Went on a Garden Tour Saturday

It was a beautiful day, and I almost decided to stay home and garden, but I knew if I did, I would regret not going on our local garden club's tour of gardens.  I could have gone with a friend, but decided to go by myself so I could pace myself because I planned to pick up our grandson at my parents' house afterwards.  Well, I got a late start, and ended up coming home to eat lunch, while Larry went to pick up KJ.  I did not make it to the rain gardens in several yards not very far from where we live.  Someone said they were not having people go to their back yards, so I figured I can drive by there another time.

The first garden I went to was called a Sustainable Living Center.  It had several rain gardens.  These rain gardens were more natural looking than any I've seen.

When I told Larry this place has chickens, he rode his motorcycle over.   We are thinking of looking into whether we have the space and can learn the skills needed to have a couple hens. 

The side yard is on a bike trail.

They are members of Community Crops.  There are a number of shared garden spaces around the city.

This sign said the area is a wildlife garden.  I'm a larkspur fan, so included this photo.

They had most of the plants labeled, and the clothesline had a sign saying something about a solar powered clothes dryer.  I thought that was cute.  The people in the photo are looking at the chickens.

This was a nice asparagus patch in the veggie garden.

Here are the chickens!

I didn't get many good long shots of the some of the other gardens, including the next one.  This garden had lots of shade, and lots of cool shade plants.  This is a corner lot, and the corner is on the other side of the wall.
 

Here's a view of the entrance to the back yard.

There was a nice variety of flowers, including lots of roses.  She also had a couple amsonias, one of my favorite plants.

There was a nice hedge of raspberries along an edge of the back yard.

Grapes were on the fence of the deck.

I was drawn to these lovely blooms in the front yard, and told this plant how lovely its flowers are.  When I saw the foliage, I looked at the sign, and saw I was right that it is bear's breeches.  I was so excited!  I've had a clump a couple years.  It has not bloomed yet, but is almost the size of this one, so maybe it will yet this season.  This photo does not do them justice. 

The next garden was the fanciest of them all.  When I stepped inside, I immediately had a feeling of tranquility.

Waterfall number one:

Waterfall number two:

Waterfall number three:

And down the way, a fountain!

I love this old street light with hanging baskets on it!

The next garden is a courtyard planted and maintained by the landscape club at our local Catholic high school.  When I was in the school, I looked at the photo book they had, and someone told me they had also planted flowers at a hospital, and did some work at the garden of an outreach center where meals are served daily and people are assisted in other ways.
 

If it wasn't for blogs, I wouldn't have known these are mayapples.  It was cool to see such a nice clump of them.

I wouldn't have known what this was, if one of the sponsors of the garden hadn't pointed it out to me.

It's a nice stand of Jack in the pulpits!

They had a number of hydrangeas and hellebores, as well as a nice variety of annuals.  I like the little bird bath.

I'm up way past my bedtime.  I'm going to show the next photos with fewer words.  This next one is the only garden where I wasn't able to get permission from the owners to show their place on my blog.  I did leave my phone number.  I'm going to assume it's OK, since I didn't hear otherwise.  The ladies from the garden club said these folks are actually members of our rose society, and they gave a talk at the garden club.  They have a huge property, and share a garden with their next door neighbors.  The ladies also said the owners do all their own work, and spend about 40 hours a week in the gardens, and they use horse manure.  I have access to some, but need to talk Larry into taking me there and filling some of mh 5 gallon buckets, since he doesn't want it in his truck.

I love all the gardens, and don't want to pick a favorite, but if I had to, this may be the one, because of all the space and variety of plants.  I am intimidated by roses, though. 

This is the area I entered first.

I was drawn to the sculpture.

I think this is the shared garden space.

I couldn't resist including the photo of the bucket.  I have something in common with these gardeners besides growing larkspur.  I use buckets like these, too.

We are leaving the shared garden space now.

Larry, can you make me one of these?

How about this structure?

I'm guessing the other tomatoes belong to the neighbors, and these are the ones owned by the ones who were on the tour.

Here's a final view, which is across from the first photo I showed.

It was hard choosing which photos to include.  I didn't get all of the areas of any of the gardens.  I loved them all.  They each had their individual personalities.  For awhile, I was feeling inadequate, but I came home and pulled lots of weeds across the street, and settled down.  I still love my gardens, because they are mine.  They are always a work in progress.  I get joy from working in them, and seeing the plants grow and do their thing throughout the seasons.