Free for the Viewing

 After Sunday dinner,
a stroll through the County Extension Gardens.
 Thanks to all the Master Gardeners who work to keep this garden interesting
in addition to their own.
Several Monarch butterflies and many, many bees
were obviously thankful, too.
 It really was a visual treat
 which we shared with a couple of friends.
I always enjoy studying the combination of plants
both potted and in the beds.
 Whether viewed en masse
 or appreciated one by one,
 the flowers here are impressive.
 And the admission price is right, too!
 Annual and perennial beauty --
 free for the viewing!
My friend suggested I take & label the last photo
"Beauty and the Beast".
Beauty and the Beast
So I did.

without ANY help from me

 While my husband mowed the yard this hot, sultry evening....
 I went to check out the farthest bed from the house.
 I was delighted to find the latest flowers had arranged themselves together quite beautifully--
 without ANY help from me at all!
 Oh, the wonder of perennials.

A New Bed

Inspired by Wilson Street (see previous post), we returned home
ready to take the plunge and create a new bed.
I laid out a general shape with the garden hose,
and he began digging - edging to make an outline of area to be turned over.
Maybe about 1/3 done (above)...I started removing the small stones
 that had been placed around the feet of the bush when it was just a  wee one.
Finished! 
We'll wait for the clumps to dry and grass to die
before breaking it up and planting
hosta and sedum that desperately need to be divided from our other flower beds.

 (If I don't get too impatient, we'll probably pile some leaves & grass clippings
here and let them enrich the soil before planting next spring.)
It's going to be lovely.
***
How do YOU go about creating a new flower bed?

Wilson Street

It's been awhile since we stopped in to this beautiful yard
on Wilson Street in Bryan, OH.
  An amazing place - with many beds containing a great variety of plants.
 The gardener was at work, but graciously put aside her hoe
and walked with us, answering questions
 and sharing her knowledge and experience
 

We found this place quite by accident several years ago
and it's been awhile since we stopped in.
Today, I just had the urge and we made a special trip.
 It was SO worth it.



Prime Time

 
 
 
 I don't believe we've had a more beautiful season than NOW...