After purchasing the Stuart Avenue Inn, Chris and I began assessing the adjoining garden known as The McDuffee Gardens (after Alice McDuffee who lived on the lot and tended a nationally recognized Shakespearean garden in the 20s); also known as The Casteel Gardens (after the man who demolished the house in the 80s and landscaped a formal garden with meandering footpaths, flower beds, gazebo, and pergola); and sometimes referred to as "The-then-so-grand-now-so-sad-gardens" (after twenty years of intervening neglect). Trees intended to be pruned and shaped grew gangly and misshapen as they competed for light. Overgrown hedges lost their trim and shapely silhouettes. We tripped over stone edgings to forgotten flower beds. What to dig out. What to transplant. What to compost. These topics dominated our conversations.

Chris and I purchased the Inn in July and set to repairing and polishing this Kalamazoo gem. The Inn and adjacent Gardens had begun to show signs of neglect. Broken bed frames, outdated furnishings, a leaky roof, failing air conditioners and furnaces, the remnants of a once beautiful garden - and an outdated website to boot. It has made many wonder about our decision. But for us - we like a challenge.

We've been hard at work this summer and hope to fill you in on our past and present exploits - but feel free to stop by and check us out in person. You'll likely be greeted by our big black hound known as "Belvedere." Unless you're a squirrel, you're safe.