Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05
July 3, 2008 issue
Local Gardens: Peabody’s Grows Grapes and Flowers
Story by Amy Cooke
“When we first came here, we got rid of the gas tanks and the awning and wanted to make sure it didn’t look like a [convenience] store anymore,” explained Gregg Parsons, co-owner of Peabody’s Wine & Beer Merchants on Highway 105 in Boone. “We didn’t improve it at all, so the only thing it’s fit for is grapes and onions and weeds.”
Grapevines grow in poor soil, surrounded by stones in many parts of the world, so the new owners decided to give it a try. The grapevines are thriving in the poor soil and asphalt-reflected heat and provide interest for customers and the motorists stopped in front of the store during busy summer traffic. “We got a gas-operated four-man post hole digger and it was so bad that it didn’t work,” said Parsons. “We had to dig the holes by hand.”
Frequent motorists also know to look for the flowers blooming to the left of Peabody’s. Coleman McCleneghan, wife of co-owner Jeff Collins, watched the two men start working in the new flowerbed, including planting the showy wisteria vine, several years ago. “I just elbowed my way in and started intently working on it about four years ago. One reason is that where I live, there are a lot of trees, and this vents my gardener’s need to grow flowers in full sun,” McCleneghan said.
The garden remains a group effort, and friendly gardeners have donated many of the plants. “People give me things and I grow and divide them. Spring is my favorite with all of the bleeding hearts. They have grown huge there,” said McCleneghan. “We try to keep something green all year so there is something to look at even in the winter. Somebody gave me a geranium with early purple flowers, but the real thing is that it has foliage that stays green in the snow. It has a wonderful geranium smell, too.”
Summer features the showy butterfly weed with its brilliant orange flowers. “I started that from seed and was so glad this one lived after the one I planted at home died. It really does have butterflies and you can see the flowers from way down the road,” McCleneghan said.
The purple phlox and sedums will follow the daylilies and echinaceas, and the growing season will end with a giant sunflower that grows more than 10 feet tall in the back of the flowerbed.
Despite the work it takes to keep a garden looking good all year, McCleneghan enjoys the challenge. “I love gardening. I’m glad to have the time and be able to do it, and all of Boone is my audience. People make comments about it all the time and it makes me feel good.”
Enjoy the flowers all summer and into fall and don’t forget to look for the grapes in front of the store. “We have different kinds of grapes, and as soon as they are ripe I call the Swap Shop,” explained Parsons. “I tell them it’s time and I get the bags ready.” Peabody’s provides bags and lets people pick the grapes without charge.
“It’s a great time,” Parsons said. “The people swarm in here and we give away bushels and bushels of grapes.”