High Tea at Glen Magna Farms: part 1

Original wallpaper still graces the dining room at Glen Magna.

Yesterday I spent the afternoon at Glen Magna Farms in Danvers for a Meet the Designer High Tea. After viewing the Reflecting on Danvers History through Interior Design show over at Tapley Hall, guests then drove over to Glen Magna to tour the gardens, meet some of the show designers, ask us questions and enjoy finger sandwiches, scones and a tall glass of iced tea (or wine if desired ; ) Today I have a couple of client meetings, so for now I will post some snapshots of the beautiful grounds at Glen Magna ...

One of our guests was the lovely Erica from the design blog Decorica. Please stop by and visit her while I am out today! I will post more about this event tomorrow.

Visiting a friend’s garden ...

Last week I was able to enjoy an afternoon visit with my friend Kim Smith at her Gloucester home. After meeting at last year’s North Shore Design Show at the Wenham Museum, we quickly discovered that we both shared a love of gardening, along with a passion for old homes (she has been creating beauty inside and out at Willowdale Estate, while I have been involved with decorating projects at the Stevens Estate). Parking my car, I knew I was at the right place as I was greeted with a fluttering of butterflies around a rose-covered front porch. Bird song filled the air and a profusion of colors and scents beckoned. I know this sounds very “Disney-like” but it really felt like walking into a secret oasis! Kim takes great care to design landscapes that attract winged creatures – birds, butterflies, bees –
all are welcome and enjoyed.

Here is just a glimpse of what I saw ...

Bee Balm

Honeysuckle ... pretty and fragrant

Easy to grow ... Annabelle Hydrangea

Tomato plants and Liberty of London watering can

A container-garden-filled courtyard

Can anyone identify this flower? The name escapes me ...


Bougainvillea ... holding up well despite summer heat

Lettuce, narsturtiums (a favorite of mine)
and Swiss chard (a favorite of my dad’s)

I believe this is a version of Lantana?

Shasta Daisy

A sure thing ... Butterfly Bush

Ferns (Japanese Painted fern is in front)

Potted poppies

Pink foxglove, large leaf hosta, and white edged Solomon’s Seal

My favorite photo of the day


The inside of Kim’s home was extremely charming. I did not take interior photos during our visit as I was there simply to enjoy her company. We talked a lot about raising our children (she has two, a girl and a boy, that while still under her wing are much more independent than my four littles), the need to create (she is writing and illustrating a new book, this time for children), and a variety of other topics including why the bowl of fruit I brought was still slightly frozen (when you are undergoing kitchen renovations, one must improvise!) Stop by and visit her blog,
Kim Smith Designs, when you need a bit of nature’s beauty to lift your spirits, or have questions
about gardening. She is an expert on many topics, along with being a gracious host!




This week I will be participating in the Alphabet Walk blog hop at
a fun blog I recently discovered: One Sydney Road. Check it out!
(My letter is “Y” and I will be posting on Friday, July 16th)

Bunting Flag Banner by Puglypixel.com
Alphabet Walk blog hop badge by 74 Lime Lane


Visit my space at the Danvers Historical Society
designer showcase now through August 1st!

York Decorator Showhouse: Preview

A sneak peek at “Secret Hideaway”

designed by Linda Hentschel

Old York’s 20th Annual
Decorator Show House:
McIntire Farm

270 Cider Hill Road, York, Maine
July 18th – August 15th

Take a ride to York, Maine and for a ticket price of just $20 you can get away to a seashore-inspired show house this summer. Tour over a dozen inspiring spaces at the 20th anniversary of the Old York Decorator Show House held this year at McIntire Farm, a 1920’s farmhouse that overlooks vintage fields along with the sun-drenched marshes of the York River.

I visited the show house in its “before” stage and can’t wait to see the designer-transformation. The property is beautiful, with a huge attached barn (my favorite), a wrap-around farmer’s porch and lots of great spaces that I am sure will offer many decorating ideas along with “oohs and ahhs!”

This year, two of my friends will be in the show ... Linda Hentschel and Patricia Finn. Be sure to stop by their rooms to see their amazing talent for yourself. Check future blog postings for more updates on their work (we have been collaborating on the re-decorating of the Stevens Estate in North Andover).

In her own words ...
Linda describes the philosophy
behind her York transformation
in her blog entry posted
for Accent Magazine.

Show House Hours
Open Mon., Wed. – Sat.
from 10 am – 5 pm
Thurs. until 7 pm and
Sun. from 1 pm – 4 pm
Closed on Tuesdays

For tickets and more information
call (207) 363-4974 or visit the
Museums of Old York website
www.oldyork.org

This lily, brought home from York, Maine
now thrives in my Lynnfield garden

And if you visit on a Sunday, you could also squeeze in a visit to one of the featured gardens presented by the Old York Garden Club “Summer Sundays in the Garden” held between noon and 4pm now through August 16th. This bi-annual fund-raising event offers a public viewing of many well-established private gardens in and around coastal York. You simply can’t beat the $3 admission fee either, so grab a friend (or two) and make the trip to York to see all things pretty!