Proven Winners Garden

When you see these pictures, you're going to see why I had to go feed my containers yesterday.

 This Proven Winners Display garden at Four Star Greenhouse in Carleton, Michigan is close to PJ. 

 

I wanna know their secret rabbit repellant, cause we didn't see one sign of a rabbit anywhere.  Unlike my garden, where alyssum is considered the perfect midnight snack by the neighborhood bunnies.

It's too late to have big daisies blooming on the driveway, but maybe a few  flagstone leaves for the patio one day . . .

These black & white petunias are really cute--I couldn't find any when I got back home, so they're going on next year's list.

Every mixed container was like a work of art. 

I could look at this foliage container all day

 So much for that old one-spike-in-the-middle design . . .

I think this was my favorite bed--a swath of orange & red that seemed to go on forever.  If we  had the time, I'd be talking to Mark about traveling all over Michigan in August for their state-wide greenhouse tour.    In the meantime, feed those containers!  :)

And The Little Gardens

Aren't these little fairy herb gardens sweet?!?  It was so nice to meet Rhonda of Growing Herbs for Beginners.

The Big Garden

This topiary garden was next door to one of the gardens we toured this weekend.  We couldn't help but peek over the fence at the incredible sculptures.

This last one was my very favorite.  Wonder if he has a name.  And at first I thought maybe it would be really fun to have him greet me everytime I drove up into the driveway. . .  But then maybe he talks to his gardeners like my plants talks to me all the time--mine say things like "weed me" or "water me" or "feed me".  I bet this big guy has a booming voice that tells his gardeners "PPRRRUUNNNE MMEEE" every time they look at him.

Check out this post on The Farm's blog of the Rochester Woman's Club garden tour yesterday.  V and I had a great time this weekend being garden tourists.   Watch for more pictures of the gardens we saw.  And just for PJ, there's a video coming soon :)

Touring

This is a weekend of garden tours.  Today was the Artist's Studio & Garden tour to benefit the Prairie Art Alliance.  

 It was such a beautiful day.  Seventies, nice breeze, low humidity--couldn't have asked for nicer weather.

 This lake home features a bonsai garden, a greenhouse, a potting shed, a ceramic studio with three kilns, a woodworking shop, and a painter's studio.   Whew! 

This is a piece by Ed Martin.  He's a well-known glass artist here in Springfield.  Several of his pieces were featured, but this one in Wanda's garden was our favorite.

This is what you can do if you garden on a corner.

Such a cute paint job!

Tomorrow is the Rochester Garden Club's tour.  And it's garden walk time here at Canada Garden too.  Jordan & Ruta stopped by today, Phyllis is coming tomorrow, and Gail will be here on Monday.

I have a place all ready for some Annabelle hydrangeas in the front yard. I won't have quite the scope that is here, but they are pretty impressive where ever they are.

Beautiful statues . . .

Lori would have loved these snaps!

Washington Park Geese

G and Lilla were really taken with the geese on this walk.

Incredibly Delicious

We crammed everything we could into that two-day visit. These coleus are in the garden at Incredibly Delicious, one of our favorite places to lunch. A man was working with the plants while we were there--taking up some of the tropicals since we're expecting a cold snap tonight. More more coleus for next year's planting!
PS - Their food is as good as their garden. Menu: curry chicken salad (reminded us of Curtis Grace's recipe at House of Grace--our favorite place to lunch in Paducah) and pumpkin white chocolate cheesecake for desert.

Colin Folk Art

I was telling Lori about Colin Folk Art Gallery in Salisbury. These pieces are in Eva's garden, which was on the garden tour.

Window Garden

Mama sent these from one of her garden tours. Unless it was PJ? Sometimes I am sure of something--and then as soon as I write it down, or say it out loud, there's this uncertainty that immediately jumps out and says, "Are you sure? That might not be right". So anyway, mama or PJ sent these window shots. I have a couple of old windows that would look great hanging on the shed.

Pink Ladies

Mama sent these pictures from one of her garden tours in Michigan. Aren't these girls darling? Made from hollyhock blooms and I don't know what else. Their hats are so cute, and one looks like she has an umbrella. Lots of work and patience here.

Ugh

We went to Washington Park the other night and here's what was happening in the rose garden. Every bush, every bud--covered. Why aren't they spraying? Maybe they're trying to be organic, but this is just too much.

Alphabet Garden in the Park

The Junior League has a garden for kids every summer and this year they did this alphabet garden. Very cute idea--each letter had a flower planted beside it. Here's R for rudbeckia and S for salvia.

Arrangements

Here are a couple of arrangements that were in Eva's garden. All those beautiful tropical flowers put together so beautifully. There's going to be a "celebration" at work tomorrow--with cake. I'm so happy about the cake part. They were looking for a centerpiece (to put on the cake table) so I volunteered to make one. So now I'm nervous. I love putting flowers together, and I love giving them away to anyone who isn't expecting anything. But making something for someone who needs flowers? I start thinking all kinds of weird thoughts. What if they don't like it? What if the flowers wilt? What if this and that and oh, my gosh, give me a break. It's just a bowl of flowers!

Michigan Garden Tour

These are pictures from the garden tour that mama and PJ went on last week. Looks like it was a good one!

Floral Arrangement on the Garden Tour

Garden Tour Wisdom

Garden Tour

Lots of hydrangeas on this year's tour.