by Lise Knouse on March 31, 2011
Artists live in almost every Santa Fe heart and are nowhere more present than in our gardeners. Santa Fe gardens are just beginning to wake up again for the season. I noticed pink buds on a fruit tree outside my house. and the green leaves of my perennials are just beginning to emerge. Daffodils, of course, are blooming happily and tulips will be out again in full force soon. If you have never seen a Santa Fe garden, it is a sight not to miss. Santa Feans create surprise gardens in courtyards, behind walls in unexpected nooks and crannies with fountains and drip irrigation. Easy care but gorgeous. Often you will drive up to a home where the landscape looks and is ‘au natural” and then you walk into the courtyard to find a stunning array of color, scents and little private spaces to sit and enjoy. Truly a gardening masterpiece!
by Lise Knouse on February 25, 2010
Santa Fe’s Eastside contains many diverse neighborhoods from the quaint to the spectacular, from the downtown barrio, walking distance to Santa Fe’s famous Plaza, to the wooded mountain hideaway. One charming mountain neighborhood, five minutes from downtown, is Hyde Park Estates.
This is a well-established community, begun in the 1970′s, where neighbors demonstrate pride of ownership in their community. Most of the homes in Hyde Park Estates are owner occupied. The community has a private well water system with city water as back-up. And, this neighborhood was planned to have only one entrance and exit to deter any potential crime.
You will often see neighbors outside walking their dogs, enjoying our pristine mountain air and spectacular views. And, there are many places to walk or hike. Hyde Park Estates has direct access to the National Forest. Many hiking trails in the community lead into the National Forest.
One of the nicest aspects of Hyde Park Estates is its location. It is a short drive to downtown Santaf Fe and a short drive to the Santa Fe Ski Basin. Residents have easy access to skiing as well as the many cultural events and restaurants that Santa Fe offers. Even better, the world famous Japanese Spa, Ten Thousand Waves, is directly across Hyde Park Road from Hyde Park Estates. Some residents can easily walk over there for a massage or a soak in one of their soothing hot tubs.
