Kentucky Wonder Pole Beans, Striped Corn and Heirloom Squash varieties were planted to the pioneer garden at Reflections, in Cashiers, NC this week.The Cashiers Decorator show house, a project of Cashiers Historical Society to benefit local charities, opens August 17.
Reflections is a magnificent home made from three cabins.
What better choice for a garden next to a cabin? Pioneer gardens are for survival and feature plants for sustenance, herbal cures and household needs. Other plants in the garden include calendula, used as an antiseptic and dye plant, heirloom varieties of carrots and hyacinth beans climbing broom corn for summer color. The garden also features pre civil war, cast iron “gypsy”kettles as planters and antique gardening tools.
The show house garden crop is protected from rabbits and crows by netting. The plants were started 3 weeks ago in pots to protect them from frost. Prior to planting at Reflections, crows attacked and destroyed most the baby plants incubating at Highcote, the Dargan home in High Hampton, Cashiers, NC. Since hope springs eternal in pioneer gardens, more seed was planted!
The garden is located in an existing boxwood garden with millstone. Mary Palmer Dargan, author and landscape architect, is the designer, and hopes for good growth this summer.