L.M. Montgomery inspired me, and millions of others, to visit Prince Edward Island. I became familiar with the landscape of the island through her words, and I learned to love the island through her characters. The most popular, of course, is Anne-with-an-E Shirley and her adopted home, Green Gables. (Although, I have a weak spot for Emily of New Moon and Valancy Stirling, too.)
The first thing you should know about Green Gables in person is that it’s not the Green Gables in the movies. It doesn’t have the covered porch where Marilla knits waiting for Anne to come home. The second thing you should know is that it’s surrounded by a golf course. And just down the street is the Shining Waters Family Fun Park. It’s a strange contrast to have the Haunted Wood and Lovers Lane just down the street from the Cyclone.
But it has the iconic green gables
And it has a charming garden with vibrant flowers and stone benches.
Notice the golf course beyond the fence. 🙂
And they’ve decorated the interior to fit with the books.
Can you spot the raspberry cordial?
Even to the geraniums.
Oh, I like things to have handles even if they are only geraniums. It makes them seem more like people. How do you know but that it hurts a geranium’s feelings just to be called a geranium and nothing else? You wouldn’t like to be called nothing but a woman all the time. Yes, I shall call it Bonny.
Upstairs, you see relics of Anne and Marilla everywhere… the rich brown dress with its puffed sleeves, Anne’s broken slate, and, if you look really close, Marilla’s amethyst brooch.
And of course, the spare room.
We took a stroll in Lovers Lane…
and through the Haunted Wood.
And we did see Anne hanging around, although she was not at all talkative, so I have my doubts.
Before visiting Green Gables, I think I had in my mind that I would like to go hunting for fairyland there, just like Anne did. I wanted to commune with the old ghosts of the place. It turns out, though, that we spent the whole time getting to know a new friend. We met Catryn outside of Green Gables. She was visiting with her baby, and we started chatting. We loved talking to her about her travels and family. It didn’t give me any time for dreaming, but I realized that making a new friend was probably the most Anne-like thing I could have done.