Gardening
Fooling Mother Nature
One of the ways that I satisfy my craving for spring, is by forcing arching branches of forsythia to bloom indoors. At Connecticut Country House, towards the end of February,…
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Spring Has Sprung Indoors
Though the ground was blanketed with a thick layer of snow, it didn’t stop Scot Haney of WFSB 3’s Better Connecticut from stopping by Connecticut Country House. As their Better…
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Planting Bulbs For Home & Garden
Whether getting the gardens ready for spring or prepping for the holidays, now is the time to get planting for gorgeous blooms! I had a great time in the WFSB…
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Good Things Come To Those Who Wait
Tumbling over the stone wall in front of Connecticut Country House is one very happy Sweet Autumn Clematis. When I admire the drifts of tiny, snow-white blooms, it’s hard to…
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West Side Story
From early spring into late fall, we crave spending time outdoors. The patios at Connecticut Country House serve as natural extensions of the interior spaces. My approach to arranging these…
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Snip It. Snip It Good.
It was love at first sight and snip! Whether I’m giving my rosemary topiaries a haircut, just snipping a couple of fragrant branches to cook with, or adding a touch…
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Country House Oven-Dried Garden Tomatoes
From ear to ear I grin. Daily. I love this time of year. Each trip to the kitchen garden reveals something ripe and ready to be picked. The tomato crop…
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Style Snippets for Country Living
I’m incredibly honored that Country Living magazine featured an article based on the simple style snippets that I presented at their 2016 Country Living Fair in Rhinebeck, NY. For those…
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Scented Small Spaces
This all-American vintage fruit-picking bucket gets a lovely French twist with the addition of small pots of lavender. Lined with a disposable foil loaf pan and tucked in so not…
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Sage Advice
This antique French hanging basket gets a makeover with every season. At the moment, Russian sage is making a big ethereal statement in the gallery. Brimming with elegant silvery green…
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Grow Arugula
My arugula crop is a kitchen garden success! Planted in early spring, the seeds have sprouted and the dandelion-like leaves have provided a peppery bite to our sandwiches and salads…
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Garlic Roasted Garden Tomatoes
At Connecticut Country House, we welcome tomato season every year with open arms and mouths. Freshly picked tomatoes from the kitchen garden are quickly incorporated into all manner of deliciousness.…
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Baby Boxwoods In Window Box
Uniformly clipped baby boxwoods, lined up in an old wooden window box, blur the line between inside and out. Placed in the large bay window of the family room, it’s…
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Copper Love
As a year round, die-hard gardener, I can’t resist a vintage copper watering can. Any shape. Any size. I am not shy about owning more than one. Having an assortment…
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Midsummer Blues
Country Home magazine was here recently, photographing Connecticut Country House for their upcoming Winter 2017 issue. It was a great opportunity to showcase the light and airy results of our…
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Grilled Summer Squash
While vacationing on Cape Cod a few years ago, the small cottage we rented came complete with a tiny herb garden abundant with fragrant oregano. Paired with freshly picked yellow…
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What’s Up In The Kitchen Garden
My kitchen garden is my happy place. It’s my baby. I’m drawn to open the picketed gate every day. Not because I have to check on it, but because I…
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An Edible Arrangement
Before planting that flat of perfectly gorgeous lettuce you just bought, how about using it as a simple summery centerpiece first? Beautiful spring green romaine lettuce makes for an unexpected,…
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Getting All Spruced Up!
Dear friends! So very excited to invite you to Connecticut Country House, Sunday, June 26th, 11-5, for the Newtown Historical Society House & Garden Tour! Murph and I will be here…
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The WOW Factor
I posted these yellow peonies on my Nora Murphy Country House Facebook page and everyone has had the very same comment: “I have never seen a yellow peony!!!” Neither had…
Keep ReadingCountry Living Fair Here I Come!
The Volvo is stuffed with all kinds of gorgeousness! I’m looking so very forward to not only attending the Country Living Fair, in Rhinebeck, NY today, but also to giving…
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My Chives Are Blooming!
Every spring, I know it’s time to clean up the kitchen garden when I see the grassy bright green tufts of the chives poking through the soil. Chives are the…
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A Scentsational Walkway
My first Snowball Viburnum came from a local Mother’s Day fundraising plant sale. I liked the idea of having something fragrant growing by the stone walkway that led to the…
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Bridal Veil Spirea
One of my favorite flowering shrubs that are in bloom at Connecticut Country House, is a Bridal Veil Spirea. Also commonly known as Bridal Wreath Spirea, its graceful, arching branches…
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Greenfield Hill’s Dogwood Festival
My hometown, Fairfield, CT, where I grew up, has changed a bit over the years. It’s become more populated, busier, and the Mom and Pop shops frequented as a kid,…
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