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Jayne Bentzen’s garden surrounds her home. The property also includes the historic Red Mill in Litchfield County, Connecticut. This location has history dating back to native American tribes in pre-Colonial times, who had a camp near the River Sprain. As well as working to restore the old mill building, Jayne and her husband, Benedict, have re-established a flower-laden garden around the house. “We could tell from the variety of plants and the remnants of border plantings and so on that the previous owner had made a quite a lovely garden.”
Although careful observation of the site helped to guide Jayne in her planning and planting, she was took her lead from the land. Recognizing that anything that went on the garden would end up in the Sprain—and in their well, which is the source of drinking water at Red Mill Farm—Jayne and her family do their best to garden in as eco-friendly a way as possible. Making the switch from chemical gardening to chemical-free is an ongoing process.
Photographs by Matthew Benson
Written by Ethne Clarke
Produced by Tovah Martin
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