Visiting a Gardener

72°f/22°C, mostly clear, humid. Going to be another hot day.

Yesterday Suzy and I went to visit my friend Lynne, to have lunch and see her beautiful gardens. What a treat the day was.

Suzy groaned when I told her I would pick her up at 9. That's early for her, as she's a night bird. But she was up and ready. (I have been trying to go places with her more often, as the loss of her brother has been hard on her, and getting out is good therapy.)

We started with a stop at our local coffee shop. I have not been in to this place very often, but have decided to make an effort to support theCm now that Starbucks is building in our town. Honestly, I don't care for their hot coffee as it is too strong for me, same as Starbucks. But the macchiatta,  yes, that I can do! 

We took our coffees to go, and got on the road to Lynne's. Had I not been driving, I would have treated you to a video of her road, which is very steep, and even narrower than my road. 

And soon, there was her house, set well back from the road in the shade of morning, surrounded by dew-sparkled green.

The entrance garden, as Lynne calls this area. To the right is a large patch of white-spiked culver's root, a magnet for bees apparently as it was alive with buzzing.  Lynne as it supported with takes and wire as this tall plant will topple over in heavy rain or wind.

The Annabelle hydrangea in lower left of the above photo is the parent plant of mine, which has grown almost as large. 

Lynneblives in a hollow, between two tall hills, so most of her gardens are shaded for the better part of the day, and of course it is much wetter than my ridgetop gardens. So what thrives for her struggles for me, and vice versa.

I did not think alstromeria would grow here; the only place in have ever seen it is in bouquets at the store! So now I am thinking I might have to try it.

I also noted that Lynne stakes many of the plants in her garden. I need to do more of that. My glads, for example, fell over when the blooms got heavy. Same for the crocosmia in some places. So next year I will get some stakes.

Lynne picked us some luscious "black cherry" tomatoes to munch as we walked through her veggie garden. Notice how her garden is arranged in beds? That's from when thru had their landscape gardening business, and grew shrubs and plants for their customers. The beds converted easily for flowers and vegetables. 

I so wish blackeyed Susans would grow for me! I have a few, in a wild bed, but they dont thrive like these.

I have never seen a white althea before, and this is a double-flowered one.

The view from the back porch, where it is in shade almost all day.

Jerry also builds beautiful furniture, having once been a cabinetmaker for a furniture building and restoring company. This is his shop, where he is currently making some dining room chair for Lynne. His work just amazes me, and I am sorry I didn't get photos of it.

An accidental shot of Suzy admiring the shop.

On the back porch, me Jerry, and Suzy.

It was great to see Lynne's gardens in summer. I had only seen them in early spring before this, and they were beautiful then too. I came home with ideas and plans for next year. And I admit, I felt better about my own gardens too. I secretly wondered how they would stack up against that of a pro. Mine aren't anything like hers because our environment is so different, but at least i didn't come home and feel like throwing rocks at mine! Whew. 

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.