A Garden Full of Joy and Whimsy

You know your favorite aunt whose face lights up when you come to visit...her entire demeanor exudes joy and welcoming? That's what it was like to visit the garden of Jean Morgan, near Denver, Colo., during this year's Garden Bloggers Fling, earlier this month. (If you guessed Colorado, based on my last post: 3 points; Denver area: 5 points; Garden Bloggers Fling: 10 points!)



Jean was so genuinely happy to see us and share her garden--and warm and welcoming--that this particular visit was a highlight, for me, of the entire Fling! The house and property is a historic landmark in what previously was known as "Little Bulgaria" in the town of Louisville, Colo.



Jean has lovingly cared for this garden for several decades--designing and placing all the plants herself. Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum spp.), herbs, and other drought-tolerant plants cover the entire small property, creating a lovely xeric, low-maintenance garden.



Patches of Love in a Mist (Nigella damascena) create a dreamy frame for the succulents.



Part of the joy of Jean's garden is that it's real. By this, I mean that Jean authentically created the displays herself. The garden is full of whimsical touches, like this bathtub/metal objects creation, Barney Bazooka DeChomp III.



A pump faucet washtub full of herbs and its neighbor pot with a face.



This lady statuette who is "happily dying of chocolate," surrounded by real candy bar wrappers and Chocolate Daisies (Berlandiera lyrata). (I think most of us can relate.)



Jean has a delightful  pond with a waterfall, decorated with metal friends: a heron, a turtle, a cat, a crab, lobsters, and others.



Her fabulous crevice/rock garden is chock full of xeric plants, and is home to a family of quail figurines.

Other Fling attendees had similar impressions while visiting Jean's garden; and most of us had a grand time at the entire Fling this year. Watch for more coverage in the months ahead, by visiting this link. Next year, the Fling will be in Madison, Wis., and I'm on the planning committee!

Gardeners' Delight at Niagara Falls

Happy September! It seems like just yesterday I was in Buffalo, New York, and after that, at Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. The Association for Garden Communicators (GWA) held its Annual Conference and Expo in Buffalo, Aug. 4-7, and the full-day, post-conference story tour on Aug. 8 took us to Niagara Falls.

I was a "new-bee" for this conference, and I must say it didn't disappoint. The organization's leadership and the other attendees were friendly and welcoming. I even reconnected with "old" friends--garden bloggers and writers I'd met at other events.

I think my favorite "event" was the Niagara trip. The gardens were amazing, the Canadians were welcoming, and of course the Falls (which I'd never seen before) were spectacular and more powerful than I'd imagined.

We started the day at Niagara Parks' Floral Showhouse, where bright plants and blooms wove through the grounds.



I realized later that most of my photos here were from the exterior grounds, but this indoor display was hard to miss. All the statues on the grounds were lovely. I searched and searched online for an explanation of this sculpture and couldn't find a thing. It appears to depict three children playing on top of a Corpse Flower (Amorphophallus titanum).



Outdoors, a "Life in the Garden" display featured lush arrangements of annuals and perennials, alongside whimsical miniatures of homes, buildings, and modes of transportation.











I've always enjoyed miniatures, and their placement in the gardens was joyful and inspiring.



The greenhouse was handsomely bordered by vines and shrubs.



I spent as much time outdoors as I could on that beautiful day.



The borders and planting beds included many pollinator-friendly and strikingly beautiful blooming plants.



Another statue for which I can't find a name was this lovely piece rising out of a fountain--the woman depicted is lovingly holding a simple bouquet of flowers.



Fortunately, I did record the story behind these sculptures. The collection of bronze figures titled, "Freedom," depicts children playing with wildlife in a pond.

The next photos include artful arrangements in pots, along rock walls, and in borders at various Niagara Parks locations--the grounds of the Floral Showhouse, Oakes Garden Theatre, and Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens.

















I could have spent hours around the Botanical Garden's European-style hedged garden, where Hydrangeas mixed with Joe Pye Weed and flowering annuals in pots.







The School of Horticulture had some attractive and utilitarian displays, too.



We also visited the Butterfly Conservatory, where Monarchs on Butterfly Bushes (Buddleia spp.) greeted us near the entrance.











Butterflies of more than 2,000 species fly free in the enclosed, rainforest-style conservatory.



Of course, any trip to the Niagara area must include spectacular views of the falls.





They greeted us from various angles throughout the day.



The highlight was when we donned the yellow plastic slickers and toured the "Journey Behind the Falls."









The sheer power of all that water is truly impossible to depict in a drawing or a photograph. I'd have to say it exceeded my expectations.



Thank you, Canada, for your hospitality!

More highlights from the GWA event to come in future posts.

Midwest Meet-Up At Klehm Arboretum and Botanic Garden

Isn't it a thrill to discover horticultural resources close to home--new botanical wonderlands to explore?

That's what happened when several Midwest gardeners and garden bloggers met in August in Rockford, Illinois, to explore three botanical properties. (Our group included folks from Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin. We plan to continue this gathering next summer, possibly meeting in Madison.)

Our first stop was Klehm Arboretum and Botanic Garden, a 155-acre site that combines native plant and tree collections with rare trees and shrubs cultivated for exhibition.

We met on a Friday, and had the place almost to ourselves.



The grounds were well-maintained, yet warm and welcoming--including this pavilion, a popular local wedding venue.



The Fountain Garden adjacent to the pavilion tempted us. Our visit occurred on a very hot day, and some of us thought about running through the water spouts.



Gathering areas throughout the property provided resting places and inspirational plant combinations. I enjoyed the Foxtail Ferns (Asparagus densiflorus)/Petunias combination and the small potted shrubs with purple Sweet Potato vine (Ipomoea batatas).





The formal garden areas were whimsical, and had a nice mix of statuary, benches, birdhouses, trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals.





Even the signage was bright, colorful, and informative. I'd like to go back next spring to see the Rhododendron and Azalea Dell.



This plot in the Children's Garden was arranged by alphabet--using common names. It was bright and colorful, and most of the plants selected for this special area were either in bloom or had eye-catching foliage.



Loved this stand of Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum) along the path to the pavilion.



This bridge over a small stream took us to an interesting woodsy area.





Several simple, but very attractive waterfalls dotted the landscape.













Pollinators and accidental pollinators all seemed happy with the nectar and pollen smorgasbord.

I photographed several individual plants that captured my eye, including:





Blue-Star Amsonia (A. hubrichtii): There were several patches in various stages of color change, depending on location and lighting. I imagine this area is stunning in the fall!



As always, the Lesser Calamints (Calamintha nepeta subsp. nepeta) were covered in bees.



Around one corner was a swath of Threadleaf Coreopsis (C. verticillata), which was gorgeous even at this late stage.



A few Daylilies were still blooming.



Cleomes (C. hassleriana) were probably the plant of the day--another specimen that looked stunning en masse.



The Turtleheads (Chelone lyonii) were just starting to bloom.



'Amistad' Purple Salvias were spectacular, too.

While I was drawn to individual plants, it was the formal and informal plant combinations that really impressed, like the grouping at the beginning of this post and several others:



Castor Bean plants, Cleomes, potted succulents, Coral Bells, Alyssums, and more.



A very healthy patch of Cotoneaster (C. horizontalis) framed by conifers and green late-season Hydrangeas (I think these are 'Annabelles').



And a dramatic grouping that we all found fascinating: Flowering Tobacco (Nicotiana), Cleomes, Purple Heliotropes (Heliotropium arborescens), and swaths of Petunias.

Recognize any of these people?

It was a fun day! We also visited the Anderson Japanese Gardens and the Nicholas Conservatory and Gardens, which I'll highlight in a future post. Rockford is an excellent destination for plant-lovers and garden enthusiasts. I'm already planning a return visit next year!