Cambridge -- Avon Hill Garden

The 1887 vernacular farmhouse is in a residential neighborhood on a small urban lot, and the current owners have changed and developed their gardens since purchasing the property in 1979. Now an urban version of a cottage garden with three distinct areas the first jobs included removing a crumbling garage and concrete paths that led to a derelict building next door, clearing out everything but a quince and a crab apple, and bringing in topsoil and grass for their children's play yard. Later plantings and fencing for this corner lot include a garden visible over the low picket fence, taller planting along the other street side changing to a tall fence with terrace seating, lawn and a small woodland in back. A new garage with a connecting mudroom was built alongside the front of the house facing the street. A curvilinear path of bluestone pavers crosses the front garden and wraps around the side of the house to the bluestone terrace in back. Trees and shrubs including a black sumac are planted in the corners, climbing roses and clematis soften the angular building, and viburnum and roses are planted inside the fences. Ground covers used here and in other areas include twenty varieties of epimedium and ephemeral and spring bulbs. The side garden has three seasons of bloom from spring bulbs, peonies, iris, dahlias and other perennials, and fall blooming anemones. A small "mulling" chair at the end of a stepping stone path is tucked inside the fence. Inside the taller shadowbox wood fence with a lattice top there are four Japanese thread leaf maple, hinoki cypress, arborvitae and cryptomeria that screen and shade the terrace and small lawn. Across the lawn is the newer woodland garden with two kousa dogwood, birch and an arborvitae screen along the fence. Below the trees there are hellebores, bulbs, ferns, sweet woodruff and Solomon's seal. At the edge of this garden room there are several natural granite birdbaths and there is a metal bench in the shady corner. The narrow passageway between the garage and fence is a work space for storing tools, firewood and containers for the compost that is used in these sustainable gardens. A new planting of clematis, roses and peonies between the steps to the terrace and the cellar doors is planned. Persons associated with the garden include: Samuel N. Holden (former owner, 1887-date unknown); Mr. and Mrs. Cohen (former owners, circa 1924-1979); Michael Hanlon (landscaper); Joseph Miner (horticulturist); Allen C. Haskell (horticulturist and stone bird bath artist, 1990's).