Nichole Court & Gardens

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GARDEN PHASE 2 (April 2006- Sept 2006)

1) The Renaissance Terraces

2) La Pietra Strada

RENNAISANCE TERRACE (built April- Sept 2006)  removed blacktop and added 3 new fieldstone levels. Collected mature plantings from all over the US… trees ranging from 20 years old to 150 years old… Low maintenance formal gardens using zone 3-4 hardy tress and plants.

PIETRA STRADA ( The Stone Way) ( built May- Aug 2006)

Spectacular Uncle Rocco hand wrought Iron entrance gates flanked by 15 ft fieldstone columns and walls with graphic rows of formal hedges.

GARDEN PHASE 1 (-2001- 2002)

1) Piazza Tivoli

2) The Pergola Garden

3The Conversation Garden

4) Courtyard Centro

5) Sunset terraces

PIAZZA TIVOLI ( built May- Aug 20001)

Installed four Italian acanthus fountains in formal yew quadrangles. Eight wrought iron arbors lead the way into each courtyard….surrounded by allies of fastigite pear trees……pea stone walkways . Collected mature plantings from all over the US… trees  ranging from 20 years old to 150 years old…

The CONVERSATION GARDEN( built May- Aug 2001)

Four English Limestone Columns and concave stone steps lead to the secluded “secret shade garden” filled with stone benches graced with bronze nameplates   honoring Louie’s relatives who have worked on the gardens.

 Poppi’s PERGOLA GARDENS ( built  Fall…2000)

BELLA VISTA

A Peace of Heaven

Located at one of the highest points of Connecticut….. views of the CT valley and Long Island Sound

IN THE BEGINNING

The Garden according to Louie

I am not a gardener, but I have a profound respect for the earth. Maybe I was Johnny Appleseed in my last life. I have to plant. I am driven to create beauty in a world where mediocrity seems to be the standard of excellence.

In 2000, I called my aunts and uncles and told them that I decided to build a garden where the parking lot was located. My cousin Louie arrived with tomato seeds, Uncle Louie arrived with arrugola seeds, and commadre Luigi arrived with zucchini seeds I tried to explain to my family that this was not the kind of garden that I  was thinking of…. although I assured them that as soon as I was finished…. we would plant  vegetables in the garden. ….I lied.

With the help of my mom and dad, my aunts and uncles and my good friends,  my aunt Louise on backhoes  and  2 hired men,  we removed the blacktop and parking for 800  cars and created two levels….each.6 ft in height. We created a total of 7 levels …. in 3-6 ft increments.. I purchased trees from all over the US. Trees from 20 years to 150 years old.They were shipped  on giant.trailors….. over 2,000 trees. I did not have a plan…unfortunately….. which I do not recommend to new gardeners. Especially when you have to water the  exposed root balls every day as they sit there in the sun ( thank you Poppi)

My passion for trees … may zest for life  coupled with an abundance of love for food and family, gave me the courage to create from my heart.

My uncle had several friends who worked at meat and fish markets. Each day bags of salmon, fish and meat, poultry were thrown into the trash. This became my free fertilizer that was place under the 6-10 ft root balls as they were being planted.

For the first month… my yard had a very foul aroma…..  some might consider  it the stench of  corpses.

However one year later I had instant gardens. The trees flushed as if they had been there for 100 years.

I had instant Italian gardens…. just add water

These gardens are dedicated to “POPPI”, my dad who passed away on his 89th birthday, 2008.

Poppi single handedly built, maintained, planted, watered, weeded, mowed and cleaned the entire property until 2006 when stage 4 Alzheimer’s made it difficult for him to function.

 Now I am taking over my father’s jobs and can barely fill even half his shoes or follow in half  his footsteps

Thank you Poppi  for the 958,356,255, 122 leaves that you raked in my yard.

Thank you for the 10,452 trees and plants you watered,  the 1,222 ,001 weeds you pulled  from my garden…and  the1,921  times you mowed my lawn with the beat up 1972 Cub Cadet

Thank you for the 130 pitchers of Frozen Mango margaritas that we shared this year in my truck … looking at girlie magazines and smoking cigars.  The things you do for your father.

Thank you for the 42 Sundays, the 7,209 hours and the 7 minutes that you let me take care of you at my home

Thank you for the 822 times you took my face in your hands and kissed me

When my dad turned 80,,,, I wrote him a song for his birthday. These are the lyrics of the last 2 verses

If I could hold his face forever in my memories

I would know for sure that goodness never dies

When I am searching for the secrets in his silence

All I have to do… is look into his eyes

How do you replace the smile….that makes the sunrise

Or the goodnight kiss… that makes the moon grow bright

Or the arms …. warm enough to melt a snowman

In  his hands …  the world  seems all right

A star upon the tree

How lucky if you know Papa