When I moved into my current house, it came with this adorable little path lined with hostas and colorful flowers popping up around the fence, which led to the back gate. This back gate was old and rickety and screeched like an irascible cat* when you opened or closed it. Otherwise, charming!
This tiny pathway kept reminding me of the story, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
*Irascible Kat should be my spy girl name.
Before we head into this magical story…
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I love The Secret Garden. I read the book, saw the movie, sang the music, and even performed in a community musical of the show.
The mystery of the secret garden and what was just over that enchanted wall spoke to my romantic imagination. I was enamored when the main character started to uncover new buds popping from the earth and how she began to nurture them.
I think about this story a lot when I’m outside planting and discovering blooms coming alive after a long winter. (Also when I’m being eaten alive by mosquitoes and how that’s never in the original version.)
And I’ve wanted a magical, secret garden door of my own for YEARS. I tell everyone about this dream, too!
BUT. No contractor wanted to remove the gate and make a magical secret garden door for me. Most of them weren’t really into my fairy tale thinking and pretty much ghosted me when I started talking about arched entryways, iron scroll-work, speakeasy doors, and…CASTLES.
But when our enormous ash tree hit the fence recently during a storm, causing for the removal of the poor, old tree and a new fence, I was determined to find someone who’d build me my dream secret garden door.
You were good to us, pretty shade tree.
That’s when I met Sergio.
Sergio said he’d build the secret garden door!
Just knowing all of my fanciful musings would come true made me very happy amidst having to pay for all the damage of the fallen tree, through cash money and stress!
But everything would be fine because, in the end, there would be magic and joy! And in this life, we’ll take magic and joy anywhere we can find it.
Sergio is an EXCELLENT fence builder. He’s also an artisan who takes great pride in precise craftsmanship and being kind to his customers. I loved how eager he was to build the secret garden door, his honest-to-goodness work ethic, and his bright personality.
I truly value these qualities because not all contractors are a diamond in the rough. And Sergio is a true gem!
I started my usual rabbit hole with Pinterest and made a Secret Garden Door board!
What I was continually drawn to were arched castle doors, fancy schmancy ornate ironwork, and adorable little peepholes like you’d find in a speakeasy or medieval fortress.
I also was drawn to eclectic fairy tale colors and huge skeleton keys.
Thank you to my lovely friend, Kendall, for the sweet pic!
Thank you to an amazing artist and friend, Sarah, for hand lettering these gorgeous place cards!
And let’s not forget a door knocker. 100% necessary!
I love vintage, quirky, and old-world décor…especially something that looks like it came out of a storybook. This helped me to pick out the hardware. And there are so many cool designs online that it was a bit difficult for me to narrow things down!
Another thing I love about The Secret Garden was the beautiful stone wall that framed the old door. Since I didn’t have a beautiful stone wall, I thought that a dramatic trellis could achieve a similar look.
So I went down a dramatic trellis rabbit hole and found this gorgeous arbor.
I then pondered over gate security. After all, part of the challenge in the book was cracking the code to get into the actual garden. I LOVED the oversized skeleton key that I envisioned in the story and thought about something like this heart-shaped padlock. But then I’d have to get a different kind of doorknob and not these perfectly antique-inspired handles.
I also thought about getting a whole keyhole system, but then that would be locksmith level work and I definitely wanted to stay on Sergio’s good side!
This red bronze slide bolt is what I landed on and it’s even prettier in person!
So…COLORS. I waffled between a coral pink and periwinkle. This isn’t unusual for me. I can definitely be a waffler!
I kept going back to periwinkle. There was something very bewitching about periwinkle!
You have bewitched me body and soul.
Jane Austen
Once we had all of the materials and Sergio’s team had completed the fence, it was go-time for the secret garden door!
When I continued emailing Sergio’s office with all of my wackadoodle ideas, inspiration photos, and hardware purchases, it did cross my mind that they rued the day they met me.
I even said, “Sergio, you’ll probably regret the day you ever met me!”
And when I was like, “Is it possible to add a majestic speakeasy grille with all of these fancy hinges and latches and the necessary door knocker?” Sergio said, “Yes!”
And when I was like, “Do you think you could paint it in a whimsical color of my choice?” Sergio said, “Sure!”
And when I was like “So, could the door also be arched, plus an arbor for potential climbing roses?” Sergio was like, “Definitely!”
He would even plant the roses for me!
I had hit the secret garden door JACKPOT.
With several days of creative planning, collaboration, and hard work, this beauty was born:
Materials
- Speakeasy grille
- Door knocker
- Faux hinges
- Door handles (These are not only absolutely stunning, but are very comfortable and functional.)
- Speakeasy door hinges
- Speakeasy door latch
- Main door latch (Very much recommend this and want to find more reasons in my house for latches so I can put them EVERYWHERE!)
- Butterfly hinges (supplied by Sergio!)
- Easy Care Paint from True Value Hardware; Color: Satisfaction
- Arbor
- Roses: Agatha Christie from Heirloom Roses (Coming soon in Part Two!)
craftsmanship
Sergio and his team do a lot! They build wood, vinyl, steel, chain link, and split rail fences. They also construct arbors and retaining walls, do concrete work, and plant gardens.
Oh, and don’t forget: Secret Garden Doors!
What I love about this door is the happiness it’s brought to my life. It proves just a modest touch of creativity and personality can make a big difference.
But you don’t even have to go to this elaborate level when adding your own sparkle to your space. It can be an abstract painting, an interesting lamp, or an antique instrument you can’t wait to display. It’s whatever makes you happy!
If you have a unique idea that’ll make your home more YOU, listen to your heart. Your heart knows you best!
Nice write up! You had so many views of the Secret Garden gate in the Secret Garden. It was very interesting to look at it from different points of view!
Thank you, Dad!