About Our Garden
When we chose this property in the winter of 1983, we imagined the possibilities! With 1.8 acres, there would be lots of space for a vegetable garden and a border or two for perennials, for sure. This circa 1920’s “summer home” was boarded up and battened against the screaming winter winds off the lake. The knob and tube wiring was brittle, the plumbing was cast iron. There was no insulation and no heating except for an ugly painted brick fireplace; actually nothing much of anything except a fabulous panoramic view of Lake Ontario. We must have been crazy to even think of taking on this project!
During those first few winters, colourful plant catalogues helped pass the cold months. I placed a few orders for plants and imagined how glorious our gardens would be with the new additions to it each spring. Once the initial systems in the house had been torn out and replaced, I found time to spend in that perennial border. Thankfully the daylilies survived the neglect and the rabbits, not much else did. The daylilies were hardy, carefree and beautiful. That’s how the addiction started!
Our first mail order catalogue was published in 1996 and included a mixture of all forms of daylilies. My interest has evolved to the narrow and unusual forms. Bob enjoys whatever type the proliferations offer. We have changed the punctuation from “Strong’s” to “Strongs’ to better reflect Bob’s contribution to the business. As head digger and clump splitter, he does more than just grow proliferations to perfection.