A Great Place to Visit

I should have known I would want
to take the camera. However, I
was not prepared for the beauty
that was in store for us as we
headed out to a Field Trip with
our Homeschool Co-op yesterday.
So, I hope you enjoy the pictures
I found on their web site.
You will find this web site at
www.conestogahouse.org.

We went to The Conestoga House and Gardens
on Marietta Pike in Lancaster.

If you are planning a vacation in Lancaster
next summer this would be a beautiful stop.




The gardens are free on Wednesday afternoons,
May to September.



This once private home has been donated to
serve as a non-profit history and horticulture
resource by the Steinman Family. They happen
to own our local newspaper as well as other
businesses in the State of Pennsylvania.




What was so intriguing to me was to learn that
the man in charge has been there for 38 years
and he was our tour guide. The passion with
which he described the intentional design and
the historical significance of the property was
so neat to see. I can only imagine that after
nearly forty years he would be either very proud
of his work or just counting the days until retirement.

It was neat to get to ask him what he recommends for
Mikey, who longs to get into horticulture. Amazingly,
his advice is exactly the track we are on...Longwood
Gardens Internship or job! That was really cool!

He explained neat tricks to getting your plants ready to
be put out. I did not realize the extent of shock our plants
go through when we bring them home from the nursery and
transplant them. They also are easily sunburned when
placed out on a sunny day with no protection. This garden
uses a light cheesecloth to cover the plants after they are
put out until the next cloudy day when they uncover them.

Conestoga Gardens also pre-plants all of their planters
and window boxes a month or more before putting them
out so they are growing and vibrant immediately.
I would not have thought to do that.


Just some little tips that were shared that will change the
way I treat my poor little plants.



There is a lime kiln on this property which totally fascinated the
younger children in our group. At the bottom of this hole, containing
the furnace was a plastic skeleton. It turns out that Edgar Allan Poe's nephew, and
namesake, once visited this house and wrote a story about a murder which
involved someone being tossed down the lime kiln.


Once again, I highly recommend this as a stop you will
enjoy if you visit Lancaster, PA.

Blessings on your Day!

Becky K.