The words “In honor of the Green family and the many others who have lived here before us” were cast in a bronze plaque, and placed in the rockwork when we created the small waterfall pool next to the site of the old Green family cabin. It is intended to honor the mountain farming family who eked out a living here, as well as the Native Americans who once lived in the small valley on the land and the many sentient beings who have always lived and still live here.

The pond and garden area is on the location of the Green homestead. One of the oldest log houses in the area was re-located here in the early part of the last century, and stood in the flat area above the present pond. Two stories high, it had two open fireplaces and a rock chimney chinked with mud. When we bought the farm, the Greens took down the cabin and sold the logs. Soot from past fires can still be seen on the retaining wall made from the old rock chimney. A bench by the waterfall pool provides a place for reflection and conversation.

When we bought the land, we put in the pond, and rehabilitated the old corn crib, now called the Boathouse. Over the years, the gardens have grown up, and flowers and trees are now everywhere. The whole pond/garden area provides a wide range of possibilities for swimming, reading in a hammock, looking at flowers and butterflies, or talking with a new friend in the shade by a waterfall.

Flowers have been planted to bloom continuously from late April through September. An emphasis on butterfly-friendly species makes the Edith Kidwell Memorial Garden (named after Walker’s mother) a lively place for watching butterflies and dragonflies. Several rock gardens and a Buddha garden provide a Zen-like feel, and there’s an interactive sculpture area where you’re invited to practice creating Stonepeople.

The Boathouse is comfortable with wicker furniture; with additional chairs, it can seat 12 or more. It serves as a breakout room for meetings, a staff hangout, or a massage room. The first couple to be married at Bend of Ivy actually spent their wedding night in the Boathouse loft, so it could be called the Honeymoon Suite, though it requires a taste for the rustic!