Sunday's Highlights at the Philly Fling

The last day of any Garden Fling is bittersweet: You know you have more time touring with garden friends, but too soon it will be over. Our last day of the Philadelphia Fling started at the Scott Arboretum at Swarthmore College. Lush pathways welcomed us to several plant collections and unique garden areas.



We split up into small groups, and one of the first places my group visited was the Dean Bond Rose Garden. I tried to get the names of the varieties, but believe it or not, this one didn't have a plant marker. It was luscious, full, and heavy with raindrops.



There were several Magnolia trees along the path, including this 'March 'til Frost' variety. The forming cones were as interesting as the blooms.



Apparently, as the name implies, it begins blooming in March and continues, intermittently, throughout the growing season until late autumn. Magical.



Nifty seasonal displays were scattered around the campus, here beautifully framed by the lacy, white Euphorbia hypericifolia 'Diamond Frost.'



Nearby, Salvia 'Amistad' was making a statement at the corner.



Our next visit was to author Jenny Rose Carey's Northview Gardens in Three Tuns. Her garden was such a whimsical blend of little tucked away areas, regal scenery, and welcoming props throughout.



I imagined spending warm summer days in this lush, partially shaded patio area.



'Augustus Falls' was surrounded by beautiful rock formations and plentiful plants.



And the apples! These, I think, were the biggest apples I've ever seen. And believe it or not, this semi-dwarf variety 'Wolf River' was developed very near where I grew up in Central Wisconsin!



What can I say? A tin bucket full of Zinnias: a perfect welcoming display.



Jenny's staging area was neatly arranged and full of plans and plants.



After lunch, we headed to Bruce Gangawer's Paxson Hill Farm in New Hope. My first stop was the garden center shop, where I noticed these beautiful stained glass panels. If only I lived closer...



There was so much more to Paxson Hill Farm than I could have imagined. It started with this inviting walk through several gardens, with views through arches, hedges, and props beckoning...



Friends along the way...



Ending at the moon gate, framing a statuary. Just lovely.



Some of the Maple foliage was warm and bright--here framed by understory plants, taller trees, and a companion Beautyberry shrub (Callicarpa americana).



This statuary really caught my eye. It was placed on a staged area with seating opposite. Very graceful and elegant.



Our late afternoon garden stop before dinner was Barbara Tiffany's Mill Fleurs in Point Pleasant. More colorful trees, shrubs, and waterways greeted us here.



This was a beautiful, shaded Eden, which I can imagine is stunning in all seasons.



Like the other days, on Sunday we encountered more lush Dahlias. (Sorry, again I don't have the variety name. I think I'll have to do a separate post about all the amazing Dahlias of this Fling!)



Barbara had several unique plants and plant collections, including these marked Hosta varieties.



It was a colorful woodland wonderland.

A great place to end a very fun, inspiring Garden Fling! Warm thank-yous to all our hosts and sponsors!

Stay tuned for more coverage of the Philly Fling, as recorded at the Fling website.

Sunday at the 2022 Fling: Perfect Weather and More Great Gardens

The sunken garden at Rotary Botanical Gardens

On the last day of the 2022 Garden Bloggers Fling, the weather was fabulous, as were the gardens.



We split into two buses at separate gardens again, and the first garden my bus visited was the colorful, delightful garden of Jane and Duane Miller. It really makes a statement out front, with colorful paint, bowling balls, and display plants. It was bright and beautiful on this nearly cloudless summer day.



Jane has a creative, artful way of arranging her garden items and plants. It's very welcoming and you want to wander into the nooks and crannies, to see what's around each corner.



The vibrant plants and the unique props complement each other.



Next, we headed to Ann Munson's peaceful, mostly wooded garden. She, too, has fun and artsy garden displays.



Ann has lovingly cared for her garden for 43 years. She started with a small veggie garden, and has gradually expanded to include her entire 3/4-acre suburban lot. There's no lawn—paths and natural structures weave in and among the garden areas.



Ann created her gardens using storybook themes, and the result is a warm, whimsical trip through a great collection of plants and props. 



We next traveled to Janesville, Wis., to visit Rotary Botanical Gardens. I've always enjoyed this view, which you can access by climbing a few stairs to a patio that overlooks the Formal French Garden.



The various gardens cover 20 acres, featuring 26 areas that surround a lake.

Benches at the gardens share words of wisdom from historical sages.

In the afternoon, we headed to Stoughton, Wis., about 30 minutes southeast of Madison. Janet Aaberg began creating her colorful garden in 1999, which features blooms and fabulous foliage from early spring through November.



Lilies, colorful shrubs, and amazing climbing plants grace her sun-filled property.



Janet shared a welcoming sign to say "hello" and "goodbye" to our Flingers.



The final private garden of the day was that of Jim Ottney and Jay Hatheway, also in Stoughton. When they bought the property, it was an untended field of weeds, an oil change sand pit, volunteer trees, and invasive plants. They turned over the entire lot by hand, transforming it into a tranquil sanctuary.



The result is a comfy oasis, filled with amazing plants and garden art. Jim describes it as "a private escape and a space where we can entertain small groups of friends."



Since I last visited, Jim and Jay also have beautified the nearby waterfront with the blessings of local officials.

Finally, we ended the Fling at the UW-Madison campus Allen Centennial Garden. It's described as the "artful living laboratory" of the university's horticulture department. Beautiful, healthy annuals and perennials are displayed in 14 areas of the compact 2.5-acre property.



Veggies, ornamentals, and plants of all types are displayed and tested here.

We think a youngster helped create this welcome sign.

And that was the end of the 2022 Fling! It was fun, educational, and done in the blink of an eye. We hope everyone who attended enjoyed it; we certainly were happy to reconnect with plant-loving friends we hadn't seen since the summer before the pandemic!

Thanks for joining me on this journey! To read more about the 2022 Fling and learn about the 2023 Fling, visit the Fling website.

Saturday at the 2022 Fling: Artful Displays and Fabulous Foliage

Main entrance to Olbrich Botanical Gardens:
Bolz Conservatory and front gravel garden to the left and main lobby entrance on the right.

Our second full day of the 2022 Garden Bloggers Fling was a bit more relaxed to start. It rained in the early morning, which was fine for quick trips to the nearby Dane County Farmers Market and our brunch at Goodman Community Center. Then, it was cloudy through most of the day, which can be beneficial for some photo situations.

After the brunch, we headed for Olbrich Botanical Gardens. I specifically set a goal to take only a few photos at Olbrich this time—to focus on the people, truly observe the plants, and savor the visit. I've visited Olbrich so many times, and (God willing) I'll visit it many more in the seasons and years ahead (lucky me).



After Olbrich, our group split into two groups, alternating between three lovely West Madison gardens. The first one my bus toured was the garden of Tom and Cheryl Kuster. Their pond was impressive. There's something so relaxing about water features in gardens, and so many life forms to study. The larger garden is divided into 20 sections, and the pond winds through several of them.



I'm a fan of water lilies, both the pads and the flowers. They were magical in this garden.

Tom says he's a "collector of plants," and he certainly has an impressive collection of Sedums and Sempervivums, some of which border the pond.

Next, we headed to Cindy Fillingame's garden, starting out with her welcoming front entrance. It featured artful arrangements of various foliage plants and lovely roses.



I didn't get the name of this rose, but the newly opening blooms were stunning with soft dew and rain droplets.



Cindy's miniatures—framed by hostas, ferns, and other foliage—were delightful.

Our final garden destination of the day was the Asian-themed garden of Linda Brazill and Mark Golbach. If you've never visited this garden, it's truly unique. It's a work of art and very organized, but it also conveys a sense of peace and tranquility. The Astrantias (A. major) were blooming, surrounded by plentiful shades of green foliage plants.



The garden has amazing stonework and structures, unusual trees, a Japanese tea house, and a gravel garden that mimics the movement of water.

On the porch, Linda had arranged beautiful pots with cuttings from the garden. A very thoughtful and calming place to be.

Next up: our Sunday itinerary.

This is just a small portion of our visits. For more coverage of the Fling, check out the Fling website.