Archive for the ‘Gardening’ Category
Sunday, February 28th, 2010
Once this dratted winter is finally gone, there will be some projects that I plan to work on around the Inn. Until the days stay warmer (40s and above), I can’t assess the entire property, but there are some things that I know will need to be done. Over the Winter, my major project was repainting the downstairs and upstairs common hall areas and stairway. The previous color is what I call salmon. I changed it to a light vanilla on the first floor and one shade darker on the second floor. With the exception of a patch of wall going up the stairs which I cannot reach, this has been accomplished. The unpainted patch will have to be done by a professional who has the proper scaffolding. I am quite pleased with the results. You can see the salmon pink color still on the wall in the first photo as a reference.
Now, I’m compiling a list of goals to accomplish during the Spring season. So far, here is what I’ve got:
- repair the “roof” of the gazebo which collapsed under the weight of the first snow we had in December. After assessing the damage, I’m confident that with some new wood arms, I can repair the ones that broke.
- replace any dead plants and bushes around the patio areas and in containers. Plant new plants in the pergola area to continue filling it in as a garden area.
- replace some rotting wood around the front porch roof and outside the bay window of the dining room.
- build a small 4X6 vegetable/fruit garden outside the kitchen on the edge of the pergola/garden area. I would like to start small with a few vegetables and fruits and expand from there.
- research the feasibility of building and stocking a small chicken coop enclosure to provide eggs for cooking. This may not end up being a goal, it’s just an idea right now and I want to look into whether this is even something the city of Asheville will allow me to do.
Spring is a short 3 months so I think this list is a good start and should keep me busy. I will post updates and photos as I go along. I would love comments and advice from anyone with experience in any of these areas or things you experienced when working on a similar project yourself.
Tuesday, July 7th, 2009
Our typical “busy” season runs from Memorial Day through New Years, with a few gaps in between where things slow down. By busy, I mean that most weekends are full and mid-week is 40%-60% occupied.
This year, I have been holding my breath with the slower economy, but can actually report that May and June were good months. Still, there is a little way to go before we get back to where we were last year since the first quarter of 2009 was very slow.
If I can report any trends in travel as I have seen it this year, there have been two major differences. One, people are not traveling for as long as they had in past years. Average stays during the summer were 4-5 nights and this year, the average is closer to 2.5-3 nights. Secondly, I am not seeing as much advance reservations. It used to be that people would make their summer plans 3-6 months in advance. This year, that advance planning is about 1-2 weeks before they come. That makes me a little nervous since I am not getting booked on weekends, in some cases, until the week of.
Other trends are that people are not traveling from as far away and most of my guests are visiting from the east coast. People are also looking for bigger bargains and cheaper rates. While my rates are slightly lower from 2008 for several rooms, I am looking for ways to increase the guest experience while here rather than simply offering the cheapest room. Most people who stay at B&Bs are looking for a different experience anyway and recognize the added value that they get when staying at a B&B versus a standard hotel.
As with any old house, the work is never done, so I am staying busy this summer maintaining the gardens and updating/renovating throughout the property. I just bought a new fountain for under the pergola and as soon as I get a pump and install it, guests will have another water feature to enjoy as they walk up to the house. I recently had a dead pine tree removed from the corner of the front porch and just planted 3 purple crape myrtle bushes in its place.
Summer is also the time of year for the majority of our weddings and receptions. We had a wedding/reception in June, July 4th weekend had a reception and we have 2 weddings coming up at the end of July and mid-August. I try to keep the number of events to a small number each year since every event causes wear and tear on the house and property. I average 6-10 events a year with the majority being between May – October. We also have elopements here and other small gatherings and events so that keeps things exciting.
Since I try to do as much work around here as possible, I love to barter with other local service providers for their work. I’ve gotten landscaping done through barter and am open to anyone who has a service they’d like to trade.
Tuesday, May 5th, 2009
I’ve been trying to do as much gardening as possible before I leave for Ireland this Saturday. I have just about gotten the majority of projects started or completed. It is a great relief the see the fruits of my labors over the past couple of months as a lot of stuff has bloomed, is in bloom, or is getting ready to bloom.
I have been planting a lot of oranges and purples, my two favorite colors. I have found some vibrant orange azalea bushes at two of the local Ingles Grocery stores and I love them! 
I have paired them with purple azaleas and two lilac bushes in front of the house and down the side of the slope in between the arborvitae trees. I still need to get another 6 bushes to complete that project, but it seems that only Ingles has the orange ones and I snagged all that I could (only $17 each).
I also broke my back finishing the stone path on the opposite side of the gazebo, but I think it looks great! I planted some lemon thyme and lime thyme on the edge and in between some of the stones and so as they spread, they will fill in some of the space between the stones. With the extra stones that I didn’t use, I stacked them up in the corner of the fence and created a stacked sculpture.
I’ve also been doing a lot of container planting, on the patio and the front porch. Other than buying plants and potting soil, I’ve been able to use and re-use pots and containers I’ve had taking up space around the Inn. Here are some miscellaneous photos of my container plants. See if you can guess what the plants are (there are some that came back this year and I honestly don’t know what they are).
