Reinventing a pool into a garden
Delft House – Part 3
“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary”.
Galations 6:9
One of the greatest appeals of moving South from the North was the allure of a year-round garden. Many of you can relate to the enthusiasm and planning that comes with spring as we dream about the garden year ahead. With essentially two springs in Mississippi, my seed stash grew as quickly as my garden ideas multiplied. For inspiration and a glimpse into the beauty of English gardens, I pored over books by the famed Welsh gardener Arne Maynard, whose gardens have an almost fairy-tale quality.
The garden I inherited looked more like a nightmare than a fairy tale—and, to make matters worse, it even came with a snake, pictured below.
With all that said, the greatest challenge of this house also held the greatest potential for hosting and entertaining. The pool sits at the center of our yard, surrounded by a former pool house that we transformed into a cottage for our out-of-town guests. We wanted our guests to have a beautiful view of the garden during their stay, so I often found myself admiring the garden through the cottage’s large windows, envisioning what it could one day become.
The Cottage has a unique story. Originally built as a pool house complete with all the amenities, we had planned to connect it to the main house to create additional living space. Those plans came to an abrupt halt one day when we walked in to discover a cloud of termites flying through the room. It was quite the reality check. After a complete restoration, the Cottage remains unattached—and has become one of our favorite places to escape and unwind.
My initial thoughts on having a filled-in pool were far from positive. It’s safe to say that, with our hot Mississippi summers, I would have much preferred a swimming pool. We weighed our options, but the cost of restoring it to a functioning pool simply wasn’t realistic. Looking back, though, I’m not disappointed with our decision. In fact, most days I forget it was ever a pool at all. To me, it has always been my sunken garden.
It took my husband four months just to remove the existing plants. It was backbreaking work, as many of them had been there for years. Once they were cleared, the only thing left was a broken iron fountain in the center, which I envisioned as the garden’s focal point. My husband managed to get it working briefly, but the water never stayed running for long, so we eventually decided to fill the tiers with plants instead. Even now, I love changing it with the seasons—adding candles for parties and filling its tiers with pumpkins in the fall.
My husband constructed eight raised garden beds, which we painted black to create a striking contrast against the greenery. The deep color also helps warm the soil during the winter months, allowing me to continue growing throughout the year.
Of all our renovations, the garden has become our favorite place to gather and entertain. Since completing it, we’ve planted hydrangeas and roses along the border of the patio, with my favorite being the free-flowering Peggy Martin rose, which lights up the garden every spring.
Depending on the season, the garden is filled with an ever-changing array of flowers, herbs, and vegetables.
My seed stash has since turned into beautiful bouquets that I bring inside nearly every week. While the Mississippi heat certainly makes gardening a labor of love, it is one I wholeheartedly enjoy.
Join us next week as we reveal a fabulous party idea tucked away in the woods, in one of our favorite hidden spots on the property.
“The humblest tasks get beautified if loving hands do them”.
Louisa May Alcott
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