A Different Kind of Gardening

At this time of year it seems there is so much to be done.

In addition to the day to day tasks in the house, we now find ourselves busy with the seemingly never ending jobs outdoors. . .

~ weeding, pruning, planting, watering, weeding ~

(sound familiar?)

And while I really do enjoy working in the garden, sometimes it's nice to take a day off and head out to enjoy other people's gardens.

The garden walk we attended on Saturday allowed us the chance to do just that.

It's interesting to see the different types of gardens people create.

This fun-loving couple created a tropical paradise on their lakefront lot.  They included many types of palm trees.  When asked how they survived our winters, which sometimes include snow, he said he wraps the trees in a heat retaining wrap.  Now that's a dedicated gardener!

In amongst the palm trees sat a tropical playhouse.

He said it was her "tiki hut" and his "time out hut".

Inside there was a TV, wicker furniture and beach music playing.

Not a bad place to spend "time out."

If the tropical paradise wasn't to your liking, another garden offered a large vegetable garden situated next to a horse farm.

A mobile chicken coop was brought in for the occasion.

To arrive at one of the gardens we drove down a country lane past this old barn building.  It was once a dairy farm.  

Having always lived and gardened in the suburbs, I thoroughly enjoy the peacefulness and laid back feeling of the country.  I think it would be nice to sit right here sipping my iced tea while reading a good book.  Would I really be happy living out in the country?  Hard to say, but for this one day it was fun to experience it.

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 Edited to add:  I was asked in comments if I had picked up any good ideas on the garden walk.  One of my favorites was a simple way to grow clematis .



This clematis was growing straight up in the front of the border.

It appeared to be freestanding.  Knowing that clematis can't grow straight up without support, I took a closer look.  It was growing on a piece of rebar that had been stuck into the ground.  What a simple, yet effective idea.  This is one idea I plan to try.