Well luckily for the Gaiety Hollow garden, our aborist is also a consumate woodworker, and has an eagle eye and native ingenuity.  The beautiful fences, arbors, trellises and gates that Lord and Schryver designed back in the 1920’s and 30’s are, of course made of wood.  And now…some 85 years later, repairs are needed…even though Dale Strand worked hard all the years he tended the garden.  It is a never ending task.  Take a look at what awaits…

Over the years the Strands had acquired and had milled a stock pile of wood for use in repair.

But when the house went on the market, it all had to go.  Luckily Woody Dukes was there and located an empty garage of a friend where the wood could temporarily be stored.  With his trusty crew the wood was placed on a trailer an moved (in two giant loads) to the garage.  Here was the trick though…each piece had to be passed out one at a time through the laurel hedge…

When the purchase of Gaiety Hollow became a reality, the wood needed to come home in order for Woody to begin the necessary repairs.  So the wood pile was moved again…

This time though they were able to pass it through a handy chute in the garage floor for storage in the basement…

And this week Woody built himself a work bench in the garage so he can get started…

on wheels for maneuvering…

His plans are at the ready…

Stay tuned!