How Lorene managed to do the lion's share of the work to put on the Seattle Bloggers' Fling and also open her garden to us amazes me. Then, today, I read on her blog she'd had 900 visitors only the week before. I would have been a fright, but she was all smiles. Like all gardeners who tend their spaces, hers was very personal and filled with projects she made for her upcoming book, Handmade Garden Projects. I'm impressed by her clever use of space. Her garden is multi-leveled because it is on a hill and is a standard  60' by 120' lot plus any other space she can garner. I kept wondering if I could garden so effectively in such a small space. Not until I must. When I am very old and can no longer stoop and bend. Then, I plan to move to town and give my...

We visited many beautiful places in Seattle, but none compare to the Bloedel Reserve. It was my favorite destination by far. On other trips, I've seen the Biltmore and Hearst Castle, which were also amazing structures built by very rich men, but neither, in my opinion, has the legacy of the Bloedel Reserve partly because of the old-growth forest contained within. Although we can assist in the planting , only God can create a masterpiece such as this. We took the ferry to Bainbridge Island, and I would like to return soon. I saw unique shops and eateries as our buses passed. Then, our driver turned into a drive with a gatehouse and waited only a moment before we disembarked and were given an interesting introduction by Kate Gormley, Program & Communications Director. She was followed by David Perry, professional photographer and author of A Photographer's Garden Blog, who told...

Envision a neighbor who loves gardening as much as you, and whose garden is only a few feet from your own. Imagine living on a residential block of ethereal loveliness spearheaded by two adjoining properties. Think healthy competition with a fine and beautiful edge. The first two gardens we saw this morning in Seattle were excellent examples of how people express themselves individually even if they grow similar plants. On Shelagh Tucker’s side, the front garden is a xeric paradise inspired by Beth Chatto's dry garden in England (written about recently by Layanee of Ledge and Gardens.) Waterwise plants were showcased by the crushed rock and by their placement. Interestingly, her back garden was very different. A lily pond in the round sat next to a paved courtyard, and the garden was very English in style. While I was strolling Jim and Suzette Birrell's garden next door,which had the largest...

Dateline: July 15, 2011, Guthrie, Oklahoma. Hot, hot and more hot. Extreme drought conditions. Death Orb pulsating in the sky day after day. Gardeners in Oklahoma reported spotty showers in and around the state. A smidge of rain fell on the Red Dirt Ranch, but no accumulation was recorded. The only creatures happy with these conditions are the mighty grasshoppers eating their way through the entire patch with perennial hibiscus being their favorite delicacy. There will be not photos of this decimation. It is just too sad. In spite of heat and other life issues, the gardener expects visitors to descend upon the garden Saturday morning. She is reportedly glad for the distraction, and it has given her an excuse to weed. In the meantime, here are a few bloomers to light her visitors' way. None of this would be possible without drip irrigation four times a week. It has...