Like most of us who garden in Ashland, rocks make our work more difficult. But Ashland Garden Club member and Master Gardener, Elena Lapitsky has taken full advantage of all the rocks and boulders on her property. While it took her many, many years and lots of hard work, Elena has created a variety of “garden rooms” or special spots that welcome you to sit and enjoy.

Gardening came later in Elena’s life. Gardening is her second passion. Her first was teaching. In last 20 years of her teaching career, she taught Russian language at Boston College and every minute in between she was working in her gardens. Growing up in a city founded in the 13th century and located on Baltic Sea, Elena was surrounded by beautiful gardens that created many unforgettable images in her mind and in her heart. When she moved into her first house, Elena realized that she needed to be surrounded by beauty and color to be happy, and to feel complete. Many of Elena’s gardens reflect the influence of her European background.  

The variety of Elena’s gardens is impressive. In fact visiting her gardens feels like you are in a botanical garden because of the wide variety of plants, flowering trees, fruit trees, and berries you will see. Now that Elena is retired, you can find her either working in her gardens or sharing her gardens with visitors. This summer, Elena has a booth at the Ashland Farmer’s Market where she is selling a variety of perennials grown in her own gardens using methods and materials that are all natural and free from any chemicals. She is considering offering seasonal tours of her many gardens. Check out her web site at www.gardenintherocks.com.