Wednesday, May 9, 2012

A bark house and an edible landscape

Many of you have signed up to visit Nan Chase's garden on Monday morning, May 21, post-Fling. It's an easy walk from the hotel. You'll pass by the White Gate Inn's charming garden on the way (don't miss visiting it).  Both locations are marked on the maps that will be included in the registration packets. 
Nan's garden in 2011
Nan's garden was the “grow garden” for her upcoming book Vegevore! 50 Great Vegetables from A to Z, which will be published in spring 2013 by Gibbs Smith Publishers. Some of the plants included in her 2010 book Eat Your Yard! Edible trees, shrubs, vines, herbs and flowers for your landscape were also grown in this garden. 

You'll see a variety of fruit trees, berries, shrubs and herbs, in addition to perennial and annual vegetables and herbs, mixed into a wonderfully vibrant urban garden.  The roses were beautiful when I dropped by recently.  Check out Nan's Broad St. plant list for more information, as well as for background on her bark house.

The bark house is fascinating, built as Nan and her husband Saul's new home in Asheville in 2008.  This article, recently published in Appalachian Voices describes its virtues and history.  


P.S. If you're interested in learning more about Asheville's storied architecture and built environment, Nan's book, Asheville: A History, is a great reference.