Thanks for the tour, Karin!! Beautiful!

Karn, your gardens are a gogeous sight to behold.

Seeing your sweet peas makes me think that maybe I should be growing some.

How big is your property? It looks like you have a lot of gardening space.

Your garden is wonderful!

Karin, great job! Everything looks beautiful. I love the picture of Inga getting a drink!
Is your clematis on steroids? Is that one plant? What do you use for support? Do you have neutral soil in general there? We're acidic and every year I tell myself I should lime all the clematis, and every year I don't. Do you give it extra water? Do you have a lot more? Would love to see them.
What is the blue plant spilling into the path? I can't make it out.
Which spruce are those? I like how you have them paired.

Thank goodness you weren't trashed by that hail. I would have been swearing like a truck driver and pacing all over if that were happening a week before a tour, especially after all your work. Glad the garden (and your nerves) survived.

Gorgeous garden! How big is your property? How old is the garden? What kind of structure is the clematis planted on? Can you please post a closer view of that?

Thank you, thank you! Of course I only posted pictures of the places that are all tidy and nice. This morning I am tackling the roadside garden which, with it's huuuuge swaths of shasta daisies is now past peak and in need of several hours of deadheading. But I'll get there. It is enjoyable work.

A2Z, we live on one acre. It's about half lawn and half garden space. Our lawn is awful, so we tried to minimize it. Yes you should try sweet peas! I think they do well in NJ and will bloom in spring or early summer.

T2D, there are 2 clematis (clemati?) on that trellis. It is an arch and serves as the main entrance to the back gardens. There is one clematis on each side of the arch and yes, they appear to be on steroids! I don't do anything special for them. We have alkaline soil, I don't feed them and maybe once a year I water them. I think they get plenty of water from the lawn sprinklers and my watering of plants in the wall on either side.

I do have one more 'secret' clematis that I love, 'Sir Trevor Lawrence,' which makes deep pink tulip-shaped flowers. It is secret because it's small and subtle and it winds its way quietly through an amur maple shrub. I just love it! I keep trying to get proper pics of it, but it's so secret that it's hard to photograph well.

The blue plant spilling into the path is catmint. I think it's 'Walker's Low,' but it was a hand-me-down so I'm not sure. The spruce are 'Blue Globe,' they paved the way for a whole new design of that area so I am especially appreciate of them!

Gorgeous garden! How big is your property? How old is the garden? What kind of structure is the clematis planted on? Can you please post a closer view of that?

More beautiful photos of your garden! Love the one of the cat drinking out of the hosta. And that Clematis needs a close up photo for all of us that are not close enough to you to make the garden tour. ;-) Love your walls again and hope after you deadhead the roadside garden will get another photo op. I also think you did a good job making your garden welcoming with all the seating areas. Your property looks a lot bigger than an acre. Sounds like you are enjoying getting ready for the tour.

I can't believe you're only gardening on 1/2 an acre; it looks so much larger. Obviously that's because the layout has been extremely well thought out. Bravo!

Your garden is beautiful! I know your visitors will be entranced! Can't wait to hear about the large heapings of praise you get.

WOW! Your garden is heavenly!! I only wish I could tour it. Be prepared for many questions....everyone will want to pick your brain to learn your secrets. I agree with others, it looks much bigger than 1 acre. Can`t wait to hear all about the show and see even more pictures. Thanks for sharing. Lesley

Karin - It all looks quite lovely and well-kept. As someone who indulges in several garden tours annually, yours is right up there with the best. It looks well suited to the site, lovingly planned, built, and cared for, and I am sure will be enjoyed by your visitors. Enjoy the experience!

Thanks for the photo tour, Karin, your gardens are lovely.

Some comments from an experienced garden tour visitor to consider:

If it is a very large tour most people will walk through the gardens and not ask questions. Some will want to visit about your garden and ask questions. Others will realize that there is not enough time for everyone's questions and maybe listen in to answers or move on to the next garden on the list. A list of plants or book of photos is nice for the few that will have the time to look through them.

Re: serving water or other refreshments. With the large tours I have been on it is impractical. Hundreds of people coming through during an afternoon always finds the hosts running out leaving many people disappointed. During our city garden tour in our usually extremely hot July I bring my own beverage which I drink in my car before or after each stop. If you have an idea of the number of people coming and can plan for that many and extras it is a thoughtful and appreciated gesture.

Smaller garden tours with a limited number of people allow for interaction between gardeners and visitors. It is fun to learn what the gardener has experienced in making the garden and how the garden will continue to evolve.

Two things help to make a good tour for me:
signs, especially by plants that are unusual for the area. If I know the plant's botanical name I can look info up online when I am not able to ask the gardener. And please include the variety, if known.

A place to sit. I don't need but a minute to knock that rock out of my sandle/shoe or to catch my breath. Others may need more time as many of us are getting older and may have had a knee/hip replacement or illness and recovered enough to join the tour but still tire easily.

A few weeds and spent flowers here and there are no concern.

I think your visitors are going to love your garden and that you are going to have a fun day.

How about a sign for those areas that are unfinished or have a hole. Along the line: I shovel pruned _______ and am considering what to do here, any suggestions?

What do I turn my nose up at? Those gardens laid out and maintained by professionals where all the host does is appreciate the garden and pick a blossom or two. They have a place on a special professional gardens tour.

I want to see a garden where the hosts' ideas and hard work have made it one to enjoy and maybe take home an idea that I can use in my own garden.

You've already done the things I would prioritize. Remove any clutter, deadhead, weed, refresh mulch, add seating and signage. I am of the age where one forgets things so would make myself a short list of plant names to carry in my pocket and jog my memory if needed.

Wonderful 'karin'. As someone who just loves residential garden tours I would so like to see your property as part of this one.

Well, I am still alive. I have not keeled over from the frenzy just yet. Tonight was the preview tour where all the hosts did a tour of everyone else's gardens. I wasn't too terribly worried about having every last thing done because I figured others would be in the same boat and since it would just be a handful of fellow homeowners/gardeners. What's a few weeds and leftover rocks here and there among friends?

Well I was way wrong about that. At the appointed hour about 30 people showed up. Not just the other homeowners but all sorts of volunteers and board members, plus journalists and photographers who in no time were snapping photos of the un-weed-whacked walls and photos of me having just gotten out of the shower! Nooo! Neither me nor the garden were expecting prime-time quite yet!

So that threw me for a loop. Plus I was loopy already after spending all day finishing up a section of stone work - I think I got a little too hot by the end of the day.

Our house was the first on the tour, and with 6 houses to visit I was sure we were on a tight schedule so I just marched people through without ceremony. Then we were off to the next house... which was completely amazing. Hands down the nicest private garden I have ever seen. Stone walls, outdoor fireplace, swimming pool, and endless beds in perfect, and I do mean perfect condition. By the time we passed the 5th or 6th seating area outfitted in impressive teak furnishings I was convinced that their furniture budget surpassed our entire garden budget. Wow, the house was amazing and a pleasure to tour, but would leave any mere DIYer feeling a little sheepish. Sigh.

Unfortunately it did not get better from there in terms of my spirits. I know it's not a contest or anything, but everyone else's yards looked so tidy and lush, whereas our place is much more lean and, well, it's DIY all the way. Here I am all proud of myself because I bought a power tool this week so I can cut stone for the walls. Meanwhile, the other houses had walls built from huge blocks that clearly required entire crews to construct. Plus, everyone else's potatoes looked a lot better than ours. Ours are an eyesore at this point. And don't get me started on the lawn. Our lawn is just mowed weeds because we just can't live with the idea of an overwatered Chemlawn. But, in comparison it looks pretty ratty.

Etc, etc, I think you get the idea. I was not expecting to be feeling this way at this point! I have been working so hard out there for the past week. The place looks amazing - it's never looked better and I'm totally proud of it. But at the same time, I couldn't help but feel let down.

Well, I'm sure I'll feel better tomorrow. If in doubt I will stack a few more rocks because that always cures what ails me!

Karin, your gardens look beautiful, and I love the picture of the cat drinking from the Hosta.

My garden is totally DIY also - and I'm proud of it. I have never owned any other yard power tool except for a cranky old lawn mower (however, I have recently considered buying an electric weed whacker).

Personally I'm not interested in seeing gardens that were designed by professionals and require workers and lots of inputs (water, fossil fuels, fertilizers, pesticides) to maintain. Not only is this not sustainable but it is damaging to the Earth, which is antithetical to what I think a garden should be - in harmony with nature.

I agree with terrene... anybody can pay for a beautifully planned, designed and executed garden. I mean, money aside, anyone can pick up a phone and ordered a garden but you put the time into yours yourself. There is a value to that, too. I feel like I'm not quite wording this right, but where others can say "just look how much we paid for this" you can say "look how much time, work and energy I put into this" (and time is money, right? There's a value to yours). Not trying to put down "the competition" (hehe) but these are things I tell myself.
Every time I put a lot of work into the yard, I take a step back I think about how much I really do love the yard and I am proud of what I've done with it so far. Then when I'm driving around or online, I see beautiful gardens (like yours!) and then take another look at my own and think "god, what a dump!" Ha ha! But then I think its a work in progress and no, Better Homes and Garden wont hit me up for a photo spread or anything but what I'm realizing is more important than what it looks like when I take a step back is the fun I have in the yard, planning beds and layout, researching plants of all kinds and trying to decide what I want and where... That's the real fun. I worked hard on this dump and its mine :) And you've worked hard on your garden and its yours (and impressively beautiful and, again I'll say, I'd willingly trade you any day of the week... but I know nothing about potatoes...)

Karin, that's too bad, that you were all excited and to be feeling this way today. After all that work! I agree with Terrene, that I'd rather see a garden that was created by an individual homeowner than one that someone hired someone else to install a professional garden and pays someone to keep it looking pristine. You're growing yours organically and trying to use sustainable methods too, which is a very big deal.

As a matter of fact, if you think about it, the fact that all these other gardens have the carpet lawns and the immaculate beds, not a rain barrel in sight, I would imagine, distinguishes your garden as the 'real thing'.

Your ditch garden along your wall out by the street is breathtaking and shows a natural talent for design along with an intimate knowledge of your property and your plants.

And think about your rock wall, that you installed yourself from scratch with no training! That is something to feel very good about. I would wager that many of your visitors from the public will find your garden a real inspiration for what they can actually do in their own gardens, than the other gardens. I hope you have a wonderful day with lots of interesting gardeners visiting. Is it today or on the weekend?

This post was edited by prairiemoon2 on Thu, Aug 8, 13 at 8:49

Pat yourself on the back; your gardens are beautiful! You have a lot of variety and lots of color there. I'm sure folks that appreciate DIY gardens will love it. I have never been on a garden tour but I do have a gardening friend who gives me a tour just about every time I go to visit her because she has taught me a lot about cottage gardening over the past few years I've known her. My friend is one of the hardest working lady I know..she gets more accomplished in one day than I get done in a week. She turns no pass along plants down or hardscape that somebody offers her. She can look at something and it will grow for her. She does not buy any commerical mulch..she goes around in her neighborhood in the Fall and collects the leaves that are bagged for the city to pick up or her neighbors will call her and tell her to come get the bags they racked up. She bought herself a shredder and she uses shredded leaves as her mulch. Of course, year after year, those leaves make great compost for her gardens. She also shares plants that i admire.

I live in a gated community and are limited what I can do and they blow the leaves and mow the lawns with those big honking mowers that the men stand up and ride on. They are not interested in quality mowing, it's all about getting it done fast as this is a large community..They don't maintain like we did when we owned our former home but we didn't have 650 acres either to mow.

I have never seen sweet peas grown so beautifully except on seed packages. Yours fits that picture of excellence! Wished I could see a close up picture of your clematis that everybody is saying is on steroids. I have one established Dr. Ruppel variety and have recently planted one H.F. Young variety and another volunteer popped up and I have no idea what variety it is and if it will make it next year. We'll just wait and see. It only has had maybe 2 or 3 blooms this summer and it's a small flower that is light pink.

Let us know how the garden tour goes. I'm sure you'll have lots of satisfied admirers that will appreciate all that you have accompished. We'll be thinking about you. Good Luck!

Karin--- wow! Sounds like all the other gardens on that pre-tour nailed #3 on my list ----gardens that say "designer-built and staff-maintained." That's not what the folks on this thread are all about.

I have also been in gardens like the ones you described--- gardens created to impress. When I visit those types of "estate" gardens, I take nothing home that I could/would use. Now, don't get me wrong ---- there are many, many people who are designers with wonderfully creative "eyes", gardening knowledge, and talents ---- people like you! We all marvel at their gardens on this thread and on others. However, I do believe that there is a big difference between a garden that's been created by a designer who loves to garden and a garden that's been created by a designer for a homeowner who doesn't garden.

Your garden speaks of the person who created it. It looks loved and cared for and welcoming. Plant colors, forms and textures complement each other as well as the natural elements, and a viewer who looks at photos of your gardens --- or is lucky enough to walk through them --- feels at home. I think everyone who visits yours will feel that way.

I have to agree with the other posters.

I actually enjoy seeing professionally designed and installed gardens, but at the same time, I don't come away thinking that there's anything there I could hope to replicate.

I find your beautiful gardens and stonework inspirational otoh.

Thanks you guys - I needed some propping up and you are very supportive. I appreciate that!

Well, we've got the sprinklers running this morning in hopes to at least get the lawn a little greener. But you are right - a green lawn in August a semi-arid climate isn't really much to be proud of. I suppose everyone's gardens reflect their priorities and even when I see enviable gardens I have to remember the philosophy behind ours. And as David points out, in the end it's for me (us) and not anyone else.

The other gardens on the tour were owner-designed, but not owner-executed. Well, some parts were, but not the hardscape. I guess it is unusual to do every single element DIY. And yeah, I assume that everyone gardens organically but that's not true either. OK, OK, I will hold my head a little higher. :)

Pictures are coming soon. The clematis arch was a major attractant, as were the sweet peas and a sculpture DH built.

One more day of tidying to go - the tour is Friday afternoon/evening and all day Saturday. I am looking forward to it, and to having less on an en masse visit and more time to just chat with folks. I'm also going to make some signs and labels that point out some of the more interesting features - these are the little things that spawn ideas for others, so that will be fun.

I might just have to dig up some of the potatoes rather than have them looking so yellow!

THANKS again everyone! :)

I'm excited for you, I think you'll have a great time! Don't worry about the spots not done, you're tuned in to them and they're much more obvious to you than to everyone else..... And photographers don't usually look for bad shots of weeds and unraked gravel, you'll probably be amazed at just how amazing your garden can look from a fresh perspective!
Don't wear yourself out today (you probably already did!) just get set to enjoy the company. Good luck!

I really want to see the scuplture. Garden art enhances the space imo.

My lawn is a mass of green weeds also, If there was an award for healthiest creeping charlie, I'd definitely be in the running.

Oh, Karin! Please don't underestimate your garden. Just the handful of photos you've shown are gorgeous. You will find that people will be VERY interested in so many facets of your garden because it is something they can actually DO in their own yards.

Those other gardens may be pristine, but most "normal", "average" gardeners simply can't afford all those extra luxuries nor do they have spacious gardens where they can have an allee of pleached limes, or a 4-tier water fountain, or 600 yards of clipped boxwood surrounding a gazillion roses! You know I'm just giving examples of some of the things that are seen in some estate gardens, or where money is no object, but there is not a whole lot to take home from that type of garden other than the oooh, aaah factor that wears off quickly after leaving.

I truly believe your garden will be one of the most memorable on the tour for most people who garden because it is more relatable and very well executed to boot.

Congrats on the power tool purchase! My DH says I'm a garden whimp because I don't use any power tools.

Maybe with the potatoes you could dig some up and have them in a basket next to the remaining yellowed plants? I know if I were visiting your garden and interested in vegetable gardening, it would be good to see the stages the potato plant goes through, and you might get questions about how to plant them, when to harvest, etc.......

What?!? You've been holding out on a picture of DHs sculpture!! LOL!!! We need to see that! Can't wait!

Have a great time. You'll have so much fun chatting with people and wait until they find out YOU did all the work, hardscape and everything. They will be very impressed indeed.

Sorry that you had that letdown, Karin. I agree with the others that your gardens are beautiful and inspirational. Keep in mind that the selection committee thinks your garden is a great addition to the tour.

The basket of newly dug potatoes is a great idea. That will show that your yellowed potatoes are ahead of the others and ready for harvesting..

My lawn does not get much in the way of attention as agree it is a waste of resources. That said I have a twinge of envy when I walk past a neighbor's thick, weed free, perfectly mowed lawn. Just a tiny, tiny twinge which is quickly pushed away. If I had the money it still wouldn't be a perfect lawn. It would be stacked stone fences that I helped build and stone pathways that I helped lay.

I also do not spend any time on the lawn. It has weeds, violets, dandelions, clover....lol. The back is the original grass that was here with the house. It gets mowed high and watered in severe drought conditions, but otherwise, ignored. Never gets any fertilizer, never has had any chemical used on it. The front lawn is very small and we replaced it once with one of those special mixes that had wildflowers in it and was supposed to grow shorter and be self sufficient. It never worked out very well and it really needs to be replaced. We keep enlarging the perennial bed out front and replacing lawn, but DH does not want to replace the lawn entirely. I agree with him most days, but once in awhile I would like to be done with it all together.

I LOVE a nice thick, weed free, perfect lawn. lol If I had the time and energy, I would pay a little more attention to it. Maybe some overseeding and hand pulling some of the weeds, or organic fertilizer once a year, but it probably wouldn't work out well any way. If I went to that trouble to try to make it look better, then I wouldn't want to let it go when it didn't rain and I would be watering it more and I think it would just suck me in to more than I would want to do.

I'm happy this year it is very green, without a sprinkler. In August!

pm, no time gets spent on my lawn either. However the weeds are beginning to encrouch on my beds, plus it looks so ratty that its detracting from the overall look. So I'm going to have to take matters into my own hands. (supposedly Dh takes care of the lawn but he does not. He mows it as little as possible. He just has no interest.)

Good morning!

What a difference 24 hours makes. First off, by the time I read Kato's advice, it was far too late to abide by it and not wear myself out. I am exhausted this morning. But happy.

I took all of your kind words and advice to heart yesterday and was fueled by more energy that I actually had. A garden friend (and champion sweet pea grower) came over to help prep and an external perspective always helps. We cleaned up the last of the rocks where I had been working on the walls, nipped and tucked small weeds, and she gave me a good assessment of what still needed fresh mulch. Off we went to the nursery where I bought 7 more bags of bark chips (I am a cheapskate when it comes to mulch; I hate buying it).

There was also a prominent spot in a recently overhauled garden that looked really pathetic. It's at the end of a path, so your eye goes down the path to be greeted by wilty pansies and mis-shapen zinnias. Not exactly inspiring. But I was really trying to keep myself from buying things for the tour that I didn't otherwise want or need. So I had been searching for some annuals to put in that spot but couldn't find anything that wouldn't just look like I plopped it in the ground 5 minutes ago.

But I am lucky to live 2 miles from a top-notch nursery and even in the heat of August, they still get in new plants weekly. When we strolled by a flat of Japanese Forest Grass 'Aureola' I knew that was the perfect solution. This garden is meant to be sleek and contemporary and this was the ideal plant. They could have cost $50 each and I still probably would have bought them!

We came home with the station wagon weighed down from all the mulch, but I was excited to have a plan. I took a break from the heat, then drank a Coke (which I rarely do) and had an unbelievable 4 hour spree of inspired work. One recently planted area got a new soaker hose followed by mulch. Fresh mulch cures all, does it not?

The new grasses are perfect at the end of the path, and new mulch in that area transformed it from looking meh to looking purposeful and sleek. As luck would have it, the neighbors to the forest grass are Zinna 'Envy' which shares the same chartreuse color. Don't you love it when you are smarter than you really are?

Fueled by that success and a rapidly elevating mood, I embarked on further tidying and sprucing up. At this point I was getting things done that I never thought I'd get to, and each of those improvements had a big effect. Wow! Soaker hoses were re-buried underneath mulch, two odd gaps in rock borders were filled my magical rocks that fit exactly on the first try, a pile of dirt next to my wall-in-progress was raked smooth, and a section of weeds that had somehow escaped my critical eye were eliminated. Meanwhile soaker hoses were running in front and back gardens and a spot sprinkler was attending to some crunchy areas in the lawn.

At some point DH walked by and I happily announced that I was over the hump and was now working on things that didn't really need to be done. The garden is ready. He looked at the place on his wrist where a watch would be had he been wearing a watch. "It's 8:00 and the tour starts tomorrow," he said, "you had better be over the hump!"

Ah yeah, good point DH. He is always smarter than me. (Well, usually anyway.)

As for the potatoes. $%#@ the potatoes! Potatoes turn yellow at the end of their life cycle. It's not a reflection of poor gardening or anything else. If someone walks down a 100-foot path of immaculately-maintained garden and gets miffed by potatoes doing what they naturally do, well then I can't help them.

OK, I just wrote a novel. If you're still with me, congratulations. Sorry! This has been a rollercoaster and you have all been dragged along for the ride!

Pictures today, for sure!

I love the novel, thanks! It's like being there minus the stress and aches and sweat!

I don't really see a difference between your garden and a big money landscape. I think you can look at either and see things you might want to try maybe on a smaller scale in your own yard, and I don't think either will be easy to replicate. Yours is a well designed, well planted and tended garden and it might actually be easier to get a second job and pay someone to do it than it would be to develop the skill, talent and motivation to do it yourself!

I hope that came across like it was intended, for me just taking the pictures and posting would have been enough work for the afternoon! Hope it's going well, yellow potatoes and all.
Oh and the dried lawn is a statement in itself which I'm sure people will pick up on

OK, Day 1 is complete!

And it was fun! The tour started at 4pm so that meant that the first clutch of ladies showed up at 3:50, just as I was hoping to grab a quick sandwich before the madness began. No such luck. There was one short lull but otherwise it was full-tilt until 8:30 (the tour ended at 8).

There is too much to describe, but I will relay a few highlights:

- Several people asked what is wrong with my potatoes!
- Several people had never even seen a potato growing before and appreciated seeing what they look like. (I will dig a few today to show the process)
- Two people commented that they really appreciated our non-green, weedy lawn, "These are our kind of people," said one.
- I saw many instances of wives elbowing husbands and saying, "I want this" while motioning at the raised beds.
- The kinetic sculpture had a steady stream of people queued up to give it a whirl.
- "OOH, rain barrels! Honey, we need rain barrels!"
- We have three compost tumblers and got lots of questions about them. People asked if they could try tumbling them. (Yes, by all means, go for it.)
- The side yard has a partially built wall, which people really liked. You can see exactly how it's being built. A major hit with the men.
- Perhaps the most asked-about plant is a viburnum shrub that I never even give a second thought. But at the moment it's covered in blushing-red berries and it looks very attractive. Who knew?

A major highlight was a visit by a bee specialist who, within 5 minutes of being here, identified 4 different species of native bumblebee. She applauded how the gardens were ideal for native bees. I didn't know this - although I am well aware of all the busy bees here. But that made me very happy. She gave me some tips for helping the bees overwinter. DH was particularly interested in that.

Probably about 70 or so people came yesterday. The tour organizers expect 300-400 total. Today we go all day.

It's been fun. Now that all the work is done, it really is nice to spend the day entertaining people here. You all certainly are very right about that!

Photos coming up in next post

Front of house. The house was remodeled last year.
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New porch gardens{{gwi:247789}}

Brand new garden, finished on Thursday.{{gwi:247790}}

This year I did a total overhaul of the front gardens to match the newly remodeled house - we went from full-on cottage garden to something more sleek and clean.
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DH's sculpture. You turn the handle, which drives a bicycle chain, which scoops up a metal ball and carries it to the top of the track and deposits it. There is a series of tracks that the balls can roll down. There are switches, levers and spirals that the balls travel through.The balls activate switches that makes them take different routes. If you spin the handle quickly you can get several balls going at once, which is delightfully chaotic.
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OK, gotta go. More later!

Thanks for the update! Glad it is going so well. You have a REAL garden. I'm sure everyone enjoyed themselves very much and took many mental notes. How exciting to have a bee expert stop by.

Is DH taking pictures with the people in the garden while you're chatting with them? I love that you have hands-on activities with kinetic sculpture and compost tumblers!!

Karin, I know this will also be a successful tour day for you. As I was looking at your "new" home, I recalled what it previously looked like on the landscape forum. You should post (here/there) alternative views of your house. While the former, cottage-style front gardens were lovely and much admired, I think this style better reflects the semi-arid conditions and speaks to the mountain vistas, especially with that top deck.

I look forward to the next chapter of "The House Tour Diaries"….. :)

I'm so excited for you! The tour sounds like a huge success (and deservedly so).

Love your house! Don't don't how it looked before the remodel, but it's lovely.

The best thing - your husband's sculpture! It is fantastic. Is he a sculptor by trade? I would love to own one, I mean it.

It reminds me of one of my favorite hidden gems in NYC - the kinetic ball sculpture tucked away in the Port Authority. Here's a video (which doesn't do it any justice, unfortunately): sculpture

I am enjoying this post more than I can say. Thank you so much for sharing this journey with me. I have had a nasty experience with the last garden tour here in my little garden, so I was interested in reading about yours! Sounds like everything has been positive and fun!(Hard work,too) Your gardens are so lovely and one can just feel the love and effort you have used to create your garden. Can`t wait to see more pictures and read more. Lesley

Love that sculpture! It sounds like things are off to a great start and you're having lots of fun! Enjoy today too - more picture would be great - show that arbour please!!

Phew.

The tour wrapped up - it was a long day and it took a couple of adult beverages and an hour of quiet to feel a little more normal. There were hundreds of people here - just crazy! The garden held up great but I felt a little brown around the edges by the afternoon. I think the hardest part was to be so social all day. After everyone left, I changed back into my ugly gardening clothes and re-installed the deer netting, the kitties came out from under the bed and joined me outside, and I felt my usual energy resurfacing. It helped me realize that this is an intrinsic effort: the joy is not from the final product nor from onlooker's praise, but from the simple act of tending the garden every day. I am relieved to have my little haven back to myself again!

After all the conversations and comments the thing I am most proud of is how 'natural' the garden is and how it serves as a respite for birds, bees and yes, even deer. People's mouths fell open when I explained my deer management strategy is to plant enough for them and us. (OK, admittedly not true when it comes to tulips!) But the theme of restrained water use, no chemicals, consideration for animal residents, and a geologic connection to our natural setting resonated with many visitors.

Lesley, I appreciate your comment because I can so easily imagine a garden tour gone wrong. Luckily I did not overhear any negative comments because I would have been hurt by that after turning myself inside out with the preparations. Gardens are very personal, and this week underscored that sentiment.

OK, some more pictures!

The arbor, as requested:
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Curious visitors took turns with the kinetic sculpture.
{{gwi:247796}}A2Z, I dig the bells on the Port Authority one! Sculptures like this are great for airports and public spaces because they really engage people. I was amazed by the constant train of people stepping up and playing with it. DH is a sculptor of sorts. He makes exquisite handmade bicycles. He thrives at the intersection of mechanical design and artistic cleverness.

I only got a few photos of people out and about. Generally I was too busy to step away.
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I made a few signs to explain various parts of the garden:
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A shot of the shady side of Dave's garden
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An explanation of the remodel and before/after pics (Another day I'll post some before/during/after pics. It's been so interesting!)
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A little sign at the entrance to the roadside garden. It was the first thing people saw and I was in the backyard so I was not around to answer questions about it. People liked the idea of a "rugged meadow" with no diva plants allowed!
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Roadside garden
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Greenhouse with sign professing our unadulterated love for it.
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OK, I know this was unwise, but I spent two full-tilt days rebuilding a section of the wall here. It's a stone bench and I love it. But it was crumbling and it would have killed me to watch people walk by it in such a state. Now it is so tidy!
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Can I just say: Thank God for echinacea! They have never been better. They are exquisite. And they have made generous clumps which repeat down the entire main axis of the garden. Yay!
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"I am not coming down until all these people get out of my garden!"
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Ahhhh, so neat and clean! That nice big slab of stone under the hose? I'd been meaning to do that for like 5 years. And literally it took 5 minutes to do.
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Well, I think that sums up this chapter in the Garden Tour Diaries. It made this whole week a lot easier and more fun to have you all along for the ride (and that includes you too Ken, if you're still here!). So thank you all, very much, for playing along with me.

I am so looking forward to a normal, calm day tomorrow -- in my clean, clean garden!

This post was edited by karin_mt on Sun, Aug 11, 13 at 0:16

Karin, it was very thoughtful of you to write such a long post sharing your garden tour experiences and preparations and including photos after your very busy and exhausting day.

I agree that being alone in the garden can be energizing and the doing can bring great joy and satisfaction.

Thanks for including us in the many aspects of your garden tour.

The gardens look not only gorgeous but well loved so I'm not surprised that there was nothing but high praise.

Custom bicyles is both cool and impressive. There are quite a few artists in my family but sadly, they all work on paper so no garden art for me.

I love your roadside garden! It's a great idea. If you have time, I'd appreciate a plant list.

I hope my clematis looks as impressive as yours someday. What a gorgeous arbor.

It all looks wonderful and I'm sure is was the highlight of the entire tour for the visitors! The arbour looks great. Are those clematises late to bloom there? Here most of the clematises are past their peak. I love the Dave's Garden sign - and kitty in the tree! Your garden should be featured in Fine Gardening magazine.....

It helped me realize that this is an intrinsic effort: the joy is not from the final product nor from onlooker's praise, but from the simple act of tending the garden every day.

Very well said 'karin'.

If I can expand just slightly on this...I have a couple of locations on our property that only I can access...very much out of the way in lots of shade. And yet I still enjoy choosing and putting plants in the ground in these areas even though it is only I that know what is there. Of course I enjoy "showing off" our garden to friends family and strangers but I would for sure still do it if even I was the only audience.

Congratulations and thanks for all the posts. It really does look great and I hope you enjoy the afterglow of the tour. I wonder if you'll get more 'slow drive bys' as people who were on the tour swing by your house to see how things are doing?
Love the sculpture too.... And a lot of other parts! Thanks again :)

I think I am going to have to pretend I am on the garden tour, so I can get a little more push to finish up some of those little things that stay on the bottom of the list. :-)

Love your photos....clematis arbor, very pretty entrance to your garden. Love the raised beds, the rock walls, and especially your roadside garden. Actually there is nothing about your garden I don't love. lol

I agree, that the most pleasure I get from the garden, is the actual day to day working in the garden, in whatever weather is out there, with the fresh air and the smells, the changing light, the birds singing and the constant fascination of plants growing. And the satisfaction of having an idea, and getting to see it develop and take shape. Someone else enjoying looking at the garden, is just frosting on the cake.

This has been a very pleasant and interesting thread, thanks for sharing, Karin.

Congrats Karin! Wonderful posts! Your gardens are beautiful, and the cat pics are just beyond cute.

So glad to hear that all went well with the tour, that your gardens and its features were engaging for people and most of all - that people related to the environmentally conscious, wildlife friendly, life supporting aspects of your property!

So glad the tour was a success! But then, how could it not be with such lovely gardens! You did an amazing job and thanks so much for sharing with words and pictures. I wish my gardens turned out half as well as yours! Love the shot of the roadside garden. Just the sort of plan I would love to have here. Your arbor is wonderful-again, I have no success with clematis. Sigh-I envy you and Woody there. The entire place is is beautiful.

Now, when did you say you could get down here? ;)

Cynthia

I don't even know where to begin........

When you said a kinetic sculpture I was thinking fancy whirligig or something....OMG!! Has your DH ever though of making those if someone would commission him to? There are lots of wealthy people out there (you know, the ones with the estate gardens) that would love something as intricate as that. If I ever win the lottery I'm calling him! LOL!!!

Love the cat up the tree. The expression is priceless in that photo.

Let's talk about that most awesome arbor, because I think I need 2 of these.
Looks metal? Did you make it, or purchase it? About 6' wide? Those are the happiest clematis I've seen!

How long is the main axis of the garden. It is so nice to have such a long view in a garden.

Can I live above your garage? What a nice view you must have from that porch.

I am so glad the tour went well and you had lots of fun talking to other gardeners. Did you learn anything from them during your chats? Did they have any ideas or bring up anything about what they've done in their gardens?

Great job. Your garden is awesome.

Karin, I'm not surprised to hear that the tour was a success. I'm sure visitors took home many ideas that they could use --- or wish that they could replicate. I'm curious, though --- what organization sponsored this tour? Whoever was in charge of setting it up will probably ask you to open your gardens again next year.

Add me to the long list of those who enjoyed all the photos of your beautiful property. I absolutely love the stone bench you created in the corner of your wall and the stone slab that serves as a hose holder.

Thank you so much for your warm comments. Reading them is the ideal way to wind down after all the hubbub.

A2Z, the key roadside plants are 'Nearly Wild' rose, penstemon, shasta daisies, catmint, thyme, salvia, scabiosa, catanache (Cupid's Dart), 'Pawnee Buttes' sand cherry, and echinacea. There are also some oriental poppies and Siberian irises. I am adding more shrubs such as a groundcover honeysuckle, dogwoods, 'Summerwine' ninebark and 'Drift' roses. Next year I will also try some rugosa roses or something along those lines. The garden really is a mishmash collection that allows survival of the fittest. I am certainly not attached to any particular plant out there, and the whole thing just evolves over time. I would like it to be more shrubs and fewer perennials though, because deadheading it and cutting it back are daunting tasks. Next year I will sink some time into adding shrubs. (There are more photos of this garden in the first 'combination pics' thread from June).

The clematis on the arch are 'Perle d'Azur' (2005) and 'Comtesse de Bouchard' (2007). I selected them for their later bloom so that things would be interesting in late summer. The arch is metal and was from one of those junky-type antique stores. Yes, I think it's 5' wide. Some day relatively soon it's going to collapse. You should see it sway in the wind. I have to cut back the clematises in order to preserve the opening in the archway. Otherwise they would join hands and seal the whole thing off! It's very pretty in the winter too - I cut about 2/3 of the clematis vines off but leave enough for some winter interest. We put sunflower heads on it so the birds have an easy place to eat (away from the cats).

Mollie, the tour was organized by a local arts center. We were on the tour in 2007 and they had been asking me again for a few years now. I hope they don't ask again anytime soon. I need a enough years to pass so that I can forget about how stressful this was! I think I'd rather help out by being on the selection committee or contributing in some other way.

I did learn things! The coolest thing I learned was all the types of native bees that live here. That was the highlight. I also learned that I need to use my compost, particularly in the greenhouse which is ailing this year. So yesterday I put down a 4" layer of compost throughout the whole greenhouse. Another visitor suggested I use straw as mulch in the raised beds, and I'm definitely going to do that. I hate spending money on mulch so straw is perfect and cheap. Oh, and back to the bees, I learned to use sunflower stalks as wintering habitat for them.

DH did once consider making the sculptures as a profession. But the idea didn't resonate with him, I think because the sculptures don't have a function. The bicycles are a much better fit for him and use all the same skills. But thank you for the vote of confidence!

Thanks again for being by my side (virtually) through the whole thing. I am still looking forward to regaining all my energy and it's great to have an 'empty' to-do list!