Tag: botanic garden

Flour and Flowers Made a Garden

Just north of a bend in the Ohio River in Evansville, Indiana, a 25-acre arboretum and bird sanctuary sits. 

There is a small pond with two replica white swans; they work as a deterrent to the Canada Geese but also are a nod to the origin of this garden oasis. Swans Down cake flour is described as soft as swan down and helped elevate cake baking in kitchens around the world in the early 1900s. Described as a ‘sanctuary for the soul” by Phyliss Igelhart Kerdasha, Igleheart Gardens is today a private garden open only for educational events and charity fundraisers....   Continue Reading

A Most Desirable Location-Villa del Balbianello

Perched dramatically on a wooded promontory above Lake Como are the gardens of Villa del Balbianello.  Walking upwards on the serpentine stone paths, my view alternated between lush greenery and vivid blue lake with each turn....   Continue Reading

Magical, Marvelous Villa d’Este, Tivoli, Italy

Creativity is driven by various motivations. Joy can inspire one path, while disappointment can push in a different direction. For instance, Cardinal Ippolito, son of Lucrezia Borgia 1, was deeply disappointed when he was overlooked for the papacy in 1550, with Julius III being chosen instead. While pleasantries were shown in public, behind the scenes Julius banished Ippolito from Rome forever, but awarded him the governorship of Tivoli. Ippolito could never return to Rome and the Vatican....   Continue Reading

Rainy Day at London’s Chelsea Flower Show

The English seem to be absolutely mad about gardening (which is a good thing). And after visiting The Chelsea Flower Show, I understand why. It is the world’s most famous flower exhibition, and the excitement extends far beyond Great Britain. I’ve always wanted to attend, so we flew in from Arizona. Others are equally enthusiastic, as we shared a coffee with an Australian national living in Poland who had flown in to attend Chelsea....   Continue Reading

Resolute, gardening in the new year

Returning home at 2:30 am from a two-week travel trip, I first went into the garden to see what I could see. I always miss my garden, and though I have it arranged to stay in good care when I travel, I am always eager to see what may have changed....   Continue Reading

Holiday Lights Magical Brookgreen Gardens

Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet (near Myrtle Beach), South Carolina, celebrates the holidays with Nights of a Thousand Candles. I was there this December, and I will say I have never seen anything like it in all my holiday garden experiences.  There is so much I could say about this incredible garden, but I’m going to let the photos attempt to share the magic....   Continue Reading

Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Garden, Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands has close to 600 bank and trust companies but only one Botanic Garden. The Caribbean Islands are described as paradise, but money isn’t shade, flowers, and food. Without plants, there is no paradise. This is my first time in the Caribbean, the temperatures are pleasant in the low 80’s, the breezes are blowing gently, palm trees and colorful bougainvillea in red, pink, white, purple, and orange grow wildly along the roadways. I need practice in relaxing on a beach, I’m not naturally good at it, I don’t sit still easily let alone lie in the sun for hours. Naturally, I set out for the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Garden, amazingly, a reciprocal admission with my membership in the American Horticultural Society....   Continue Reading

Memorable Moments 2018

2018 was a wonderful year of visiting gardens.  We took three trips; a short spring trip to Atlanta, GA, a six-week road trip through the US, and a 30-day fall trip to England. Looking over my journals and photos of the past year it is full of memorable moments of the beauty in our world. I want to share a few marvels that delighted me along the way....   Continue Reading

Ancient Oaks

Kew Gardens

In my pursuit of visiting gardens, I have many people look at me with curiosity, disdain, and pity; assuming that I limit myself, seeing the same things over and over again. One man commented I “wasn’t into art” and would, therefore, miss the great works that make us human. I smile and nod politely knowing full well a garden holds so much art, architecture, and stories, I feel sorry for those who are not into visiting gardens....   Continue Reading

Planting Fun In The Garden

For the past month, I have been on a long road trip driving highways in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and western New York. The long distances of highways are tunnels of green with tall maples and soaring oaks on either side. The view is occasionally broken up by homesites of impressive farms with huge barns and fields of green.  I’m looking for gardens along the way. ...   Continue Reading