Ladew Gardens

Kim Bauer and I spent a relaxing day touring Ladew Topiary Gardens in Monkton. (From 1990 until 2006 we lived just 10 minutes from there and somehow never got around to going!) We toured the house and grounds, spending almost five hours just walking, looking, talking and taking lots of pictures. I took over 100 pictures and I think Kim took even more. Harvey Ladew was a very interesting person and built and maintained these gardens almost by him. He had sold the family business when his mother died. At that time he was in his 20's and decided that he had enough money to live and have fun until he was 50 and then he would get a job. He lived to be in his 90's and never held a job again. He spent his entire life just having fun. And apparently he did. He left these beautiful gardens for the public to enjoy but other than that it seems he spent all his money just making himself happy. I find that very sad. I hope he really enjoyed himself during his stay on earth because I have a feeling he isn't having such a good time now.

There were so many gardens and so many fountains that I couldn't possibly share it all. It is definitely worth a visit. Above Kim is sitting at a little stone table and chairs. They were beautiful and each chair had carved into it a different nature scene. They obviously were not built for comfort!

There was a pink garden. (I took lots of pictures for you, Caitlin!)















A water lily garden.














A Garden of Eden, complete with Adam and Eve (seen through a "Keyhole" from the Keyhole Garden.
















A yellow garden,














white garden,













Tivoli Tea House and garden (the "house" is actually from the ticket booth from the Tivoli Movie Theatre. Inside is a little living room and on the opposite wall is a small window looking out over the grounds. It is framed to look like a picture and is labeled "The Everchanging Landscape".),











and lots of topiary (this was my favorite and is a hunt scene--the fox is in the front with the hounds and mounted rider following.














Our only regret is that we didn't pack a lunch. We had intended to eat in their cafe but found that it was not open on Wednesday. By the time we left at 3:00 p.m. I was ravenously hungry (the gift shop was able to supply a pack of almonds and bottle of lemonade which kept me from eating the flowers from the gardens. Food was allowed in just about every part of the grounds and we passed a couple with a picnic basket as we were leaving (what a romantic date!).

I am so grateful for that chance to be with a friend and do something fun and relaxing! What a wonderful gift is friendship!