Thanks for visiting!
I’m Rhiannon, a passionate gardener, a nature lover and mama to my pets, Zynga & Murka. Raised in a family of six in the luscious countryside of mid-Missouri, I was put in charge of our family’s gardens and lawns, alongside my parents who did the planting. My job was to nurture the plants, as well as the less glamorous job of cutting the lawns.
All of this led to my love of the outdoors and to finding my serenity in gardening and landscaping. I would have to say that my gardening style is not formal but better described as Bohemian, as anything goes and anything is possible! And that is the fun of it all! After almost two decades of creating this backyard sanctuary I am ready to pass the pruning shears to the next owner who might continue to give my plant friends all the tender loving care they deserve! (Please note, most of the statuary, yard ornaments and outdoor furniture are sentimental to me and will be moving with me to my new home, however the plantings will continue to flourish under loving care and offer a lifetime of enjoyment to new owners).
Here are some of my plantings in my gardens at the Historic Iron Horse Inn!
The entire back yard has a perimeter of mature trees of great variety, and during the leafy season it is thrilling to see how their leafy fronds all reach out to touch each other, as if joining hands in a veil of protection. Walnut to mimosa, mimosa to mimosa, mimosa to magnolia, magnolia to hawthorn, hawthorn to walnut, walnut to catalpa, catalpa to mimosa, then full circle mimosa back to walnut. And in the middle of it all . . . a weeping willow getting its start! The birds & squirrels love it!
It’s not just a pageant of colorful blossoms, but a potpourri of sweet scents when you’ve created such a variety of blooming plants, beginning with the lilacs of spring. The perfume of the gardens help to soothe the soul. Add a cushioned swing long enough to stretch out and nap on, and you are in your own little heaven!
The Tin Smith’s Workshop has been converted into a 364-sq ft Studio Apartment that features high ceilings (11ft sloped to 9-1/2ft height), with two high-quality ceiling fan/light fixtures, six double-hung windows, wide-plank pine floors, a kitchenette, a full bath with a tub/shower combination, and a built-in open clothing armoire. It is presently furnished with an antique carved walnut bed with a high headboard & low footboard and queen-size mattress. This historic building could have multiple purposes, including a writer’s or artist’s studio, a musician’s studio, a meditation room, a home office, a caretaker’s cottage, a guest cottage or even a commercial purpose. With the property’s commercial zoning you this building could potentially be a small retail shop or added rental income!
And now let’s venture to the front gardens, where there is a seasonal parade of colorful blooms!
Over a hundred varieties of plants, including garden phlox, forsythia, quince, dogwood, mulberry, colorado blue spruce, white pine, scotch pine, magnolia trees, wisteria, barberry, spirea, wiegelia, lilies of the valley, azalea, coral bells, columbine, iris, peonies, roses, and too many others to list! If you love gardens, you’ll love this little oasis in the most beautiful town in Missouri!
To discover more about what you’ll enjoy about living in this charming tourist town, click on the link below titled “Small Town Living”.
To see the inn in other seasons of the year just follow the link “A Glimpse of the Seasons”.
