In the Garden of the Magnolias
There's an 18th century barn-turned-house on Village Lane in Orient, New York. It's a modest house mostly hidden by high hedges. But beyond the hedges lies a lush, secret garden tended by Charles Dean.
On a warm afternoon in July, my sister, Jeanne, her husband, Chris, and I attended a vernissage consisting of one painting in the pristine studio next to the garden. There we saw the work of Charles' partner, Sinan Karabas. His large, abstract painting evokes different feelings in everyone, as Sinan said, but in it I saw a large heart perhaps encompassing the foliage in the garden next to the studio.
Charles in his garden pointing to a rare specimen.
Charles first came to Orient when he met his then-partner Skip Wachsberger, who was a watercolor artist and trompe d'oeil painter. The garden was started and nurtured by Skip, and gradually Charles came to know about the plants too. When Skip died in 2011, Charles took over tending the garden.
A rare Silver Parasol Magnolia, one of two in the garden.
There are only 12 in the world because they are hard to propagate.
The garden holds other exotic specimens from far-flung parts of the globe.
Lilies provide vibrant color.
Skip was fortunate to choose a parcel of land in Orient
that was fertile and devoid of rocks and well protected from the
salt spray and winds of Long Island Sound.
Verdant greens of mature trees and shrubs
underplanted with perennials.
Carol in the garden.
I got a new phone and started playing with mark up in edit.
After the garden we went to Latham's Farm Stand.
The have unusual flowers for sale.
À Bientôt!
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