Memphis Fling - Second Day

Annesdale Mansion

We toured at least 12 gardens on Saturday June 7th, the second day at the Memphis Fling.  Memphis is a small second city kind of city in the middle of the United States.  The natural beauty for this landscape dominated by the mighty Mississippi River seen by the large areas of green space, Ox Bow lakes and large trees.   Although the city has many problems, it has some enthusiastic people who love this place and take their duty seriously.

First Day of Memphis Fling 

Memphis Fling Sponsors

Here are most of the products given to us on this tour.   A group of 75 garden bloggers and social media personas.  So far I have been reading the Weeds of the Pacific Northwest from Timber Press and will include a book review soon.  I have the CobraHead hand tool in my tool bag but have yet to have the opportunity to work with it.  More on that one too.

Memphis Fling - First Day

East Memphis neighborhoods and parks including the botanical gardens, Sexton/Thornton and Dixon Gallery. 

To see the Second Day of Memphis Fling

Mimosas at the Memphis Botanic Garden 

Puget Sound - Garden Fling 2024 Overview

A long weekend in Tacoma, Washington, viewing gardens of the region with 100 other garden bloggers and Social Media types. I am impressed with everyone's niche. Here's an overview of the weekend, one picture per garden.   More will follow in the coming weeks and months.  

July 18, 2024 SFO -> SEA

Puget Sound.  Wherever you are in the region, you're not far from water.  Both salt and fresh, all carved out by glaciers.  

Fling Tour - Heronswood Garden

For the overview of this long weekend garden tour, click here ==>>

I have been reading about Dan Hinkley’s nursery and garden in Washington State for many years.  I have seen a few cultivars named after the nursery and have wanted to visit.   It is no longer a working nursery and more of a historical garden set in a sacred place.   The Puget Sound is blessed with natural beauty similar to that of the San Francisco Bay Area but different in almost every way.   Here, plenty of water is the game.   Both climes are dominated by the Pacific Ocean with relatively warm winters.  

Check out my photos of this special garden….

Fling Tour - Pacific Bonsai Museum, Botanical Garden & Weyerhaeuser HQ

 For the overview of this long weekend garden tour, click here ==>>

Bonsia and Rhododendron garden and the Weyerhaeuser paper headquarters.  

Fling Tour - Cocktail Hour

For the overview of this long weekend garden tour, click here ==>>

I didn’t record the name of this garden.  A residential garden with an incredible view and some stylish elements.  a fun place to end the long day and relax with a drink and some nibbles.   Mount Rainier on the horizon.

Fling Tour - Froggsong Gardens

For the overview of this long weekend garden tour, click here ==>>

This is Froggsong Gardens on Vashon Island in the Puget Sound.  I recall vivid colors, yellow, pink and reds.  I really liked this yellow garden. 

Fling Tour - Topiary garden in Dockton, WA

For the overview of this long weekend garden tour, click here ==>>

I love topiary gardens, I not sure why, maybe appreciating the pruning skills required.   I think every garden should have at least one even if it’s just a ball or gumdrop.  I find in my gardens the formal crisp shapes help set off the loose naturesque plantings I tend to create.   

Fling Tour - Carhart Garden

 For the overview of this long weekend garden tour, click here ==>>

This swimming pool fits into the site so well.  The cascades was constructed with great care that looking back at this photo, I think, this could be an alpine pond.  It looks so refreshing and I wanted to go for a dip.

Philly Fling - A Garden Blogger's Retreat

 

Thursday, September 21 

We arrived at Longwood Gardens for an eight hour visit.   Longwood Gardens is large but we are having multiple events for our group of garden bloggers.  First we get a behind the scenes look at their production greenhouses.  Then a slideshow introduction to the currently under construction grand conservatory.  

Swarthmore College

Sunday, September 24, another rainy morning.  The first two gardens today were cancelled due to the illness of a host.   Instead, we're off to Swarthmore College campus.  Many big campuses start with a house.   

Paxson Hill Farm Gardens and Nursery

One our last day of the Garden Blogger's Fling outside of Philadelphia and we find ourselves at
Bruce Gangawer’s Paxson Hill Farm in New Hope, PA.  A large nursery with an impressive display garden.

The Gardens of Mill Fleurs

Every garden has something to teach me.   Here we are at the last garden of our four day tour.  The Gardens at Mill Fleurs is located along the Tohickon Creek in Pennsylvania.   We were getting lots of rain from the Hurricane Ophelia and this was a wet visit.  Nevertheless, one I enjoyed very much.  Barbara and Robert Tiffany are the current guardians of this dramatic location.  Barbara, pictured below with the purple umbrella loves to share this space and her stories from the past thirty years creating this garden space.  

Jenny Rose Carey’s Northview Garden

Stoneleigh, A Natural Garden

Stoneleigh, A Natural Garden - stoneleighgarden. org

Owl Creek Farm

Steve & Ann Hutton’s Owl Creek Farm in West Chester, PA

Chanticleer

Longwood Gardens

One of the Fling's two "Superbloom Level" sponsors and also a big destination for the group of garden bloggers, Longwood really delivered.  Thank you for your support.  Our first stop on opening day was the production nursery for Longwood's conservatory.  A Dutch design with eighteen bays each with their own climate control is a dream to grow and a big expense to cover.  Here in September, they are gearing up for their Chrysanthemum Festival in October and November.