business. The Stand featured the best ice cream in the area. Five and ten cent cones were served for hours at a time from each of the ten windows at The Stand.
Next was the Roseland Cottage!
(Text from the Roseland Cottage website): Built in 1846 in the newly fashionable Gothic Revival style, Roseland Cottage was the summer home of Henry and Lucy Bowen and their young family. While the house is instantly recognizable for its pink exterior, Roseland Cottage has an equally colorful interior, featuring elaborate wall coverings, heavily patterned carpets, and stained glass, much of which survives unchanged from the Victorian era. The house is a National Historic Landmark.
Woodstock native Henry Bowen returned to his hometown after establishing a successful business in New York City. He used Roseland Cottage as a place to entertain friends and political connections, including four U.S. presidents. The picturesque landscape includes original boxwood-edged parterre gardens planted in the 1850s. The estate includes an icehouse, aviary, carriage barn, and the nation’s oldest surviving indoor bowling alley. It reflects the principles of Andrew Jackson Downing, a leading nineteenth-century tastemaker.
Butterfly Garden
(text from DEEP site): The butterfly garden contains a variety of plants that attract and feed butterflies. The bold colors of this garden attract many visitors and other pollinators in addition to butterflies. Visit this garden and see how you can landscape your yard to attract wildlife. Some of the plants in this garden include sedum, yarrow, bee-balm, columbine, butterfly weed, and black-eyed Susans, dogbane, spicebush, and coneflower.
Formal Gardens
This Colonial Revival style garden dates back to 1911 and has five main flower beds filled with various annuals and perennials. Knockout rose trees and gomphrena are among the colorful flowers that fill the four rectangular beds, which surround a circular bed containing ornamental kale and tall ageratum. Daylilies, Siberian and bearded irises, peonies, yucca, and globe thistle are among the potpourri of perennials along the perimeter.
Rock Garden
Tucked behind the rose garden is a lovely rock garden, featuring dwarf conifers and perennials. Annuals add splashes of color throughout the year. Iris, lavender, bleeding heart, and rose campion are among the prerennials in this garden.
Part of Connecticut Historic Gardens Passport
Beth Lapin 