THANK YOU, Garden Visitors

Happy November 1st! 
Now that the landscape season is behind me, I'll (hopefully) be able to devote
a little more time to the blog.  Long overdue is this post to thank all the lovely friends
who made time to visit my open garden this summer.

We were certainly blessed with 4 days of perfect sunny weather.

A lot of sweat and happy tears went into getting the garden show-ready
for her first official AHS Display tour.
It's a good thing I work well under pressure!

Friends from all points of NJ/PA made the trek to 'speak plants'...
my favorite language!
Most were seasoned gardeners but some were completely new to daylilies.

Though a week or two shy of peak daylily blooms,
there were still tons of companion plants to enjoy.

Armed with cameras, some friends stayed for hours
while others even made return visits...yay!

 Can you believe that the furthest traveler came all the way from California?! 
Good thing Kari fit in a visit with her mom and grandma, too....haha!

There's something very sexy about a man who enjoys gardening...don't you think?

How adorable are these sisters?  When I asked what their favorite flower was,
both chimed "snapdragons!".  Future gardeners for sure!

 And how great was it to hear that my garden inspired this
father/son team to rush home and create new garden beds.
I LOVE that!

All in all a very successful first tour....cheers!

I can't wait to do it again next year.

Where Did It Go?

I blinked and the summer is gone!  How did that happen? And it seems the older I get, the sand passes that much faster, through the hourglass.
Daylily below: 'Tar and Feather'

Preparing for that first 'AHS Display Garden' tour was so exciting and,
so overwhelming!
'Primal Scream'

What was I thinking...offering three weekends of tours?!
'Shake the Mountains'

It's a condition known as "when desire surpasses your ability"
...a bad habit of mine!

 'Meerkat Manor'

But the hard work paid off and garden never looked better,

so it was a great success! 

 'Purple Umbrella'

  What a pleasure it was to share my love of gardening and
visitors were amazed by the many forms and colors found in daylilies.
'Carmen Renee'

'El Desperado'

 

'Unchain My Heart'

'Night Embers'

With the season winding down and some free time to reflect,
I'm already planning changes for next year's tour.
'Ferengi Gold'

Because my best garden will always be next year's garden. 
It's a never-ending cycle...huh?
'Creature of the Night'

Thanks for stopping by, friends. 
Hope you enjoyed this quick walk through the daylilies. 
Next time, I'll share the lovely faces of garden visitors.

Among the Azaleas

There is nothing prettier than a woodland path, adorned with azaleas,
from above and below...is there?

And, strolling beneath the canopy of filtered sunlight can somehow feel ethereal.
At least for me.

If you're not yet a collector of this beautiful spring-blooming shrub, there are many varieties to choose from...based on plant habits, sizes and color.

Though, do you sometimes confuse an anzalea
for a rhododendron?

Me, too!  Next time, count the stamens.  Azaleas tend to have only 5 or 6,

while most rhodys have 10 stamens.

The leathery, broader leaves of the later...
also a good giveaway.

Can't decide on which to plant?  Collect both,
in every color! But, be patient... 

They are slow growers.  And, like a fine wine,

these gorgeous shrubs only get better and better with time.

Hawaiian Tropics...

When you think tropical flora, what comes to mind? Ok, besides frangipani and hibiscus? Orchids, of course! Next to daylilies, orchids are my favorite flowers! That's why I HAD to attend last year's Philadelphia Flower Show! Remember the theme? HAWAII!

A 30-foot-high waterfall created a stunning entrance!

The surrounding pool featured Pele's Garden, complete with grass-roofed huts.

Everywhere you looked...

orchids...

orchids...

and more orchids

In all shapes

and sizes...

Talk about a tropical paradise!

The lit up pool and surrounding gardens took your breath away!

I won't post the hundreds of photos I captured, but, will share just this last beauty. After all, it's my favorite color!

Really itching now to visit the Flower Show this March! Anyone else planning the trip?