The bed found in the center of the driveway can be seen in prolific bloom in the springtime as the peony that fill the bed bloom. 

Marie once told Audubon magazine, "There are three different stages to gardening. First you want to fill up space. then you become a collector, wanting to match similar plants, such as filling a whole bed with petunias. Finally, you want to paint a picture. Your pictures reach 'perfection' one day and then immediately begin to change and head for a new and different 'perfection.'"

Marie's garden continues to find new perfection, but remains the respite that she and John set forth to establish for the community.