We are huge admirers of Alan Calpe and Christopher Crawford’s beautifully curated Gardenheir store (see our Shopper’s Diary on it here), which is why we were curious about the couple’s own garden in Windam, NY. When they bought their Upstate home in 2016, they had “no garden experience whatsoever,” admits Alan, but that didn’t deter them from dreaming, planning, and, finally, planting a sprawling, flower-filled garden.
It took a healthy appetite for mistakes (see lesson #4), vast reserves of patience (see lesson #5), and a high tolerance for back-breaking labor before the pair were able to transform the challenging landscape—”heavily forested and brambly” is how Christopher describes the property prior to their interventions—into the modern pastoral garden they sought.
“A new garden can be so daunting but you really can surprise yourself with what you can accomplish. We found that it helped to think of it as a process, a series of experiences, rather than an end product,” says Christopher.
Below, the two share all the invaluable lessons they’ve learned on their gardening journey thus far.
Photography courtesy of Gardenheir. Follow them on Instagram @thegardenheir.
1. Research should be both broad and specific.
