Sleeping Rooftop Garden

Can you visit a garden any season of the year and appreciate its beauty? I know many people that only focus on the flowers. However a die-hard gardener like myself can see beyond the bloom to the structure and bones of the garden. This weekend I found an unexpected surprise in New Hampshire - a sleeping rooftop garden at the Mount Washington Resort.

The Mount Washington, a beautiful hotel built in 1902, has a very storied history. Over the last decade the current owners have given the hotel new life.  I was pleasantly surprised to find the original character and atmosphere of the hotel in tack after they added a huge addition to house a spa and conference center.

Upon arrival at the hotel, there was little snow on the ground due to a recent warm spell. The weather was just right to venture out and check out the views from the roof of the new addition. As I climbed the long staircase, I was surprised to find a whole series of raised gardens - think massive troughs.  And even though it is winter, I could see the signs of alpine plants – no surprise considering this is a mountain resort with a cool climate, short growing season and probably fairly harsh growing conditions.

These gardens have piqued my interest. I am looking forward to making another visit to the hotel next summer to see the plants in the rooftop gardens in all their growing glory.

Here are a few more pictures of the beautiful Mount Washington Resort.  A snow fall the second evening of my visit enhanced the festive holiday air of the weekend.