As I often say, isn’t serendipity grand?! On my way to Cohasset to pick up a bejeweled crown (a story for another day) I fell into a beautiful garden prepping for a tour. It belongs to my favorite second cousin, Sara Boynton, a well noted designer of Botanical Arts (creations made entirely of nature’s finest – from mustard seeds to a lily’s stamen).

Her garden is a small jewel, blessed with backing up to a woodland and with sizable rock outcroppings of which she has taken full advantage (did you know that digitalis can self seed in rocky areas?)

Her talent with flower arranging has perfected her eye for color! I was enchanted with this pairing of an apricot-leafed Japanese maple and the shades-of-pink digitalis and allium, stretching their heads so tall.

From another angle, pink rhododendron as a backdrop are a final finish to this scene

Sara also has a talent for plant selection; here, one of my favorites, the Sensitive fern, that is so serviceable as it has the merits of a good plant that likes a range of sun/shade conditions and also looks less like a fern so it can serve double-duty.

But this is not just any garden…Sara’s includes an aesthetic and very considered water feature; I’m always thrilled when I come upon one that is executed well! Greeting you on the right as you enter the terrace leading to the garden is a creation that takes advantage of those existing rocks/boulders that I mentioned earlier. With an assist from hubby Bill, this beguiling site has grown over the years and well deserves being the main feature of this post.

Fronted by a low, rock wall, the small ponds and cascading water create a compelling scene that deserves a slow look. It’s actually three separate “falls” providing fetching views from many angles.

A scene further enhanced with moss, ivy, ferns, creeping jenny, and other water-loving plants that are nestled in very happily.

Obviously the two resident frogs think so, too.

The final take-away is that it’s been here for years…the existing boulders and new rocks that were introduced judiciously are that convincing. Water is on a circulating system, but the volume is determined by the weather, which brings with it a bit of mystique.

Hope your summer is starting off with great anticipation…