Garden Clubs Come To Visit

Saturday, May 26, 2007:
The past two mornings the garden has been visited by garden clubs! Let’s see…

Thursday there was the Kentucky Transplants Garden Club comprised of members who moved into the region with no previous roots here – thus, the name “Transplants”. They met in a Newcomers Club some years ago, became friends, found gardening to be a common interest, and now enjoy one another’s company and support in the absence of nearby family.

Then yesterday (Friday), there came the Open Gate Garden Club. That is a name I have heard many times over the years.

There were ten to twelve people in each group, which I consider a nice size for chatting, visiting, sharing thoughts, ideas, and questions. It was great fun! Hope they come back sometime.

I wish the garden could have been in “perfect” condition for them to enjoy it more, but that is beyond my ability – even with a few young people to help now and then.

I hope the gardeners were not too terribly disappointed. The visits were precipitated by an article in our local newspaper which was written by a friend of mine back in early April. I fear she made it read better than the garden really is. And, the photos! Well, you know how a good photographer can make something simple look really great! I reminded the visitors that the article was not about my garden, it was about garden blogs (I heard someone whisper: “That’s right, it was.”) Even so, when their representatives called to ask about visiting, and because I like sharing the garden - such as it is - I said, “Yes!”

When they arrived yesterday, and the day before, there were still piles of crushed limestone gravel, and commercially produced compost on the driveway (we covered that one with a tarp). I could hear undertone mutterings among the group and I distinctly heard one woman answer her friend, "Well, it's a working garden!"

Then we started the tour and as they came around the corner of the house into the back yard there in full view was the Japanese tomato ring. It did not look very nice for it was early in the season, so the plants growing around the circle of fence-wire were small. That means the inside of the circle was open to view and it was not a pretty sight; for "this and that" had been tossed into the middle to rot away, but they hadn't yet, so there it all lay.

One person said, "What is that!?" Her friend answered with incredulous questioning in her voice, "Her compost pile?" And, I could read her mind; she surely was thinking: "She has her compost pile right here in the open, practically in the middle of the yard?!"

You can bet before the next group came to visit the center area of the tomato ring was given a good several inches of that nice, dark, finished compost-mulch from the pile on the driveway.

Now! That looks much better! Should have thought of that in the first place!

Two major projects were planned for this spring: one construction, the other a major garden “redo”.

The construction of the Hanging Gardens and the Big Blocks Area were almost completed. I think they will be completed by the time the June group comes, but they may not get planted in time.

LATER

The redo of the Island Bed and transfer of numerous iris plants was begun, but never was completed, not by a long shot. We were sidetracked by the other preparations in anticipation of visitors.

Then heat settled on us and slowed us down. And, drought meant we spent our time packing water to plants far and wide, instead of continuing progress on the big project.

Then the first week of August helpers started preparing to return to classes. That was the end of my help.

During the preparations, there was concern about the footing for these “more mature women” unsteady on their feet. (Knee and hip replacements were mentioned during their visits, and obvious shakiness revealed other health problems.) Rubber runner-mats to walk on were arranged through the construction site and flags were placed to warn of uneven footing.

Because there were steps and steep inclines involved, I gave them the option of doing the complete tour or stopping at Look Out Point. A few stopped, but the others were surprisingly daring. I asked that they please help each other and hold on to one anther. “Be friendly! Hold close.”

I explained about the losses we incurred due to the April freeze and the hailstorms. They are gardeners, they understood; I was not much concerned about that. And see damage they did!

There was no organized riot of color, no skillfully selected contrasting leaf textures, no innovative design creativity. Still, I think they enjoyed their visit. It gave them a chance to see the lay of the land, learn that it had been a quarry and hear some about the background of the garden, plus they could see the construction projects that were underway.

They were wonderful guests, and from here, they were all going out for lunch together at a restaurant. What a lovely time they had planned. They invited me to go with them, but I had a helper or two working here so I needed to stay.

I will try to show YOU some of the scenes they saw.

Gold Moss (Sedum acre) along the driveway.
The edge of the crushed-limestone pile is visible.

Top of the driveway. The garden hose is an attempt to keep the gravel and compost from migrating into the Gold Moss. If they get Gold Moss seeds in them, they will not be usable. More blocks are waiting to be placed in the construction project.

New little plants of Fame Flower in a small raised bed.
I would like to have a trough garden for tiny plants, but this will have to do.


"Dragon Blood" sedum at ground level beside the "trough" garden.

See what I mean about a messy looking interior. At first opportunity it received several inches of nice dark mulch to cover the mess. It needed it anyway to nourish the spring garden and coming tomato plants.









Pots of Creeping Phlox waiting to be planted.
Plants I potted up waiting for construction to be completed so they could be planted into the ground. Several were extras for which I was waiting to find a good home. Some were put in a yard sale, but some are still waiting for takers.



Hailstorm Damaged Hostas
More of the same.








The green chair seen in the lower left is located at
Look Out Point.
We go through the little arbor to get to it.

Looking from the Island Bed through the little arbor,
one can see a large tree stump.
That is the spot we call Look Out Point.

We trained some of the wild Japanese honeysuckle to grow over the arbor.

This photo was taken May 15. No blossoms are visible.

Nine days later (May 24)
Now a few yellow flowers can be seen.
The 20 degrees (F) in April even set back this vigorous plant.


Standing at Look Out Point
looking back toward the house and island bed.

Nigella (Love-in-a-Mist)



A Climbing Hydrangea vine clings to the end of the house.
I hope to get it to grow on the pergola.

The terrace seen through a veil of poppies.

More of the terrace.

Looking downhill from the terrace.


View from Look Out Point

A third person called to ask if their group could put ours in a list of gardens open for tours one day in June. They want to sell $20.00 tickets for a tour of local gardens; the money will go for their church’s mission works. I said, “Sure! Everyone else is coming, you may, too.”

WOW! Do I have a lot of work to do before then!
Otherwise, people might want their money back!

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