Mike it's great! Lovely photos and lovely garden. What's stuck on the monkey puzzle? I'm puzzled! And people say that gardeners are tenacious but maybe husbands are even more so.

Sara (working on 18 years to same man, better not to mention the one before that!)

Sara, those are toy monkeys a friend placed there for her kids to look at. I try to make the garden kid and dog friendly. Why fight reality? A lot of my city friends bring their dogs and kids out here for a romp. No harm is done as long as the kids know not to bash the plants. A lesson of respect for other people's things is a good lesson.
Besides, there are plenty of places around here for trees to climb.
Here's some climbing some native Vine Maple, Acer circinatum, last winter. I have some rhododendrons that are large enough for them to climb also. Like a jungle gym!
Mike

"Atilla the Honda w/ Klingon cloaking device" XD hahahahaha

About halfway through (gotta pace myself this time of year!) and so far another fantastic series. If that place were an arboretum, I might be inclined to have my ashes spread there. (half kidding...)

One of these days, I'm gonna drag my family up there for a vacation and tour the place if you let us in. The kids are trained from helping in my garden to keep their distance and not touch the pretty plants and trees =)

I'm a big fan of your place. It all looks very choice and organic, especially with the use of full size trees.

Tell me about the Temple of Quasar.

Thanks Mike,

One of the best mature gardens on the forum.

Dave

Really beautiful. Thanks for posting the pics.

Wonderful!

Nice history lessons for me Mike!
Thanks for showing them!

Fantastic Mike. Your garden is a great example of doing it right and what years in the future will look like for others. The colors and plants are choice.
Cher

Mike, Always a treat. Your fall colors are second to none....What a splendid place.
BTW....I have 5 kids...can i ship a few up there? lol
Thanks for the tour

Al

You've done a wonderful job of merging an ornamental garden with the natural world around it. After viewing your gallery yesterday morning, the images I remember most are the glass house by the pond, fall colors on the path, and a rather large 'Globosa Nana' :).

Amazing stuff Mike. I am always in sheer amazement when looking through your photos. Thanks for sharing.
Jeff

Mike, that's an astonishing garden!
Thanks for sharing the photos.

Alexander

Cats pajamas Mike!

I've said it before and I'll say it again...You've done magical things with that acreage. You're pretty gat gum good with a camera too.

tj

What an amazing landscape you've painted. It looks like it would be very conducive to strolls...morning, midday, and evening. The picture with the three kids is terrific. The two younger tikes are pure exuberance; the older girl on left not so much. That moss does have a magical quality.

Basic, she's in her pajamas. I wouldn't be smiling either. That's frost on the Vine Maples in the background.
Thanks very much for the compliments. They are very much appreciated coming from a bunch of conehead garden nuts.
Unprofessional, the Temple of Quasar is being built by a carpenter friend of mine who is a follower of martial arts. Most of it has been made from scrap lumber I've collected over the years. It is very well built. Both floors are made with two layers of form board with metal joists and the foundation is concrete with rebar. No religious connection, just a place to get out of the rain. It's a long way to the house.
Ally Cat, I have five kids too. One son, 48, with two sisters, and Marilyn and I have two girls in their 30s.
Sarah, I don't talk about my ex either. ;-)
Tsugajunkie, it's all about the framing. I have an inexpensive camera.
Mike