Monday, June 23, 2008

Gardens Galore

Summer means garden tours...I looove garden tours. I love it that there are people out there that are willing to open up their personal space to folks like me...we oogle...we ahhhh....we admire. This weekend the Horticulture Society for the county had their tour, it was
a-ma-ziiinggggg! I'd had a rough week but I was so determined to go, there was no stoppin' this garden gawker.There were six gardens in all, one in particular that I really wanted to see. I had checked out the web site, I knew from the description and location that it would be a wow garden...I also thought it might be something I could get some ideas for our garden here at the farm. We need to make some changes if we're going to stay living here, the maintenance on this place is a bit overwhelming for me these days. I looove to be in the garden but "this old body" of "this old lady" on "this old farm" can't work as hard as I used to, my body is wearing out a bit. Dang it!
Check out the the Dogwood blossoms in the shot above....crazy pretty! They had a half dozen of these trees along the driveway...absolutely stunning. I've planted that many....one after the other, and they all promptly died on me from anthracnose - I need to admit that this tree is not suited for my site....I'm in denial about that....and I will keep buying them, they will keep dying. Therapy? Perhaps that would be in order....for me....not the tree.
The entrance to the property, big beautiful pots placed on each side of the wide sidewalk... planted simply and stunning with a goregous tree.

This mass planting of lavender 'Otto Quast'...I can't grow that either. We live ten miles away from this garden but we're also a zone colder...with heavy clay soil. Bummer, I love this lavender....absolutely stunning planted in a huge mass like this.
Stone work to make me swoon..this garden had it - and more.
Stone pathway around the back of the house. I love going to the stone yard...rock freak that I am. Knowing the price of stone and big rocks is sometimes a bad thing. I was walking up the stone steps doing the math on the rock alone...never mind the cost of installation! Ohhh...it was so beautiful, I paused for a moment ...gave the math a break and admired all the hard work that went into this place.

At the base of the lavender walk this is the view that was waiting for you, this hidden cove. Ohhh man, be still my heart.

If you turn your head 30 degrees you get to look at this!

I should have packed a picnic! These chairs were placed perfectly to enjoy those goregous views. Ok...so this place was definitely not low maintenance, the grade was pretty steep as well. But it was pretty...ohhh mannn was it pretty!
I don't even want to think about the property taxes...uh oh...there's that math thing again.
Tomorrow's post? More gardens!







5 comments:

Pigtown*Design said...

How funny! The garden I was in had the same chairs. They look great but aren't comfortable after a while - and I have a lot of padding!

Have you tried cousa dogwoods? they seem more disease resistant.

Also, did you look at the foodie blog for kitchen garden pix?

Dianne said...

OMG! the lavendar!!

what beautiful gardens, what amazing homes. I don't know if I could take that tour, I might not be able to leave.

Anonymous said...

Thank you. My heart has just feasted on the sites of home.

Carletta said...

Well that was a wonderful garden tour beginning with the pink dogwood!
I want to be sitting in one of those chairs by the water.
This was lovely - thanks for taking us along.

Shelly said...

PD - I have lots of padding too, and I still want padding on my chairs...guess I'm getting old and cranky. Had a cousa, it croaked...dannggg. Thanks for directing me to the foodie blog and the garden pics...oh my goodness that place is over the top cool.

Dianne - I didn't have a problem leaving cuz I felt sorta out of place...but coming home to a lot of unfinished projects and a messy house was what got me...who lives here anyway? Messy Martha?

Quilly - I'm here for ya honey..anything else you want me to pic & post?

Carletta - The view was definitely one to swoon over...I can't imagine waking up there every day.