Reflections - Austin Fling 2018

Waterlilies at the Zilker Botanic Garden

Memories of Austin and the 2018 Garden Blogger's Fling linger with me this wet, lush New England morning. It has been a week since my return and there is much on which to reflect. It was my sixth out of ten flings and while 60% is never a mark I strive for  I do feel fortunate to have been able to attend six Flings. This was my first trip to Austin-attempts to attend the 2008 Austin first fling were thwarted due to airline problems. This time I arrived a day early, just in case. Austin is a friendly city and the people of Austin, Austinites, are happy. They are also very polite (I was Ma'amed several times) and, they are helpful. I am used to New England directness. Austinites have cultivated a gentleness and overt kindness which we northerners may possess but often hide. These traits were and are the hallmark of The Austin Fling team, Pam, Diana, Laura, Sheryl, and Jennifer, who were always smiling and helpful under the stress of the event production. All seemed to go off without a hitch. Great garden choices, great buses, lunches, dinners, entertainment and accommodations.

l-r:Laura,Jean,Margaret, Jenny, Helen

I have made lifelong friends because of these planned garden flings. Flings have brought many gardeners together with our shared love of gardening, writing and blogging. These friends, whose lives stretch from one end of the country to another, are keepers. It is wonderful to be able to look them in the eye, give them a hug and spend time chatting about our lives of gardening and family, work and now retirement. I regret not meeting and knowing all the bloggers in attendance but I did get to meet a few new bloggers, Angie from The Freckled Rose and Jennifer of Frau Zinnie, both from New England along with Liz, Margaret, Ellen, Jenny and Mary Beth to name a few. I hope to see  Angie's and Jennifer's New England gardens at some point this year and I truly hope they come to visit me in my garden. (I will make cake).

Glass Sculpture at the Donna Fowler garden

Each garden will be remembered both collectively and individually for its unique style and generous gardener. Most owner/gardeners greeted us at their garden entrances. Each is deserving of a separate post. Garden art and garden pools took center stage at this Fling.

Pam Penick's soothing pool

Fragrance was also present. I will not soon forget the scent of the jasmine, Trachelospermum jasminoides, which was growing in many Austin gardens. I was envious of this scent each time I was enveloped in its fragrance. I cannot grow it in my Zone 5b-6a garden but as I walked my garden upon my return I realized that each region is given the gift of scent. I have lily of the valley and lilacs along with the perfume of the early blooming Viola odorata.  I would not trade these scents for that of Confederate Jasmine but I will hopefully revisit that scent with another Texas visit. The lushness of Austin did surprise me. Yes, there were dry gardens. Jenny & David Stocker's garden so reminded me of Beth Chatto's gravel garden. That is a post for another day. Green trees and swarths of lush foliaged areas were abundant. The Colorado river does run through Austin after all and it has been dammed to provide a 'lake', Lady Bird Lake, which was in generous usage while our group was visiting. Austin does seem to have abundant yearly rainfall, 34+",  considering its location. I think most of that fell on our group that first day of touring.

Courtyard-Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Mother Nature provided us with a true Texas gully washing event which only made this Fling more memorable.

Articulture

Austin Fling's wrap party, it was such a great party, ended with our last visit to Articulture, a unique Austin plant boutique.  Tequila and barbecue were served up with Texas style hospitality amidst laughter and lingering conversations. As I reflect on this Austin experience I clearly understand why Texans love Texas. This New Englander loves Texas as well. Thank you Fling Team for a wonderful time.

 

When An Artist Comes to Visit - Ellen Hoverkamp

When an artist comes to visit the gardening disappointments of the past summer disappear. An artist brings with her a unique perspective when she views a garden. All of us have a bit of an artist within us but one who hones and practices her craft professionally sees the land, the landscape, the layout, and the individual plants, both foliage and flowers, with a trained eye. Recently Ellen Hoverkamp came to visit.
Ellen shared her floral scans, tips, advice and knowledge recently with my garden club at our October meeting. Ellen was a captivating speaker. Since she was traveling I offered her a room in my home for the night and she prevailed. We sat up into the night chatting and getting to know one another and the next morning she walked with me in the garden. An October New England garden is not at peak. There are bits and pieces of interest here and there and sometimes there is fall color but in general, plants are waning as is the gardener's enthusiasm. This year was a particularly difficult gardening season. Gypsy moth caterpillars ravaged trees and plants in June. July came and went with little rain to help regenerate foliage. August came and so did the deer with their new offspring. Gibbs has not yet learned that deer are not welcome here within the garden limits and he does little to discourage them. This gardener threw her hands in the air and went golfing-the game did not improve but the gardener's spirits did. It was into this neglected garden that Ellen and I walked. She with clippers and a pail and me with a camera. It is a revelation to see one's own garden through someone else's eyes. Especially those of Ellen who has such an original talent. Her art is beautiful. She collaborated with well known horticulturist and garden communicator, Ken Druse, on a wonderful book, Natural Companions which features her floral scans and Ken's prose. I know Ken only as many other professional and amateur gardeners know him- through his many award winning books and his radio show, Real Dirt.  Ellen snipped and we chatted. Ellen has visited many wonderful gardens and has cutting privileges in quite a few of them.  I was honored that she cut from my garden and, of course I hope she will come back to visit when the garden is beautiful in June. These are the scans she made from my garden tidbits. Through her work, I was able to see the beauty that is still quite visible in the garden if only one knows where to look. Through her visit, I gained a new friend. Thank you, Ellen.

 

Note:  Ellen's works are available on her website and on Red Bubble under Ellen Hoverkamp. She also writes a blog and has a list of her upcoming lectures and gallery sales both available as well on her website. Click on the purple text to visit them.

All Creatures Welcome

'All Creatures Welcome' is what the sign would say if Kris Green had one inviting passersby into her garden. The chairs sit empty but inviting in the center of the garden. They are begging for a rump or two to sit and survey the quiet complexity of this verdant space. There is the resident pup, Nino, seen here surveying the kingdom and then there is the pollinator condo Kris has devised to provide an invitation to visit and a bit of security for nature's winged critters. I imagine some crawlers lodge here as well. All are invited. Kris is a fellow blogger, an Interpretive Horticulturist at Blithewold and a friend and this past summer I was invited to visit her garden in Bristol, RI. Now, we both live in the same state and the smallest state at that but Bristol is right on the ocean and my garden sits in the western hills a full zone colder than Kris's garden. That is one reason it is such a fun to visit. She easily grows this Clerodendron shrub which would succumb to cold in my garden. (Perhaps I should give it a try.) There are other treats as well. Monarda punctata adds subtle color and wonderful form to the front border. Kris has a creative eye along with busy hands making a small but sensory packed jewel of a garden. She has an artist's eye as evidenced by her clear mastery of texture and color. The echo combination of agastache and cleome is just one example. She knows full well that August can be a tired time in the garden and she has embraced the nuances of lace and leather here in the borders. If you happen to sit in the chairs, there is a lovely view of the deck complete with perfectly potted plants and upon entering the house, it is clear that an artist and gardener lives inside. The living room even has a living wall. Kris was born with her unique perspective which she has honed in life along with her horticultural skills. She works in the greenhouse and gardens at Blithewold Mansion and Gardens and she writes their blog with wit and wisdom and always a quick turn of phrase which you can read here. We can all look forward to more of Kris's writings as she is completing work on a new book, the contents of which remain a mystery. Due out in the fall, it promises to be filled with a fresh approach to the age old art of gardening. While Kris is never in anyones shadow, she prefers to keep a low profile but should you stop in at Blithewold, take the time to talk with Kris and also with Gail, Dan and Fred. You will recognize her from her smiling picture above and herestanding just behind and to the right of the enigmatic and always interesting Michael Dirr.  Thank you to Kris for a lovely day in her garden with her, Nino and the critters.

Where Chickens Reign Supreme

Almost two months ago I posted about a rather famous garden with a rather famous garden blogger,  Susan Harris, of Garden Rant fame. I had the pleasure of visiting Susan's garden while visiting with another famous garden blogger/author. The week's Flight's of Fancy - Armchair Travels takes us to the garden of my hostess, a multi-talented person who has become a friend, a travel companion and a confidant. This garden has been seen by many of us in pictures but we have only seen a portion of the garden. We all do edit our garden through our pictures, picking just the best to show. I find that it is difficult to show any garden as a whole with still shots. Imagine my delight when I found so many interesting garden spaces which I cannot ever remember seeing in this blogger's pictures. The gardens surrounding this home are well planned and just plain pretty if pretty can be plain. Attention to detail is seen at every turn. The approach to this home is along a winding, sloping drive bordered by woods on the right and a field on the left with hawthornes flanking the drive. In November, the red berries were in opulent profusion and the appreciative birds were seen enjoying these jewels. The field is kept neat and tidy by a neighbor who hays it during the season.The top of the house comes into view first and the reveal is slow, anticipation building for what is to come. This blogger has a few chickens but in addition she also has a cat, a pig, some dogs and many vegetables. Well, yes, the pig is not alive but I don't remember seeing it before. There are always treasures to be found if one looks closely. The front garden was a surprise to me. The entrance to any home should be approachable and inviting. This entrance has a nice wide walkway of brick with a color coordinated and dog friendly entrance. The front chair matches the fall color on the maples, the azaelas are re-bloomers, the hellebores are immense and the view from the front step is expansive.You may remember seeing this view but now I can place it in this landscape as a view from the red chair on the front step. Another surprising feature of this garden is the garden seating. I have seen at least one of these sets of chairs but the others were a surprise. I am fairly sure that this gardener rarely sits for very long in any of these seats but they are all inviting, all placed in wonderful spots and all ready for a warm body or two as the size would indicate(the chair/bench, not the body). The vegetable garden is classic and even in November it is yielding flowers, foliage and vegetables. The fencing and welcoming gate with arbor are the perfect complement to the traditional architecture of this home. This gardener is a serious cook and greens were picked for the wonderful meals I enjoyed here. You may have identified this gardener by now but here are a few more traditional views I have seen on her blog.
First, The Chicken Castle and next the chairs which we see most often facing the woods. I call this the Serenity Spot but my dear friend probably has another name for this special place. One of the great perks of garden blogging is the unexpected pleasure of developing friendships with others who have similar interests. If you don't recognize the beautiful haven featured here, it belongs to Robin of Bumblebee blog. Thank you so much, Robin, for a wonderful visit.

 

Addendum: Since visiting, the beautiful white rooster pictured in the first collage, the beloved T. Boone, has passed on to his next perch. He was a regal and beautiful cock. He will be missed.

Can You Name This Garden?

It is obvious that a garden lover lives here. But who? Can you guess from the pictures? This past week I had the pleasure of visiting the gardens of two garden blogger friends and the garden of an American President. There will be other posts. I thought it might be fun to show pictures of this garden and have you guess who gardens here. This garden has been pictured on this gardener's blog, in magazines and even on a book cover. I have seen many pictures of this garden but I have not seen it in person before this past week. November is not an optimal time to visit a garden but this gardener showed no reluctance in sharing her (first clue) garden. It has a very small front garden on a quiet street in a cozy neighborhood. The side garden leads down a slope to the back garden but the best view of the back garden is from the deck on the house. From the deck one can look down into garden which elbows up to the woodlands. The above view has been seen by many of us but I don't remember seeing the birdhouses on the tree or, at least, noticing them. It is a climb down many steps to the lower level. When you are down in this garden it feels secluded and very private. There is a bench for contemplation which sits along a path to the woods. There are chairs at the top of the garden which look like they are actually used since the umbrella has been added for comfort during hot, sunny days. It was a rainy day but the foliage was glowing yellow, amber and copper while the evergreens provided green contrast. You can see the textures of this garden right through the fallen leaves. Textures carry a garden through the seasons and this garden is full of texture which shows the skill of this gardener. This view was a surprise to me as I don't think that I have seen this photographed.  From a distance, this looks like an underwater scene with the ivy mimicking seaweed. The watering cans might give it away upon closer inspection but this is a clever treatment for a dark, under the deck, area.  Have you guessed whose garden I visited on this day? It was the garden of the always smiling, ever energetic and daring Susan Harris. Daring because she is leaving this garden after 26 years of nurturing. I call that daring. I have known Susan for three years and while she is famous for many things,The Lawn Reform Coalition, Garden Rant, Gardener Susan and Garden Center Blogging, her commitment to gardening, the environment and her friendship are what make her famous to me. Thank you for the visit, Susan. I thoroughly enjoyed the view and can't wait to see what you do with the new garden.

Garden visitors

I find it a true honor to be visited by another garden blogger.  Even though....the garden is a fall garden with little blooming.  My eyes seem to have grown weary of it with its declining foliage and flowers.  I don't think I could live in a place without the change of seasons.  I look forward to the changes and to the change in garden duties. I digress.  I always want to know from a visitor what is different from their expectations.  
Garden bloggers and gardeners are a friendly, kind group so I know that they would never be discouraging.  At least the ones I know who are not into gardening as a competitive sport.  Robin, of Bumblebee blog fame, came to visit over the weekend on her way back to her home in Maryland from a business trip to New York.  I met Robin in Chicago at the Chicago Fling and we had wonderful conversations which were carried on in Buffalo this year.  Robin arrived on Friday afternoon and was greeted first by the pups.  Since Robin loves dogs, this was a good beginning and each pup received a present and a box of cookies. 
I should mention here that she was missing her own two mini dogs, Sophie and Sarah.  Tucker and  Cooper were quite happy to try and make her feel welcome.   After initial introductions to the EM we took a spin around the garden, wine glasses in hand and dogs by our sides.  It was a beautiful, golden afternoon.
  I am not sure we spoke about the garden more than in passing.  We just had too much to catch up on.  What books are you reading?  How was the drive?  How is the family, dogs, chickens?  It didn't matter what the garden looked like.  It was enough to be in it with a fellow garden lover just enjoying the incandescent afternoon and each others' company.  I did ask her how the reality of the garden differed from her impression through this blog.  She said 'It is much bigger'.  Maybe it is time to get out the video camera.  Anyway, the time spent was not enough.  There are conversations yet to be had.  I am looking forward to our next visit and that is as it should be.  Garden bloggers are welcome here. 

When friends come to visit....in August.

August is not the peak bloom for these gardens and with little rain in the past month, the only thing to look forward to are garden vegetables
and visits from friends even though apologies are profuse given the wilting and parched foliage in the gardens.  Gardeners do understand though.  Kris, here pictured in Buffalo admiring the hydrangea which is dressed to match her outfit, 

from A Trench Manicure blog and Blithewold blog came all the way from Bristol, RI and, bonus, she brought her Mom, Patricia.  Now, I know that you know that Rhode Island is the smallest state in the Union and it takes less than two hours to drive north/south or east/west from one end of the state or side of the state to another.  What you may not realize is that Rhode Islanders rarely leave a ten mile radius from their homes without packing a lunch and planning multiple bathroom stops.  I am not sure if this anomaly happens in other states but here, it is just the way it is.  Kris and I are both exceptions to this rule, of course since we both made it to Buffalo and that is quite a jaunt. Elizabeth's pink hydrangea

As an Interpretive Horticulturist at Blithewold, Kris rarely gets away from the gardens which she tends and bends with her talented, artistic eye and lots of physically hard work but she had vacation days and took one to come visit.  She also brought some treasures from her own garden. 

Is there a more thoughtful gift?  I do love a bouquet and this one includes silver eleagnus, penstemon seed heads and other choices from her garden.   It was such a pleasure to show her and her Mom around although I had to extract a promise from her to come back when the gardens are less stressed.  I couldn't even use the line "If you had only been here last week" since all of August has been a challenge.  That is the way of gardening though and gardeners stick together.  There is little explaining to do to someone who, all too well, understands that Mother Nature has her own plan.  This August it is time to take pleasure in the smaller views and the company of friends. 
  There is no better way to spend a warm, sunny afternoon.  

Nepal - Phase IV - Seti River Camp

(Picture credit: Randy Blough)
It has been over two months since my return from the Nepal adventure.  The fourth phase of our trip involved river rafting on the Seti River for a half day, camping over two nights with treks each day to neighboring villages, and then a final morning of rafting before boarding a bus for the Chitwan Forest.  The Seti river runs from the Himalayan Mountain Range with a crystal blue, meandering footprint.  Our first day on the river was actually just a half day but beautiful and fairly easy to navigate.  Photo credit Randy Blough
The EM had the luxury of a trip to Vietnam in the 60's courtesy of the U. S. Government and he said that the gorges and vegetation along the river were reminiscent of the Central Highlands of Vietnam.  I think he enjoyed this trip a bit more than his government sponsored sojourn.  We had a wonderful river navigator, Hurdi, who had a ready smile and interesting stories.  

Photo credit: Randy Blough
  There were only a few rough rapids at this time of year and little to fear from them.  Our crew Photo credit: Randy Blough
actually knew how to paddle and we were allowed to help with the steerage on occasion when Hurdi needed a bit more help.  The helmets make all of us look like Mensa members but they were a necessity.  My camera was actually put into the waterproof bag for the water portion of the trip so Randy helped me out with these pictures.  We traveled down the river for  a bit more than half a day before stopping at the Seti River Camp
which was very well appointed with permanent tents, a kitchen,dining hall, and the outdoor fire pit for campfire sessions.  We settled into our tent
and after a bit of relaxation went down to the fire pit where all gathered for discussions
and recaps of the day. 
The second day of our river adventure started with breakfast and then a hike to a local village.  The hiking trail  was situated on the upper banks overlooking the Seti River. 
  We visited the local sawmill where two men were sawing this beam into planks.  As you can see, they were working quite hard. It is interesting to be taken back in time to a place where hand tools are the major means of construction. 
Work kept on as we all stopped to watch and learn. 
This suspension bridge is necessary for the local people to get from one side of the river to another. Most of us enjoyed walking to the center for a long view down the river and the requisite photo op.
  All along the river there were houses scattered here and there and in each field there was a high platform which allowed the farmers to sound the alarm if and when the monkeys arrive as they can decimate a crop in a very short amount of time.  
We were greeted at the village by the children.  Some of us came with pencils for their schoolwork and our guide passed them out to the kids as they scampered along beside us.  They seemed a serious group with shy smiles.
They had this handmade barrow of a sort and they took turns riding down the hill on the fork at the two front wheels which had a total diameter of four inches at the most.  They were carved from wood.  They really picked up some speed on this little contraption.  

It is a colorful village and we were  there on the weekend so school was out and some of the villagers were busy digging new latrines while others were making the local beverage in this pot on the fire.
  The kids followed us around and sat for photos.
I love the expression on this little girl's face as she seems to be saying 'Yes, that's my brother'.  They have learned to ask to see the picture on the back of the digital camera. 
This baby sat placidly unaffected by our presence. 
We did have a bit of excitement back at the river camp.  While we were sitting by the fire pit the honeybees returned to their nest after several months of absence.  They swarmed in and then settled on this log they call home within just a half hour or so.
There were plenty of flowers here for them to visit and the amount of butterflies
at the river camp was extraordinary.  Our third morning was our last and we set out
once again for a leisurely ride down the river to our bus which took us to the Chitwan National Forest.  The last portion of our adventure.

Gail and Layanee's big adventure!

High 72 F 
Low  58 F

Entry garden and rose garden at Blithewold, click to enlarge

Many of us have had the pleasure of meeting and spending time with fellow bloggers.  Many of us actually blog in order to share our passion and addiction for plants and all things gardening.  How could fellow gardeners be any other than strong, caring and well-rooted people?  I think it would be impossible. Many of you have already met at the Austin Spring Fling and know the joy of which I speak. I have met a few other bloggers, Pam from Digging, by phone, Heather from Heather's Garden, stopped in at Ledge and Gardens with her husband for a great visit and chat during the summer.  This past few days  I had the extreme pleasure of meeting and sharing plant passions and addictions along with many other topics with the award winning, Blotanicals, fellow blogger, Gail from Clay and Limestone.  Our big adventure started when I picked Gail up in Providence where she had spent the weekend enjoying the company of her son.  Sad to say I did not get to meet him as he was already at work but I did meet his friend, Val, and we chatted long enough for her to feel comfortable enough to let Gail go off with a total stranger.

We headed straight to Blithewold to meet up with Kris Greene, hort expert, gardener, artist, and fellow blogger.  Blithewold is a beautiful place due to the efforts of the staff there which includes Kris, Gail, Fred and Dan.  We made our way to the north garden, slowly as there was so much to see, and there was Kris working away neatening all even though it looked quite pristine in spite of the heavy rains of the weekend.  Kris was able to give us a tour of the gardens and point out some of the exceptional plants on this estate.  Here is a picture of the Clerodendron in full berry. It is the Harlequin Glory Bower and if I were near the coast it is a plant I would definitely have in my garden. It is a zone warmer at Blithewold than at Ledge and Gardens. The close up shot of the berries shows their striking  navy blue color with the red bract.    This Sequoia is the second largest in the northeast.  The  tree and shrub beds are filled with interesting specimens and edged and layered to great effect.   The above path leads through the bosquet and over to the greenhouse area where the annual display beds are in full glory. This is a new bed with the blue seat in the background and that large blue plant is the Salvia uliginosa which Kris writes about in her last post.  It is large, stunning and a beautiful blue.   I took many pictures but the story they don't tell is the conversation between three plant lovers.  How can you resist the obvious when you see a plant such as this one called 'Hairy Balls'.  I know, there are three but that just leads to more mischief!  We had to move along to sample the ground cherries which neither Gail or I had ever tasted. Kris and Gail picked and I shot photos with their permission.  Ground cherries are curious looking little berries hiding behind a paper coat and Kris's description of their flavor as somewhat like kiwi is an apt one although I did taste a hint of melon and perhaps some oak.  Oh, no, that would be wine...no oak!   About Gail, she has a great curiosity about all things.  That is a gift which I enjoyed immensely. You can see the fun my compatriots are having in the garden.   We foraged, we ate, and we moved on as the ground cherries stimulated our appetites and we knew it was past the lunch hour for all of us

.  We moved on down to the pond gardens and the rock gardens and then made our way back through the bousquet where we said our goodbyes to Kris who still had a half day of work in front of her.  I can't thank Kris enough for sharing her garden, information, seeds,  and work with us both.  We have the memories shared to return to on those wintry, blustery, non-gardening days. 

Gail and I stopped for lunch and then proceeded to visit my sister as she was right across from the apple orchard where we picked up some local fruit.  Gail was exposed to family!  She survived and even thrived as my sister, Sue, is charming if I do say so myself (she hates to garden but has other gifts).  I was killing time until we could go to Lois's garden. 
Lois's primula in spring!
I didn't take pictures this time at Lois's but she has been blogged here before and has a most incredible garden and she gave us a great tour.  On to Ledge and Gardens.  Gail will have to tell you about that.  We walked, talked, and had dinner with the EM.   I love to entertain in small groups and a group of one is even better.  You can get to know a person and, for me, that is one of the great pleasures in life. Gail and I had more adventures the next day but I will end this now with the end of a perfect day spent in the company of a contemporary and a garden and plant lover. I thank you Gail for seizing the day, so to speak, and coming for a visit to Ledge and Gardens.  We parted with  much more to talk about and that is a great way to part.  I so look forward to our next adventure!      

Rendezvous!

High 81 F
Low  62 F

As Heather stated over at Heather's Garden, it has taken us many months to finally meet but on Saturday she arrived with VPH in tow.  All of you who have met a fellow blogger know the thrill of finally meeting in person.   The joy of being able to share the garden with another who appreciates the hard work and the finished,  or should I say evolving, garden.  No garden is ever really finished as it is the process rather than the product.  Plants fail and new ones arrive and combinations of colors are tweaked.  Two gardeners with remarkable similar foot wear and nail color!  How could these two fail to be friends?   I had set aside the above pictured bee balm which seemed quite appropriate given Heather's wardrobe choice for the day.  Besides her beautiful smile and VPH (a very charming man) she brought along this wooly thyme which is now planted in the corner of the Florida bed.  I think it will do well there and the picture I took was dappled with sun and shade so I will have to take another.    Tucker was quite the host and his good behavior is indeed just his nature.    He was  excited to show Heather around. We did have a chance to chat for a while as it started to pour as soon as Heather and VPH arrived so we passed the time discussing all manner of gardening until the rain slowed down.  Pictures do come out so much better in the filtered light of a cloudy day.  Also, the wetness enhances the colors and other than wet feet it is more comfortable to walk around the garden without the bright, searing sun.  Thank you Heather and VPH for stopping here at Ledge and Gardens.  I look forward to our next visit and I have now added the calendar back to its' rightful place on the wall by the computer.  It has all of my starting dates for the tomatoes, peppers etc. so it is going to have to be archived. What a great picture this one is for August! I have added a note on the 2nd of August which reads "Heather and VPH visit for the first time".  If any other bloggers ever visit RI,  I would be honored to share my garden with you in person!