A Twin Cities Fling: Part III

At this summer's Garden Bloggers' Fling, each day built on the last, with surprises around every corner and at every destination. (See day one summary here and day two summary here.) We spent day three primarily in St. Paul, ending with our final garden in the "wilds of Wisconsin."

Our first stop was the Como Park Japanese Garden and Conservatory, described by Fling organizers as the "go-to refuge from the winter cold" for Twin Cities residents.



An impressive bonsai collection greeted us near the entrance. While I don't practice bonsai, the displays always capture my curiosity. How do they do this so well?



Como Park also has an impressive Japanese garden. The City of Nagasaki presented St. Paul with plans for the garden in 1977, to honor the bond the two cities forged in 1955, becoming the first sister-city partnership established between an Asian and an American city. (Click on the photo to read more about it.)



Quite an impressive conservatory: The 64-foot crystal dome houses more than 150 tropical palms and cycad species.



On our way in and out of Como Park, we were captivated by the water plants and magic of the reflecting pond. Every angle provided a new view.

Next, we headed to the home of garden writer Marge Hols, which is about two blocks from Minnesota's Governor's Mansion.



The fencing and gardens at the entrance complemented the architecture of this stately home.



Marge's was a comfortable garden, with artfully placed obelisks, trellises, and plantings. Bee Balms (Monarda spp.) were in full bloom during the Fling, adding color and character.



I enjoyed this path that combined attractive flagstones with mixed plantings of low-growing ground covers.



Plantings along a metal fence spilled through on both sides--a simple but beautiful effect.

Next, we headed for Lee and Jerry Shannon's garden, named one of the five best gardens in the Twin Cities.



An urban garden that looked like a typical bungalow from the front, the Shannon's garden featured countless little treasures in a "secret" garden in the back--two-thirds of an acre filled with whimsical decorations, amazing plants, and creative touches.



It was impossible to ignore this orange Oriental Lily and purple Penstemon pairing.



As always, the 'Summer Beauty' Alliums were a hit with gardeners and pollinators, alike.



It was nice to see colorful peppers used as ornamentals and edibles.



The Shannons shared their unique recipe for their hypertufa containers, filled with miniature plants, herbs, succulents, and semi-succulents.

The herbs whetted our appetites--good timing, because our next activity was lunch, hosted by Bailey Nurseries.



After lunch, we toured their impressive Display and Collection Gardens.



We saw great examples of how to design pathways, sitting areas, and planting arrangements.



More masses of Alliums and Monardas ... gorgeous.



'Tiger Eyes' Sumac paired well with 'Royal Purple' Smokebush.

Our final Minnesota garden tour was at Squire House Gardens in Afton. The independently owned garden shop, located in an old historic house, is surrounded by formal and casual gardens.



This pond, surrounded by potted plants and statuaries, offered inspiration.



I was mesmerized by the Great Black Wasps picnicking on the Sea Holly (Eryngium).

Then we headed across the border to Wouterina "Riana" de Raad's Concrete Mosaic Sculpture Garden, near Beldenville, Wis.



Words and a few photos really can't do this garden justice. Riana, herself, along with a friend gave us a tour of her whimsical property filled with one-of-a kind mosaics and an amazing collection of plants.



She used pebbles as mosaics for some pieces, such as this garden chair.



Others incorporated ceramics, glass, shells, and other fascinating shards of spent objects. I particularly enjoyed the mosaic planters like this one, welcoming a wee bird's nest.



This large planter looked fabulous stuffed with foliage of various colors, shapes, and forms.



It was nifty to see some of Riana's future projects in wire mesh form.



Even the simple touches, like the heart on this bench, were strikingly lovely.



My favorite pieces were Riana's deeply personal creations, like this sculpture depicting a loving mother and child, which she created during a trying time.



And this depiction of Riana pledging her dedication as caretaker of her magical garden.

If you live anywhere near Beldenville, Wis., a visit to Riana's sculpture garden is definitely worth the trip!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Thanks to all the organizers, sponsors, gardeners, and homeowners for a wonderful day three at the Garden Bloggers' Fling! For more excellent posts from the 2016 event, visit the Fling website.

Photo by Diane McGann

Most of all, thanks to my fellow bloggers and Fling attendees for your smiles, support, and friendship. Until we meet again ...

Next year's Fling will be held in the Capital Region--Washington DC, Northern Virginia, and suburban Maryland. Tammy of Casa Mariposa will be the host. For more information, visit the Fling website.

A Twin Cities Fling: Part II

What could be better than starting the morning with butterflies and gardens?

The light was magical on the second day of the recent Garden Bloggers' Fling (see day one summary here). Our first stop was Vera's Garden, a community garden nestled along a portion of the Midtown Greenway, a five-mile bike route through the heart of Minneapolis.



It was an awesome place, and the oblique angle of the early sun captured the colors and shapes of the plants in nifty ways.



Glancing down a shaded path, the morning view had a "secret garden" aura.



The ornamental and vegetable beds at Vera's Garden are maintained mostly by volunteers and sponsored by Minnesota Green, a program of the Minnesota State Horticultural Society.



Vera's Garden was a pleasant blend of urban structure and vibrant, colorful green space.



Next, we headed to the western suburbs, where we visited several private gardens. The owners of these properties displayed helpful tips on how to deal with gardening challenges--from critters, to invasive plants, to heavy shade.



Once again, the oblique light on this partly cloudy day was magical.



If you looked closely in this garden, you could see tiny friends observing the day's excitement.



Quaint touches, like this garden's miniature tea pot bird feeder hanging near the path, were around every corner.



We drooled over this colorful potting shed, which fit perfectly in the setting.



Hostas in all sizes, shapes, and colors were artistically arranged.



I really enjoyed this creative rain garden designed to capture precipitation and prevent runoff on a steep grade. The plants, rock arrangements, and little touches were exquisite.



And then there was this incredible 100-foot stream in one of the gardens. It looped around the side yard and recirculated water along its path.



Next stop: The Guldberg's, for a comfy, dreamy lunch by the lake. Nancy Guldberg is a master gardener and one of the organizers of the local garden tour. We relaxed in her idyllically located garden between Lake Minnetonka and Lake Virginia.



Nancy's miniature garden featured tiny vignettes she designed with her grandchildren. The scenes change from year to year, including miniature varieties of plants and herbs combined with "fairy garden" accessories.



Decorative twig-shaped fencing marked the borders along the edge of the miniature garden.



At Nancy's garden, the lake, the open air, and pollinator-friendly plants, welcomed butterflies, like this Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.



Next, it seemed fitting to spend the afternoon at Springwood Gardens, a large daylily breeding and display garden. Once again, the light was perfect for the setting--a grand hilltop overlooking prairies and woodlands.



Puffy clouds, daylilies, and awesome pastoral views as far as the eye could see.



Karol Emmerich, the breeder/owner of the operation, had planted daylilies everywhere--even artfully lining the back road leading to a work area.



The statuary collection at Springwood Gardens was as fascinating as the daylilies. I found myself particularly enamored of this piece--imagining these children dancing and balancing across a log "bridge" on a warm Midwestern day. With the backdrop of the layered terrain, this piece looked different from every visual angle.



We ended the day at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum--another lovely setting.



Water features and seating areas greeted us along the paths of this impressive 1,200-acre, University of Minnesota public property.



We had limited time to explore because of our necessarily packed Fling schedule, but we briefly roamed the grounds to view various areas with colorful, expertly arranged plants.



Some of us had a sneak peek at the arboretum's soon-to-open bee and pollinator discovery center. Located next to the arboretum's iconic Red Barn and outdoor museum, the new discovery center will feature exhibits on the social behavior of bees and their vital role as pollinators of our food supply. The discovery center is scheduled to open this fall, so I hope to get back soon to see it in operation.

As the magical daylight waned, we gathered inside an auditorium for a Minnesota-themed buffet dinner, and we wondered how day three could possibly compete.

Thanks to all the organizers, sponsors, gardeners, and homeowners for a wonderful day two at the Garden Bloggers' Fling! More to come here on this blog, and others continuously updated at the Fling website.