Time for you to visit Mossy Knoll…

Aesthetics blend with ease and functionality in growing in the garden...photo by Vicky.

Have you been by Mossy Knoll Garden? You’re in for a real treat! Here’s more:

Islanders on the west side can now really shop locally for their produce. Frank and Vicky Giannangelo (you might remember their formal gardens on Limestone Pt. Rd. from 1986-1993) have, after 17 years of gardening adventures in the southwest, returned to the island and opened a new garden to the public.

The design of Mossy Knoll Garden serves not only to provide aesthetics, but ease and functionality in growing. The raised beds are 2’ wide with 2’ gravel paths in-between. The sides of the beds are made of rubble and concrete, allowing them to sinuously wind around the garden and provide the gardener a place to sit on the sides, step over to the next pathway without fear of collapsing the side and the knowledge that they will be there for many years to come.

A bonus in the garden is that it can be walked as a labyrinth, the center destination being a honeysuckle covered trellis with a small wrought iron bistro table and 2 chairs, perfect for a “Tea for Two” in the garden, surrounded by vegetables, flowers, and vines.

All the beds are intercropped with flowers for cutting, vegetables, culinary herbs, berries, and fruit trees. They grow many lesser known salad greens such as French sorrel, endive, dandelion greens, edible flowers, and golden Purslane, along with 7 varieties of kale, red and green chard, lettuces, beets, carrots, parsnips, artichokes, snap peas, beans, summer and winter squash, and much more.

At present a pond area is being developed. It will be featured with a pergola, a waterfall, and a gift shop. The gardens are open to the public daily.

A sign at the driveway indicates if they are open/closed, or you can call for an appointment to see the gardens and/or have a “Tea for Two” at 378-3535, or you can contact them by email via a contact form on their website:  Avant-Gardening: Creative Organic Gardening.

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