A Step Back In Time: Thousand Islands Park

Last summer (2015), my husband, Ted, and I went for a drive up to Wellesley Island in the Thousand Islands to visit the Thousand Island Park. To get to the Thousand Island Park you have to cross the Thousand Islands (toll) Bridge at Alexandria Bay. Wellesley Island is part of the US so if you are a US citizen you do not need a passport. But if you are coming from Canada you will need a passport to visit this Island.

The Thousand Island Park is a small community of summer cottages on Wellesley Island. It was founded in 1875 as a Methodist Campground. People originally tented in the area and a large Tabernacle was built and is still standing today. It is a historic district and has been recognized by the National Register of Historic Places.

Thousand Island Park Library

By the early 1900's several hundred cottages were built in the Thousand Island Park. But in 1912 a fire destroyed quite a few of the businesses and cottages. Presently, there are about 325 cottages.

The cottages reflect various styles of Victorian architecture. Some still have gingerbread trim while others were updated to current styles and trends.

The cottages have public water but only from about the middle of May to the middle of October. The water is shut off for the winter months due to freezing temperatures which could burst the waterlines.

The TI Landmark Society offers a Garden & House tour every other year in mid-July and the next one will be scheduled for 2017. While we missed their Garden & House tour, we did our own walking tour of the area. We parked our car near the hotel and walked and photographed the beautiful cottages, boats, and views of the St. Lawrence River.

Replica doll house of one of the cottages

The Community has a governing body called the Thousand Island Park Corporation which is a private entity with shareholders. The Corporation owns all the land and commercial buildings within the Thousand Island Park. Residents own their cottages but have a 99-year lease on their lots. Residents have an extensive manual called the "Green Book" for rules and regulations for vehicles, construction/repairs to buildings, and other related items.

The Island also has golf courses which overlook the St. Lawrence River, and several marinas. Wellesley Island also has a State Park which offers camping for tents, trailers, and cabins to rent. Website: Wellesley Island State Park

Detail of cottage pictured above

Websites
Thousand Island Park Landmark Society
Thousand Island Park: TIParkCorp
Thousand Islands Community: 1000 Islands Life


Local Garden Tour sponsored by Gardening Friends: Pulaski, NY
July 9, 2016 from 10 am to 2 pm. The tour begins at the Pulaski Wesleyan Church 4591 US Rt 11. Tickets $10 each (children under 12 free)

Hope you enjoyed your tour of Thousand Islands Park. Thanks for stopping by!

Feel free to comment below~

Birds and Ferns and Other Growing Things

It's still spring, right? Well, around here you never know. It could be a cold season like we had in April or a hot summer/spring like we had last week with temperatures in the high 80's. We started off with a slow spring and then the heat brought out all the spring bloomers as well as the black flies and mosquitoes and other annoying bugs that fly in your eyes when you're trying to get some stuff done in your gardens.



Warm, dry temperatures are predicted for the northeast for this summer. That will mean dragging your hoses around to keep those flowers blooming and the vegetables coming.

Photo taken by my husband, Ted, looking down into one of the ferns. 

I usually like gardening in cool weather because you can cover up with long-sleeves and sweats and not be bothered with all the bugs that get in your eyes or bite which causes itching sometimes for several days.

Bleeding Heart

Quite a few of the spring shrubs and perennials are just gorgeous this year. Like the Lilacs, Alliums, and Irises, but yet other perennials seem to be struggling like the Bleeding Hearts and Poppies. My guess is that possibly some plants perform better under stress. I have a Weeping Cherry tree that had only one poor blossom on it. Hopefully, the (fruit) cherry trees will not suffer from the cold snap we had in April-May.



I have several hostas that have not all leafed out yet. I think they were very late in our area.

Sweet Woodruff in bloom around the hosta garden.

Bumblebee on Wood hyacinths (Bluebells)

Close-up view of Sweet Woodruff and Lily-of-the-Valley

We are enjoying the return of our migratory birds that spend their winters in the south. We've either seen or heard the Woodthrush, Catbirds, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Brown Thrashers, and Bluebirds.

Eastern Towhee -female 

Rose-breasted Grosbeak -male

Eastern Bluebird 

Ted made the PVC birdhouses (pictured above) several years ago to attract Bluebirds. We've had Tree Swallows nest in it every year, but this year the Bluebirds beat out the Tree Swallows to the box.

Ted got a great picture of this female Ruby-throated Hummingbird with her tongue out.

Pileated Woodpecker - Male 

My husband, Ted, got some great photos of a Pileated Woodpecker (in the photos above). The Pileated Woodpecker is one of the largest birds of the forest. They do not kill trees. These woodpeckers drill large rectangular holes in dead or fallen trees. They are searching for carpenter ants which is their favorite food. These large holes in dead trees also offer great nesting sites for owls, ducks, and other bird species. We have never seen them at any of our suet feeders, but a friend of mine had them at one of their feeders.


If you are in the area the Pulaski Garden Club will be having a Plant Sale on June 18, 2016 from 10am to 2pm at the Pulaski Wesleyan Church, 4591 US Rt 11, Pulaski, NY. Also, the Pulaski Garden Club will be hosting a Garden Tour on July 9, 2016. Hope you can make it!

In the midst of movement and chaos, 

keep stillness inside of you.

~Deepak Chopra

Thanks for stopping by,

Feel free to leave a comment ~

Spring in the Country of Northern New York!

Here we are in Central/Northern New York and it's mid May ~

Our spring is slowly emerging. Taking her good old time. Well, one thing we northerners can say - "At least it's not snowing!" We did have a heavy frost last night here in Mexico, NY. Tonight is supposed to be cold too, so keep those tender plants covered overnight until it warms up again. And hopefully, that won't be too long. I saw a weather report where it might get close to 80 on Thursday. A good rule of thumb to follow has always been to wait until after Memorial Day to plant your garden and flowers. Usually by then the ground has warmed up and frosts are over.

White-breasted Nuthatch 

About the only thing blooming profusely are the dandelions. But the grass looks great - nice and green. And the pollinators love the dandelions so that's a good thing.



After the cold and snowy April there doesn't seem to be any great displays of daffodils, even they got set back after the snow that hit last month. And the tulips are coming into bloom slowly, too. I'm not sure how my Irises are going to do this year. I think I have to dig them all up, separate them, and plant them in a drier, sunnier spot. That Iris bed can be used for additional perennials that I split up. Also, I'm thinking of taking some Hydrangea cuttings along with some cuttings from other shrubs to start in that garden, too. When we visited our daughter and son-in-law this past spring in Northern Georgia, they had several Oak-Leaf Hydrangea seedlings that had sprouted beneath their tree so my husband dug up some of them to plant around here. They had a set-back from the transplant and cold weather up here, but they appear to be picking up.

White-throated Sparrow

The leaves on the trees are finally making an appearance, but still wrapped up in their little cocoon-shape buds. It's really a hard transition after spending several weeks in the south where spring has been blooming there for several weeks, and then when you return to the north the landscape looks like it could be fall.

Still not much growth on the trees and shrubs.

Some early perennials are doing fine, like my Pulmonaria (Lungwort). A great shade plant and the leaves stay green all year. This perennial also makes a nice ground cover. The Bleeding Hearts are coming up, but the buds are still very small so it will be a few more days before they are blooming.

Brunnera 

In the photo of the Brunnera, pictured above, I thought I was purchasing Jack Frost which has a light blue flower, but this one has a white flower so it must have been mislabeled when I purchased it. The little flowers will bloom from early to mid-spring. The flowers look like Forget-Me-Nots. The Brunnera makes a nice ground cover, but the variegated varieties do not spread as much as the older species. They grow 12"-15" tall and spread about the same in diameter. They are hardy in zones 3-8. They will grow well in full shade, and will tolerate morning sun as long as it doesn't dry out. They are deer resistant.

Fern Fronds. The leaf of a fern is called a frond. That's to separate them from a leaf on a flowering plant. Leaves on a flowering plant uses leaves for photosynthesis only,  whereas the function of a frond if for photosynthesis and reproduction.

Male Goldfinch in flight on left, female Goldfinch on right, Purple Finch center.

The migrating birds have returned to our area and we're enjoying their songs during the day. We have several pairs of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Goldfinches, and Grackles,  that are taking turns at the bird feeder.

Song Sparrow

The Trilliums have started blooming.

Cultivated Trillium

Wild Trillium

“Spring was moving in the air above and in the earth below and around him, penetrating even his dark and lowly little house with its spirit of divine discontent and longing.” 
― Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows

Have a great week! 

Hope you can get out and enjoy it!

Feel free to leave a comment. . . 

Think Spring (#2)! Yard Art!

Well, we'll try this again! The weather was doing so great in the northeast, but  recently winter reared up its head and there have been cold temperatures and even SNOW! Noooooooo!

March was so mild and everyone pretty much thought that spring was here, but oh well, we New Yorkers are used to dealing with storms and change.












Thought I'd post some photos that might bring a little sunshine to your day.

Even if you are not into gardening you might want to add some fun things that will attract a visitor's eye and bring some color or whimsy into your yard.

Yard Art can be in the form of colorful, unusual containers, re-purposed household items, or recycled goods from the thrift store. I've also found some very unusual and colorful pieces at Hobby Lobby, JoAnn Fabric, Michaels, and other craft stores. Or you can shop online. You can do a search on Google, type in 'Yard Art', and if you select 'Images' you'll find an array of items.

Birdhouses can also add some interesting forms to your gardens and yard as well as being beneficial to the birds. Bird baths are another example of adding a point of interest to your yard.

Or you might just need a focal point to draw attention away from a not-so-nice area of either your back yard or a neighboring distraction.

I also like the use of banners in a garden or yard. It's a quick way to add a splash of color where you want to brighten up a spot.

And don't forget the use of colorful containers:

Decorative items can also serve a dual purpose!

These are sold as bee "houses".

"In the spring, at the end of the day, 

you should smell like dirt." 

~Margaret Atwood

Thanks for stopping by! 

Feel free to leave a comment.