A Statement of Purpose




Since 2012 I have been responsible for
the garden at the Pry House Field Hospital Museum on Antietam National Battlefield. The Pry House garden began as a 19th century style medicinal and kitchen garden, including medicinal plants, herbs, and vegetables. As close as possible, these plants mirrored those available to the Pry Family in the 1860s, meaning heirloom varieties. Since then, the garden has transformed to focus exclusively on medicinal plants, becoming an exhibit of the flora that was employed by military and civilian caregivers in the Civil War Era.

I am strictly an amateur, with no real experience in growing a garden. The purpose of this blog is to document my experiences as I learn by doing. It is anything but authoritative and I welcome any comments and advice for a greenhorn. Please be kind!

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

The Garden in Bloom

A few weeks ago I went with my girlfriend to the Pennsylvania Lavender Festival in Fairfield, PA. I came back with some new ideas for using the lavender and other herbs that we grow here in the Pry House Garden. We already use our lavender in making fragrant wands and sachets for sale in our bookshop. Perhaps these crafts can be the subject of another future blog post.



The lavender is in full bloom and buzzing with bees. It isn't the only thing flowering in the garden right now, so I thought I would share a few of my amateurish pictures to share some of the blooms from lately in the garden.

Blue-podded Blauwschokker Pea Blossoms

Red Admiral butterfly in the Lavender

yellow Calendula or Pot Marigold

Purple Coneflower or Echinacea

Thyme

Feverfew

Borage, sometimes called Starflower

A bumblebee in the lavender

St. John's Wort

Hyssop

Strawberry

Lambs Ear

Germander

Spearmint

A White Cabbage butterfly in the lavender