Dave and Barbara Whittemore: Family Gardeners

Back when Barbara and Dave Whittemore were starting their garden, it took a lot of experimentation. Barbara was used to sunny environments, but their yard is in the shade. Their goal was to make a garden that showcased the variety of colorful flowers that can still thrive in that climate. 

“...hostas thrive in this environment. Hostas have evolved from white flowers to very, very dark purple flowers. The flowers add certainly some color to the environment.”

Nestled among the beautiful hostas sits a unique feature to the garden: a railroad track. They have built a miniature town, dubbed Whit’s End Gardens, that the train runs through. The plants add the perfect amount of realism to the tiny environment, both in the looks and the care required to keep it running. 

“It's just like a real railroad. It's going to hit branches and stuff…They have to continuously prune the right of way for the train to get through.”

When asked who the garden is for, Barbara and Dave emphasize that it’s for everyone from young children to people their age. They want everyone to be inspired by the hard work that they’ve done to make a place filled with joy. 

“For us being retired to have the plants and the challenges keeps us thinking, keeps us reading, keeps us all researching…And I'm hoping that people, when they look through here, they would see something that would make them smile.”

A film by Michael Chernoff.