Lifestyle

By Ginger DeShaney “All gardening is landscape painting.”  – Alexander Pope This rings true at Virginia Kropas’ Hardy Street house. Virginia is an artist and her garden is her palette of color, shape, and texture … and her serenity.  “I can shut out most of the sounds,” she said. “It’s very peaceful. I can rest my eyes on green stuff.” Virginia gets a great view of the back yard from her second-floor deck, where her cat, Abigail, likes to hang out, too.  “I come out when I get up,” Virginia said, noting she may be in the garden working, or looking at it, for up to two hours in the morning. “I may just be staring and contemplating.” She also comes out in the evening. [...]

By Ginger DeShaney MaryAnne Miller’s backyard garden oasis on I Street is a haven for bees.  “Bees are our friends,” she said. “I love bees.” MaryAnne has myriad pollinator-friendly plants to attract the bees.  “I understand these are our friends that are too busy working to bother you. So you need to keep the bees going. “I’m obsessed with bees.” MaryAnne combines plants that she knows the bees like and that she likes as well, such as sage, salvia, dill, calendula, mini sunflowers, wildflowers, dahlias, lobelia, and Dusty Millers (in honor of her last name). “I've had many, many bumblebees, which makes me so happy,” said MaryAnne, who has lived in her I Street house for 45 years. Her garden is a retirement/pandemic gift to [...]

By Ginger DeShaney Kathy Provenzano says she’s no expert when it comes to gardening, but anyone walking by 105-107 Marine Road would beg to differ.  The front yard is an explosion of yellow with some pink and purple. It’s just gorgeous.  There are also garden embellishments such as a lighthouse, bird bath, and rock sculptures.  “I enjoy [gardening],” Kathy said. “I wish I knew more about it. It is what it is, I enjoy what I have.” And so does the neighborhood. Kathy doesn’t remember all the things she’s planted from way back when, but the evening primrose came from her friend’s husband’s mother and Kathy spread them around. “I’m just playing around out here,” said Kathy, who lives in a house owned by her [...]