Robert Frost Farm, Derry

Sunny, hot and humid, not exactly the kind of day that you want to spend in a barn, but the Robert Frost Farm in Derry, NH is special.  Right on Rte 28, about two miles from Pinkerton Academy is a pretty little farmhouse with an attached barn that wouldn't really attract much notice if you didn't realize that one of our nations most famous poets once lived here with his family.   The three story barn has been fixed up into a visitors center, and if you're lucky the park ranger Bill, might be playing his guitar when you pull in.  The barn smells like most barns do when they're no longer in use as animal shelters.  A little musty, with phantom smells of sweet grass hay and dry pine shavings. 

For a small donation ($4 for NH residents) you get a tour of the house with a little history lesson on the Frost family, about their time living and working in Derry. One of my favorite parts of visiting is the Hyla Brook Nature / Poetry Trail. The trail runs through the woods and around the pasture behind the house, small signs and a trail guide give you snippets of Frost's poetry and information about your surroundings. 

The best time to visit is summer, because the house is open for visitors then, but it is not air conditioned so be prepared for the heat and some parts of the house are not accessible in a wheelchair.  Avoid the woods during the fall unless you are wearing hunter's orange.  -AMA

Robert Frost: The Poet as Philosopher    Hyla Brook

Fuller Gardens

The Organic Rose Garden

Roses are my favorite flower, so every year I head to Fuller Gardens. These gardens are all that remain of Governor Fuller's fine estate on Little Boar's Head in North Hampton. Each year a section of the garden reveals itself to me.  Unusual rose varieties, a restored fountain or new sculpture provide a pleasant surprise. The roses are a big draw here, with over one hundred varieties to view, people come to see the color explode in summer. When you walk into the gardens the warm raspberry smell of these roses is almost overwhelming. Perenials are mixed in here and there. Cosmos and morning glories surround the well, while beds of dahlias with sunflowers guard the conservatory.  Inside the conservatory are tropical blooms, a variety of cacti and a tranquil pond with gently flowing water. Statues and strategically placed benches enhance the sense that an artist created this place. While the flowers and roses in the gardens are extraordinary, one of my favorite spots is the little Japanese garden. Beautiful and quiet it's an absolute oasis on a hot day. Sitting among the red cedars, with the water fall and bamboo fountain gently rocking behind you, for a moment you get a sense of perfect peace. Plan to arrive when the gardens open at 10 for quiet enjoyment, after 10:30 until closing at 5:30 the gardens bustle with activity. A sign on 1A directs tourists to the garden. Cost of admission is $7 for adults.  -AMA