but as summer goes on, plants are supplemented 

 with those she writes about, but does not include 

 on the diagram. It may seem surprising, but flow- 

 ers go out of style just like clothing. Visitors to 

 the garden are surprised by the number of 

 blooms they have never seen before: helianthus, 

 phlox drummondii, calliopsis, lavateria, venidium, 

 fiesperis viscaria — none are common today. 



Thaxter planted many white flowers in the gar- 

 den because she felt they looked lovely by moon- 

 light. She had a tall white opium poppy she 

 called "the Bride," as well as white petunias, 

 phlox, and mignonette. Another white plant was 

 the clematis ^Traveler's ]oy,' which is like the 

 paniculata that blooms in September. The clematis 

 is no longer in the garden, but has been seeded 

 over the island by birds. Its fragrance led us to 

 it, but we haven't been successful in reintroducing 

 it to the garden because most of it grows in the 

 most enormous patch of poison ivy you could 

 imagine. 



Thaxter had no problem with water because 

 there was a large reservoir as well as rain water 

 collected from the roofs — and there were no gulls 

 polluting the water either. Now, in order to take 

 less water from the one well on the island, we use 

 a low sprinkler system with a timer on the center 

 beds. 



We have been improving the soil over the 

 years in the same way that Thaxter did — with sea- 

 weed, manure, and compost that we ask visitors 

 to bring when they come to the garden. We also 



Improve 



Plant 



Growth! 



3-YEAR INFRARED FILM 



keep two compost piles at the corners of the cot- 

 tage foundation. 



Our greatest problem (other than the gulls 

 pulling out every white flower) are muskrats. The 

 muskrats are true pests and last year broke into 

 the garden many times before we could install 

 stronger wire around the bottom of the fence. 

 Naturally, the more special the plant, the faster 

 the muskrats ate it. 



The interest in the garden is amazing. People 

 come by ferry, by cruise ships, and on their own 

 boats. The garden is open on Wednesdays from 

 )uly through Labor Day and reservations can be 

 made by calling the Shoals Marine Laboratory at 

 Cornell (607-254-2900). The Isles of Shoals Steam- 

 ship Company on Market Street in Portsmouth 

 runs a ferry to Star Island (leaving Portsmouth at 

 7:30; the return trip leaves Star Island at noon) 

 and from there, the Shoals Marine Lab boat will 

 take you across Gosport Harbor to Appledore. 

 The round trip on the ferry is $16.00; the trip to 

 Appledore, $25.00. It makes an interesting day 

 trip. 



Childe Hassam's illustrations to Thaxter's book 

 might lead you to expect a restored English es- 

 tate garden, but it is small — charming — a cutting 

 garden — with the brilliant colors that so often oc- 

 cur along the coast. 



Virginia Chisholm is an avid gardener and works on several 

 of the historic gardens in the seacoast region. She lives in 

 Rye and is a member of the Rye Garden Club. ** 



• PAR light transmission 

 exceeding 90% 



• Diffuses light up to 64% 



• No hard shadows 



• Bigger blooms 



• Vibrant colors 



• 25% energy savings 



• Less heat & water stress 



For more information or 

 to order, call 508-851-4346. 



fl STl GRIFFIN 



m 



GREENHOUSE & NURSERY SUPPLIES 



JuneS July 1993 

 31 



