The Secret Gardens

When I was little, I used to imagine that I was a character from Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel, The Secret Garden.  There were no walls in my garden at Penwood but I created imaginary walls among the tall ferns in Fern Village, and the grassy field in the Morning Bay.  Today, as we work on the landscaping of Penwood, there are outdoor "rooms" that we are gradually creating -- the Park, a flat grassy area by the water, where the flags fly and the hammock swings in the wind; Hobbiton, a secret area near the bay behind a series of trees and saplings, where there are wild grasses and a marshy beach in the lake; and Nina's Point, the tip of the smaller of the two peninsulas that comprise the best parts of the land; the Beach, separating the two peninsulas and providing a play space for the children and a place to park the canoes.  Each has its unique character and provides a different view of the park and the lake.