Yeopim Flowers

02/06/2025

Oh What a Night…

02/06/2025

Still my favorite photo shoot…

01/26/2025

v***r trails … make me wonder where all those people are going and why…

01/26/2025

Afternoon walk about…

01/24/2025

Oh, what a beautiful morning ❄️

01/23/2025

Loving this Christmas late bloomer…

01/22/2025

It’s a perfect day on the Yeopim…

01/16/2025

Feeling energized…

01/14/2025

01/13/2025

when I was a youngster I loved crushing ice in the swamps…not much has changed. The subtle greens are amazing out there, go enjoy them.

12/29/2024

Implementing the Christmas decorations at Hayes was such a fun adventure. Gardeners’ willingness to give of themselves to make this project happen during the busy holiday season was a tremendous gift to the community.
We leaned heavily on connections I have made over the years as a floral designer. Please thank the following for their talents, goods and/or time donated in creating a “Very Merry Christmas at Hayes.“
Calligraphy – Elizabeth Porcher Jones: Elizabeth produced signage and place cards for the table that set the mood.
Signage – Eden House Graphics: The graphics were delivered to Pam on Friday afternoon, and the signs were ready Monday morning. Amazingly fast turnaround
Smilax – Flora Hall: Flora brought in a truck load of smilax used for the stairway and window garlands.
Poinsettias – Green Leaf Plant Farm: Tony & Terry Leary saved beautiful fresh red poinsettias for the Hayes’ event.
Boxwood & grapevine – Donald & Ben Hobbs: Most of the greenery was gathered at Hayes, but the the amount of boxwood and grapevine needed would have destroyed the groomed plants of Hayes.
Garland hanging – Joe Youmans and Eric: These fellows made sure the garlands above the portico were placed and secured perfectly.
Plates – Cynthia Harding: I knew that Cynthia’s pheasant plates would be the perfect motif for an elegant woodsy organic feel.
Pheasant – Annette Wood: Annette allowed her pheasant to fly in for the celebration.
Tea set – Nancy Rich: Nancy had hosted teas with her grandchildren which made this an easy call. She suggested her reindeer join the party. It helped create the perfect Christmas morning feel.
Snacks – Marilyn and Bruce Rutland: After full days of creating Christmas décor they cooked cheese wafers and such to serve to guests both days. Marilyn also ironed her grandmother’s linen napkins to be used for the table setting.
Detailed photos – Kerry Hackney: Kerry met me Sunday morning with camera and lights for detailed shots.
Stockings, silver, crystal, – Kay Currin: Kay was awesome in supporting and helping make this event possible. The multitude cups of coffees helped tremendously .
Sybil

Photos by KJH Photography

12/16/2024

Merry Christmas 🎄

12/13/2024

In this great festive house, we deck the halls with boughs of holly and a lot of other things. Cedar, at least three varieties. Nandina. Yaupon holly. Rosemary. English ivy. Criptomeria. Chinaberry. Grapevine. Osage and mock orange. Smilax. Pine boughs and pine cones. Lots and lots of everything, most of which was gathered here on the lovely grounds of Hayes Farm.

We gather in this festal season much greenery that for the rest of the year we actually try to eradicate. We twine grapevine into wreaths in cold December: the same grapevine we toil to remove, in hot and stifling August arbors, from choking magnolias. We weave smilax into garlands – the same smilax that for the rest of the year we tug mightily from the top bowers of towering cedars, the smilax we excavate deep layers of tuberous roots that multiply in the soil depths. We festoon holiday swags with chartreuse crinkled Osage fruit and make gumball trees out of mock orange branches – from the very trees that bristle with two inch thorns, a brambled mass that puncture gloves and tatter gardening clothes.

For good reason the mock orange is also called, on Good Friday, the Crown of Thorns tree. It is poignant that the same crown from Calvary now, on the other side of the year, festoons the decking of this Natal joy in Bethlehem. That which was discarded is now regarded as jubilant. That which was complained about is now ooh-d and aah-d about. That which was rejected is now accepted, and cosseted in celebration.

The ugly is now beautiful. The painful is now turned to delight.

All because in these wintry nights we celebrate the Season of Light. We garden here at Hayes in hope and peace and fellowship. We deck the halls with joy. May the festive greenery of this shining night make your heart evergreen with life and gladness.

Jonathan Tobias for the Gardeners at Hayes.

12/08/2024

Sticks of Peace…Merry Christmas

12/07/2024

Blooms of Joy…Merry Christmas