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Mauri Rapp Abington Journal Correspondent

Karen and Carmen Trovato have the perfect remedy for forgetting one’s worries and cares, right in their backyard. Rather than spend tons of money on a spa retreat or vacation getaway, they simply step outside and enjoy their gardens. “They say that people garden as a form of therapy,” said Karen. “It’s true. Out here you can forget you have a care in the world.”

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Garden 7: Karen and Carmen Trovato, West Abington Township

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The fruits of the Trovatos labor in the garden

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When the Trovatos first bought their land on the crest of Wilbur Hill in West Abington Township, the entire yard was a field. Now, eight years later, it has been transformed into a spacious yard with several gardens containing herbs, spices, vegetables and flowers. Karen said that in order to get the soil in working order, the Trovatos fertilized the ground with an abundant amount of horse manure. “Then we just started planting,” she said.

Several large boulders uncovered during the excavation of the land serve as ornamental stone pieces on either side of the Trovato driveway which have been adorned with Black-eyed Susans, lilies and coneflowers, along with a welcome sign to greet guests. “Some of these flowers, I didn’t even plant,” Karen laughed. “They must have been carried from my other gardens, but they looked nice so I left them there.” Upon traveling up the drive to the Trovato home, the first sight is the white trellis. Sunflowers, decorative trees and climbing vines surround the trellis and subsequent walkway. Eye catching plants near the walkway are the lush ornamental grasses that flank the front porch, which have grown to approximately 10 feet . Before arriving at the porch, a calming gurgle of the Trovato small garden pond can be heard. It is hidden from sight among shrubbery and flowers. “Sometimes we just sit out here and relax and listen to it,” Karen said. “It’s like having our own little paradise.” A focal point of the front yard is the garden bed, which in the spring features more than 700 tulips and daffodils. “You have to see it in the spring,” Karen said. “It’s just a sea of color.” Their backyard also features a long garden bed. At the foot of the yard, Carmen has planted a large herb garden, while at the top of the yard he has planted a vegetable garden. “He does the vegetable gardening, I do the flower gardening,” she said. “That way, there’s something for both of us.”

Caring for so many gardens is simple, said Karen. “Faithful watering and Miracle-gro,” she said. “That’s all we do. This year we haven’t had to water too much, but I always make sure that the flowers are watered.” She said she also makes sure to tend to the perennials. “I clip, I shape, I make sure they look nice,” she said.

As for future plans for the garden, Karen said that next year, she would like to plant a weeping cherry tree to create a focal point for the backyard flower bed. “I’m always planning in my mind what I want to do next,” she said. That planning, she said, often takes place when the Trovatos take a trip to the local bookstore. “About every six weeks, we go up to Borders and grab a cup of coffee, and just browse through a few books,” she said. “We get a lot of ideas that way, and it’s a nice, relaxing time for us.”

A relaxing time that will carry on after the planting is complete. “We have the best of all worlds here,” she said. “We can sit on the front porch and relax while watching the world go by, we can sit on the back porch when we want privacy, and we can work in our gardens when we feel like we need it.” The Trovato gardens are truly a therapeutic source of relaxation, not only for the Trovatos but for anyone who visits.

Want to nominate?

The Abington Journal and theabingtonjournal .com are running a 14-week story series written by Mauri Rapp and a contest on home gardens in the greater Abington coverage area. We will accept nominations for 14, which will be featured in print and online through Oct. 28. Our readers will vote at the Abington Journal office and on our Web site. To nominate a garden, call Editor Kristie Grier Ceruti at 570.585.1604 or email kgrier@theabington journal.com. Weekly winners will receive a $10 gift card from Corky’s Garden Path. One grand prize winner will receive a $200 gift card.