A few years ago, this incredible house was torn down. I still find it sad. I spent many hours digging at this old house, desparately trying to salvage as much as I could. In a perfect world, the house would’ve been restored, the beautiful stained glass and winding staircases would’ve been salvaged, and the front porch would’ve contained visitors sitting comfortably in the swing. Unfortunately, the old historic housewas too far gone to be saved. After Miss Margaret passed away, a fire broke through the third story. The property was sold and the house was torn down. It became my mission to save as much as I could before the tear down.
One day, as I was digging, an older gentleman told me about Miss Margaret.
“Oh yes, Ma’am. Miss Margaret loooooved her gardens.” (Imagine an old Southern drawl)
Miss Margaret, as he called her, had bulb gardens that put my gardens to shame. Walkways lined with Oxblood Lilies, Paperwhites around every tree, and Spider Lilies planted in front of the foundation of the entire house. It was glorious. There were patches of Daffodils and Star of Bethlehem as well. Heirloom Bulbs were literally everywhere, beautifully naturalized as if they owned the place. The gardens, even after decades of neglect, were still in pristine condition. I imagine the hours of care that Miss Margaret put into her lovely gardens. The oasis she created is like a still-life painting in my memory.
I often think of Miss Margaret and the garden legacy she left. Gardens of the past were different than gardens today. The care and love people put into their yards was nothing short of miraculous. I barely have timed to time my shoes or find my car keys! I long for the days of the past when gardeners spent hours just chatting across a white picket fence. Maybe that’s why I connect with Miss Margaret.
If you want to read about Miss Margaret and “the rest of the story” (as Paul Harvey used to say), check out the original article Saving the Gardens for Miss Margaret in Heirloom Gardener Magazine. I am still sharing the bulbs I salvaged. If you’d like to receive some of these lovely flowers, please email me at heirloombulbgirl@gmail.com
Happy Gardening, my friends!