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Enchanting 'train garden' part of Garden Conservancy tour
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| One of the trains passes over the waterfall. (Molly Salisbury/For Hudson-Catskill Newspapers) |
Event takes place Sunday
By Molly Salisbury
In an old cow pasture on top of a hill with views of the Taconic Mountain range, in one of those exquisite and unnoticed corners of Columbia County, exists a series of gardens and an astounding model railroad that will goad serious, practical adults into scrupulous amazement. Or just thrill your child into forgetting 21st century distractions for half an hour.
Twenty-five years ago Doris and Mike Simon bought a parcel of land carved out of an old Hillsdale 200-acre farm, built a weekend house and presumably, grew bored. Doris Simon conceived of, planted and continues to care for six gardens. Mike Simon built a G-scale model railroad that wends through the woods, travels up hills, goes through tunnels and crosses a waterfall. Their creation will be open for public viewing on Sunday, courtesy of the Garden Conservancy.
This “train garden” is one of two Columbia County gardens that will be open to the public this Sunday. The Conservancy’s “Open Days” are self-guided tours. You simply show up at the garden and pay at the gate. (For directions, see the end of this article, or go to www.gardenconservancy.org/opendays/events.pl)
It all started with an old iron fence. Doris Simon got help installing it from a metal-working neighbor and a garden plot was born. Her first garden is formal, bisected with pebble pathways. Her garden has purple clematis climbing up on the left, and blue delphiniums towering over the echinacea. Pink foxglove rims the back and blue balloon flowers pop here and there.
“I don’t like yellow or red flowers. But I do like yellow leaves … I care less about the blooms and more about the plant’s structure,” she said.
The structure this year is, um, big. The garden — any garden — is different every year. This year’s relentless rain means fewer flowers and thicker, taller foliage. “We left for two weeks in the beginning of June, and when we returned I didn’t recognize it!” Simon’s thalictrum (giant meadow rue) sways at least six feet and the astilbe, with it frothy flowers, is thick and glorious.
The train and its attending village, replete with a train station, hotel and diner, all started with Alex — the first grandchild. Alex is now 14 and the continually developed model railroad boasts six trains and more than 700 feet of track.
The railroad is on the far side of the shade garden, which is under an old poplar stand. The railroad climbs a sunnier, rocky hill. A garden shed with hanging hydrangea and wisteria is at the end of a newly installed pond. The pond has water lilies, goldfish, frogs and a small waterfall. Two Greek goddesses guard and old iron bench. And this is just the beginning.
The train garden is planted with a dwarf variety of hosta, sedum and a hearty perennial geranium. The vegetation demands much trimming — so the plants don’t hide the trains. The pebbled paths that allow closer inspection of the trains are covered in what looks like crumbled granite, but is in fact chicken grit. Mike Simon said the Agway salesman who sold him the grit was suspicious. “He knew I didn’t raise chickens!” he said.
The beautiful old, handmade train station was a find at a Hudson antique store. The two always putting new stuff in — and improving on the old. Doris Simon repainted the village structures for the garden tour.
Through a gate lies the front yard, the centerpiece being a stone swimming pool with aquamarine water. The windy cool plateau of the front yard has been one of the more challenging gardens. One of Simon’s go-to plants, when others have failed, are hydrangeas. “There are so many different kinds. Some bloom early, some much later,” she said.
Her roses must be relatively hearty to withstand upstate weather, and like many who pine for roses but can’t make the more delicate hybrids survive, Simon planted Rosa rugosa. In a more sheltered corner some black hollyhocks were in bloom, and next to them some surprising, but lovely, Joe Pye Weed. A thatch of lavender was obviously thriving — very impressive.
“This is the second year it’s come back — next year, who knows?” she exclaimed.
Simon’s lack of anxiety about what works, and what doesn’t, is a lesson in patience and perseverance. A garden doesn’t happen overnight — or in three years. It’s a work of art, more than a decade in the making — and what you see on Sunday will be quietly unique to that day.
There is a $5 admission fee per person, but children 12 and under are admitted free. The garden will be open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., and you may pay with cash or check at the entrance of each Open Day garden. There are no rest rooms, so please plan accordingly — a Hillsdale gas station is about 5 miles away.
Proceeds from the Open Days Program support the national preservation work of the Garden Conservancy, such as the rehabilitation of the gardens on Alcatraz Island, as well as local non-profit organizations designated by the garden hosts.
Directions: Taconic Parkway to Route 23/Claverack/Hillsdale exit. Take Route 23 east to Hillsdale traffic light at Route 22. Turn left and go 4.5 miles to Route 21. Turn left and go to Dawson Road. Turn right and go straight up the hill to Schmeichel Road. Number 62 is on right.
From Massachusetts, take Route 7 to Route 23W to Hillsdale traffic light at Route 22. Turn right and proceed as directed above.
Twenty-five years ago Doris and Mike Simon bought a parcel of land carved out of an old Hillsdale 200-acre farm, built a weekend house and presumably, grew bored. Doris Simon conceived of, planted and continues to care for six gardens. Mike Simon built a G-scale model railroad that wends through the woods, travels up hills, goes through tunnels and crosses a waterfall. Their creation will be open for public viewing on Sunday, courtesy of the Garden Conservancy.
This “train garden” is one of two Columbia County gardens that will be open to the public this Sunday. The Conservancy’s “Open Days” are self-guided tours. You simply show up at the garden and pay at the gate. (For directions, see the end of this article, or go to www.gardenconservancy.org/opendays/events.pl)
It all started with an old iron fence. Doris Simon got help installing it from a metal-working neighbor and a garden plot was born. Her first garden is formal, bisected with pebble pathways. Her garden has purple clematis climbing up on the left, and blue delphiniums towering over the echinacea. Pink foxglove rims the back and blue balloon flowers pop here and there.
“I don’t like yellow or red flowers. But I do like yellow leaves … I care less about the blooms and more about the plant’s structure,” she said.
The structure this year is, um, big. The garden — any garden — is different every year. This year’s relentless rain means fewer flowers and thicker, taller foliage. “We left for two weeks in the beginning of June, and when we returned I didn’t recognize it!” Simon’s thalictrum (giant meadow rue) sways at least six feet and the astilbe, with it frothy flowers, is thick and glorious.
The train and its attending village, replete with a train station, hotel and diner, all started with Alex — the first grandchild. Alex is now 14 and the continually developed model railroad boasts six trains and more than 700 feet of track.
The railroad is on the far side of the shade garden, which is under an old poplar stand. The railroad climbs a sunnier, rocky hill. A garden shed with hanging hydrangea and wisteria is at the end of a newly installed pond. The pond has water lilies, goldfish, frogs and a small waterfall. Two Greek goddesses guard and old iron bench. And this is just the beginning.
The train garden is planted with a dwarf variety of hosta, sedum and a hearty perennial geranium. The vegetation demands much trimming — so the plants don’t hide the trains. The pebbled paths that allow closer inspection of the trains are covered in what looks like crumbled granite, but is in fact chicken grit. Mike Simon said the Agway salesman who sold him the grit was suspicious. “He knew I didn’t raise chickens!” he said.
The beautiful old, handmade train station was a find at a Hudson antique store. The two always putting new stuff in — and improving on the old. Doris Simon repainted the village structures for the garden tour.
Through a gate lies the front yard, the centerpiece being a stone swimming pool with aquamarine water. The windy cool plateau of the front yard has been one of the more challenging gardens. One of Simon’s go-to plants, when others have failed, are hydrangeas. “There are so many different kinds. Some bloom early, some much later,” she said.
Her roses must be relatively hearty to withstand upstate weather, and like many who pine for roses but can’t make the more delicate hybrids survive, Simon planted Rosa rugosa. In a more sheltered corner some black hollyhocks were in bloom, and next to them some surprising, but lovely, Joe Pye Weed. A thatch of lavender was obviously thriving — very impressive.
“This is the second year it’s come back — next year, who knows?” she exclaimed.
Simon’s lack of anxiety about what works, and what doesn’t, is a lesson in patience and perseverance. A garden doesn’t happen overnight — or in three years. It’s a work of art, more than a decade in the making — and what you see on Sunday will be quietly unique to that day.
There is a $5 admission fee per person, but children 12 and under are admitted free. The garden will be open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., and you may pay with cash or check at the entrance of each Open Day garden. There are no rest rooms, so please plan accordingly — a Hillsdale gas station is about 5 miles away.
Proceeds from the Open Days Program support the national preservation work of the Garden Conservancy, such as the rehabilitation of the gardens on Alcatraz Island, as well as local non-profit organizations designated by the garden hosts.
Directions: Taconic Parkway to Route 23/Claverack/Hillsdale exit. Take Route 23 east to Hillsdale traffic light at Route 22. Turn left and go 4.5 miles to Route 21. Turn left and go to Dawson Road. Turn right and go straight up the hill to Schmeichel Road. Number 62 is on right.
From Massachusetts, take Route 7 to Route 23W to Hillsdale traffic light at Route 22. Turn right and proceed as directed above.
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