Gardens, Birds & Wildlife at Chickadee & Pine
The Gardens
I love growing things. I’m forever bringing home another plant, only to discover I have absolutely nowhere left to put it. Somehow, I always find a spot.
I garden professionally, but here at home and at Chickadee & Pine, I like things a little more relaxed. Plants are allowed to spread, reseed, and sometimes end up where I never intended them to be. Nature is welcome here.
Of course, I get annoyed when the deer eat something I’ve been waiting all year to see bloom, or the rabbits discover a particularly tasty new plant. But I don’t fight them too much. I enjoy having them around, even if we don’t always agree on what belongs on the menu.
The gardens are always changing. Dimitri and I are forever working on something, building, planting, moving things around, or coming up with another idea. Every year the property looks a little different. It’s our little creation, and I don’t imagine we’ll ever be finished.
We’ve made small places throughout the gardens where you can sit for a while, read, write, draw, or just be. You’re welcome to wander and find a favorite spot.
When the flowers are blooming, I love cutting a few to bring into the Cabin and Cottage. It’s one of the pleasures of having a garden and being able to share it.
The Birds and Other Residents
We have quite a collection of wildlife living around us.
Deer, rabbits, raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks, coyotes, owls, and more birds than I could possibly count.
Everyone seems to have their own little world, and for the most part, we all manage to coexist.
The birds are a constant source of entertainment around here. We have chickadees, of course, along with hummingbirds, woodpeckers, and all sorts of other visitors. There’s usually some disagreement over the feeders, and the squirrels are forever trying to get their share.
I love watching the little dramas unfold. Some birds are bold, others are shy, and every so often one shows up that I don’t recognize. It’s easy to lose half an hour just watching what’s going on outside.
In early spring, the Pacific chorus frogs begin calling from the seasonal pond. They’re tiny, but the noise they make is anything but. On some evenings, it’s quite a concert.
You may see deer passing through the gardens, hear an owl at night, or spot a raccoon making its rounds. The coyotes are around too, although we generally hear them more often than we see them.
We do ask guests to keep an eye on their dogs, especially smaller ones, since this is very much a shared space with wildlife.
A Place to Spend Time
I hope the gardens feel relaxed and inviting. They’re not meant to be looked at from a distance.
Find a chair, bring your coffee, sketchbook, or something to read. Watch the birds, wander the paths, or do nothing at all.
Dimitri and I will probably be somewhere nearby working on our next project. There’s always another idea, another plant, or another little corner we’d like to make something of.
And that’s part of what we love about this place.
Meet Soakrates
Meet Soakrates, our resident bath philosopher. For three seasons, a little frog has been making appearances from the overflow of the Cottage's outdoor soaking tub. We can't be certain it's always the same fellow, but we like to think so.
Nature is the Best
Our deer watching to see what appitizers plant to snack on