Garden Walk highlights—just a few

Busy weekend! Not much time to worry about photography! I’m inviting the other ranters to add to this—I believe Susan and Amy might have more and different images, particularly from the more heavily trafficked areas.

The thing is, this is no longer a walk—a car is necessary to travel between the different areas, and even then it’s impossible to see all the gardens, and not a good idea to even try to see the majority. My favorite gardens tend to be the ones with the least amount of manmade elements and the most plants (and animals!); though, as you’ll see, I make many exceptions.

At top is David Bender’s heavily planted oasis on Richmond Avenue; it was the runner-up for the cover of the Garden Walk book. David worked with landscape designer Ben Hirsch, but he had very specific ideas about what he wanted. There is also a pergola off to the right of that path. Above is the back of David’s space, which ends with a really nicely-painted—well, I don’t know whose or what that building is, but I like the design. Like all the gardeners who worked with a consultant, David provides the information, which I think it a good touch—people need to know how things are done and the professionals deserve the credit.

Here is one of the many, many ponds on the walk. You cannot tell from this image that these koi are frighteningly big. Susan and I were shocked and then awed. An image from this garden is used on the cover of the book.

I show this mammoth ligularia from an Ashland garden—planted in full sun—to demonstrate my conviction that most so-called shade plants simply tolerate shade.

And I end with two images from my neighbor Martin Kemp’s space. Martin pushes the envelope. There are nine water features. Here’s the rain wall, and a dining area he’s accessorized with a moss tablecloth.

Other highlights have less to do with what we saw and more with interactions with walkers/other gardeners. After insisting I would not sell it, but give it to her, I found myself spading up an unidentified hosta for one visitor (spraying myself and the whole area with dirt and blocking access to my pathway for five minutes as I struggled to cut through the roots). When, sweaty and dirty, I gave her the plant, stuck in a plastic bag, she insisted on shoving $20 into my cleavage. That was interesting.

Susan/Amy—please add to this if you like.

This just in: a Buffalo Rising post and video: (Thank you John!)

Big P.S.: Here's a description from horticulturalist, author, and radio host Sally Cunningham, with some descriptions of the actual plants seen on GW:

We all saw certain plants performing at their dramatic best this week. Trumpet vines soared skyward, and rose of Sharon and some short hardy hibiscus bloomed right on time. Crocosmia was the perennial more people asked me to name—most likely the cultivar Lucifer, with strappy, three-foot leaves and a dramatic spray of bright red-orange tubular flowers. Great drifts of monarda. Phlox, shasta daisies, daylilies, lilies, and black-eyed Susans were like explosions of color, often in gardens that have sunshine for the first time in years. Seven-foot rudbeckia maxima was amazing in some gardens.

Perovskia, salvias, nepeta ("Walkers’ Low") softened the bold colors. In shadier settings, hosta cultivars (named, quality choices—not just grandma’s same old greens) held primary positions, but many gardeners are also using variegated Jacob’s ladder, gold bleeding hearts, mosses, and a wide range of ferns.

Astilbes, often sold as shade plants, were in the sun and obviously thriving (getting ample water and compost-amended soil).

In baskets or in ground, some annuals were stunning, especially the coleus (patterned or bold single strokes of orange, gold, rust, maroon and lime—lush, rich.) Huge-leaved caladium also provided drama—pink, burgundy, silver, white—leaping out of the shade. Tall sunset-colored euphorbias and the red foxtail grass held center stage in great black urns, copper planters, or terra cotta pots. And don’t forget the mandevillas brimming out of coconut-fiber-lined Kinsman wall planters. Just—wow!

Comments

[Apple & Country Girl]

We had a great time at Garden Walk and are sorry we missed meeting all of you. Mike Banks got us off to a great start and we really tried to get to too many gardens. Elizabeth's garden was packed elbow to elbow when we visited but what we could see looked great. Martin Kemp's garden was fantastic, especially after seeing the before picture but we're stumped on the "B". All of the gardeners that we met were very gracious. We're already planning a return trip next year.

[Eliz]

The B stands for Buffalo. Don't feel bad--no one gets it!

[Dan]

Now please write a book about the Garden walk as had been mentioned at the walk. Really glad all of You had a good time & got to see our fair city & our love for gardening!

[Jim]

Ummm...
There is a book. And a DVD. It's called Garden Walk Buffalo. Available at all WNY bookstores, garden nurseries and Wegmans....

[Dan]

Jim... Yes,that I know about.I was referring to the book that Amy was casually talking about at Elizabeth's house on the side steps Sunday.