Last Course of the Garden Tour, With a Side of Art

One last garden to show you from the garden tour - then I promise, I will move on to something or other - to other things. I know, I know, it's been - what? Um - er -- two and a half weeks? *blush* - and all I've talked about or shown you, during all that time - has been photos from those two days of flower show and garden tour...

Think of it like one of those movies that takes two and a half hours to tell what happened in 2 minutes...only rated G, with less bloodshed - and probably a lot less entertainment value, and no awards. But it's either this or the farm report. At least it is in color...

Trust me - I'm pretty sure the family would back me up on this -- the garden tour is a lot more entertaining than my nightly farm report at the dinner table, as I regale them with how many more radishes came up today...

Boy, are they in for an exciting report tonight, because four carrots finally came up! Grew 'em myself! From seeds, you know... I'm sure they will be ecstatic about tonight's report - barely able to contain their excitement at the dinner table: 'Carrots, huh? Does that mean we can look forward to something besides leftover chili for dinner, sometime in the near future?'

I don't think I have the heart to tell them, that the back of the carrot seed packet says, "Number of days to harvest: 70 - 80. "

Seventy to eighty days. I planted them two weeks ago. Yes, we should have us some carrots - yep, uh-huh - in about two months...

So back to the final garden of the garden tour for this year - really, I'll try my best not to bring the tour up again - well, not till next April, anyway... At least this last garden was semi-art-related, as the garden's owner is an artist - who paints floral still-lifes (still-lives?) - um, you know what I mean...who graciously opened her studio that second day of the garden tour to all of us looky-loos -sharing the sight of her lovely painted flowers with us, as well as the lively ones in the garden - and when asked that day, was nice enough to say 'yes' to sharing these photos here...

First, some of the inspiring views around her garden:

This is a Harry Lauder's Walking Stick shrub - I was so excited to see it - but then, I don't get out much lately : )

I have read about them before, but I think this is the first one I"ve seen in real life. It's actually in the same family as filberts and hazelnuts, even though it doesn't have any nuts, unlike our family tree, that has at least one, ahem (actually more than one - someday I'll have to tell you about my uncle who had a hat for every occasion - or my great-grandma that always ate dessert first and dipped snuff after dinner - actually, that's pretty much all I know about her...but anyway, guess we have had more than one nut in the family tree...) -- Uh, where was I? Oh, yeah - despite being in the same family as filberts and hazelnuts, this species doesn't produce any nuts. But according to what I"ve read, it does have some interesting catkins in the winter. Though I don't know where the catkins go for the summer...

Our own cat-kins are homebodies. They're here year-round. If they did go away for the summer, I'm pretty sure they would take me with them - as they haven't yet learned how to operate the can-opener. Though I think they're working on it - maybe even forming a focus group...I caught them huddled by the cat food cans, in a brainstorming session in the kitchen the other night - but once again, I digress...

Back to the garden tour -

Where the owner graciously shared not only her beautiful garden with visitors, but also a peek into this indoor gardening room - complete with a sink area that would make orchids and African violets blush and sigh with envy...

but that wasn't all -

next up on the tour - she shared her teaching studio and some of her art -

Below is a snippet of her work in progress, along with some of her finished artwork and giclee prints on display in her lovely (and stunningly neat) teaching studio. But my photos don't do her artwork justice - visit Dianne Crowtther's website to see her beautiful garden of paintings there.

                                                 

I loved it there so much,

I almost didn't want to leave...

I could just curl up in a corner somewhere in the studio - I wouldn't take up much room...

lol

But then the tour was over,

it was time to act like a grown up and go home...

still have some growing to do...

This little guy waved goodbye to us - he was bouncing about in the breeze, strutting his stuff -- as we said farewell to the garden tour - at least till next year.            

Now that I'm done with the marathon garden tour postings - maybe there will be some actual art around here - coming soon!

Either that, or the farm report.

We'll see what happens...

Comments

[Ninnie]

I have loved all of your pics and I love and laugh reading your lovely stories. My family has lots of nuts. I even have a stepping stone well really it is 2, the first one says "My family tree is full of..." and the second says NUTS. Hehehe Love Hugs and Blessings

[stephanie]

I've been so busy with my studio tour I've missed your garden tour :( I'm going back and visit them all. I LOVE garden tours, this was is gorgeous!

[Janet]

What kind of family would we have if we didn't have a couple of nuts! I'm the resident nut on both sides of my family!

Ya gotta know I love that purple sink in the potting area!! That woman has great taste in colors!

If you want to do the farm report go right ahead. I know with your gift with words you could make watching grass grow exciting so carrots and radishes will be off the charts!

[darlene]

i find your garden photos so incredibly inspiring as though some day over time, i too can turn my wild patch of yard into something artistically stunning. :) i want an indoor gardening room, tee hee

[somepinkflowers]

ooohhh!
farm report!
farm report!!!
yes with chicks and eggs and grains and alligators...

{well, we DO have an alligator farm
in my state;
we never know WHAT others have, do we?}

:-)

have you a Nubian goat,
perchance?

[Tammy]

I've been enjoying your garden envy and farm reports. ;)

XXOO

[Imelda / GreenishLady]

You can't say that's not actual art - the gardens themselves, your photos and your words. It's all art, all beautiful, and all very welcome here!

[giggles]

It's all wonderful and creative art you have expressed here! I am in awe of great gardens and have the respect to know the work that goes into them. My family would be thrilled to hear of a carrot or two coming up! We get excited about cutting off a few chives I grow by the door for our baked potatoes! My dad had a veggie garden when I was growing up and apple trees too! I remember putting up apples for the freezer, and preparing other fresh veggies all summer long!
Wonderful photos and meander through the garden. Going back to read more!

Hugs Sherrie

[Caroline]

Fabulous garden - inspires me (yet again) to want to make art for my garden.

And we are doing farm reports here too... salad leaves mature faster than carrots but Jim gets upset when I suggest we ought to eat some already as I've recently read people are now eating sprouted salad in posh restaurants!!!