Camden (Maine) Garden Tour 2014: Part 3
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This post is the third in a series of posts on the Camden House and Garden Tour put on annually in mid-July by the Camden Garden Club. To read the first and second posts, click here and here. As mentioned previously, this year’s tour was the 67th annual event, quite an impressive history. Next year is the 100th anniversary of the founding of the garden club. To honor the occasion, the tour will feature “the most-loved homes and gardens from our annual tour dating all the way back to 1948….[including] grand summer ‘cottages’ and gardens, so iconic to the Maine coast.” It will take place on July 16, 2015, and I hope to be there!
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Looking back across the meadow to the historic home.
The third garden that we visited on the tour was also in the countryside around Rockport. This was probably my favorite garden because of the setting and also the gorgeous English style garden. The home itself was not open for the tour, but it is an historic saltbox homestead, dating from the 1780s. Set on the top of a hill, the house has a sweeping view of the large pond and meadows below.
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View from the house
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As is typical in New England and especially the Camden-Rockport area, boulders, rock walls, and lichen covered slabs are everywhere on this property.
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The owners had even used some of the local rock to create an outdoor dining area.
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Entrance to the perennial garden in an old barn foundation.
My favorite part of the property was what the tour brochure described as an “English” garden nestled within the walls of an old barn foundation. In the rectangular footprint of the barn was a flowery oasis crammed with plants in a beautiful combination of habits, textures, and colors. I felt like I was entering a magical sunken paradise easily explored by following the sinuous, bark chipped paths. Though on a small scale compared to the great English borders, this is one of the prettiest perennial gardens I have ever visited.
My overview photo of the barn foundation garden doesn’t do it justice, but I wanted to give you some idea of scale.
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The wall of the barn foundation runs along the back of these beds.
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A better view of the foundation wall.
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The bark chipped paths.
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An arbor runs along one side
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I have one final garden to show you on this tour, a garden that has everything that money can buy!
Carolyn
Nursery Happenings: Carolyn’s Shade Gardens is closed for the summer and will reopen in early September. You can sign up to receive notification emails by sending your full name and phone number to carolynsshadegardens@verizon.net.
Carolyn’s Shade Gardens is a local retail nursery in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, U.S., zone 7a. The only plants that we mail order are snowdrops and miniature hostas and only within the US.
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CAROLYN'S SHADE GARDENS 
August 6, 2014 at 8:44 pm
What a view! And the rock dining area and perennial gardens are beautiful! My daughter’s in Maine right now, so I find myself curious about it. She says it reminds her of Wisconsin. 🙂
August 7, 2014 at 5:49 pm
Beth, I would like a dining tab;e covered with lichen. Carolyn
August 6, 2014 at 11:29 pm
I too like the “English” garden. It is filled with color and texture. It looks like a remarkable property.
August 7, 2014 at 5:49 pm
Donna, It was a beautiful property with a lovely sweeping view. Carolyn
August 7, 2014 at 3:11 pm
I’m not surprised that was your favorite, the barn garden is really something. I don’t think I would have imagined the proper scale without the people in there, it’s huge! Quite a labor of love, and they’ve really done a nice job.
I’d like to steal the arbor idea but it doesn’t look that easy to copy!
August 7, 2014 at 5:48 pm
Frank, I think it was done by professionals who were there to answer questions, but I never spoke with them. Carolyn
August 7, 2014 at 6:15 pm
Next years 100th anniversary event sounds wonderful…I loved many of the long views and that barn foundation garden is just lovely!
August 10, 2014 at 5:57 pm
Donna, Yes I am really looking forward to next year. The area is so beautiful it is fun just driving between gardens and gazing out the window. Carolyn
August 10, 2014 at 10:41 pm
What a beautiful garden. I was on the Cumberland County Backyard Locavore garden tour this weekend. One of the gardens had an old barn foundation and I found myself thinking what a great sunken garden it would make. It’s nice to see that vision realized in this garden.
August 12, 2014 at 10:45 am
Jean, That sounds like a very interesting tour. I would love to hear about what types of gardens you saw. Carolyn