First, 60 garden bloggers, then a photo shoot, then 2,000 visitors. Oy.

I've had just about the busiest (and best) time over the last two weeks. Not moments after I help plan, plot & shepherd 70 garden writers and bloggers around the country to Buffalo's gardening sites & institutions, I then have to focus on having a good-sized photo shoot in my garden for this coming Friday. Then, there's this little thing of helping throw the largest garden tour in the country, taking place on Saturday and Sunday. We're expecting 50,000-plus people for the tour -- 2,000 of which will plod through my garden. Can you imagine prep work? And my angst?

Fortunately the work required for all three events is the same -- clean up the garden. So it's been three weeks of constant editing, last-minute stunt plants, weeding, trimming, blowing, raking, mulching, deadheading, pruning, watering, sweeping, and so on. Oh, and edging. Edging makes everything look a bit more polished. That, and eliminating every dead leaf. Good thing it's a small yard.

I'm trying to use my art director's eye and experience with decades of photo shoots as well as the knowledge I've gained over the years prepping for ten-plus garden tours. As the week wears on, I have one more small project to accomplish, and then just constant clean up. As you would any room in the house if guests were coming.

The dining room is cleaned up.

 
The kitchen counter got a wash down.

The kitchen is looking good.

 
The den's in order.

The pantry was re-organized (and restocked).

 
The kid's playroom has never looked better.

New strawberry plants at the base of the raised-bed potager. There's a knee-high dwarf apple espalier that's becoming a "living fence" around the potager. Can you spot my one and only apple?

The reading room is ready.

 
The dining room wall pattern is looking good.

The bar is not yet set. That's a last-minute thing.

The front hall is looking rosy.
 
The foyer is fine. It's lavender-scented.

 
The receiving room is all set.

The jewel box is safely out of reach.

 
The sconces are glowing.

The main hallway rarely looks better.

 
The parquet floor could use some help. Next year, it gets re-worked.

The bamboo wall is impenetrable.

The mud room will be the last area to get cleaned up.

 
The bath is cleaned up. The lid is down.
The living room is looking good.

Comments

  1. Thanks so much for this preview of the big tour, Jim. I was so disappointed to miss seeing your lovely home and garden by having to leave early Sunday. I believe it is ready for the closeups, however. So many ideas there, a truly joyful place! Thanks again for your and Elizabeth's tireless efforts to make Buffa10 the huge hit that it was with all who attended. I believe the word has been gotten out that Buffalo is a garden lover's destination without peer! Lid is down, HA :-)
    Frances

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  2. Loved your description on the 'home tour'. Stunt plants? I have to remember that one for next year in my garden. Really nice photos and your garden is looking superb this year. I will make sure stop in to see it on the Walk - so you have 2002 visitors.

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  3. I really appreciate the pre-tour tour~It looks fantastic and I'm bummed that I had to miss visiting the garden on Sunday~again, that you for all you did to make the visit to Buffalo a wonderful success~Have fun during Garden Walk. I wish you delightful weather and well mannered visitors~gail

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  4. Oh good, you got all the pictures of your place that I didn't manage to get when I was there admiring the view in person. It looks great, and I hope the tour goes off without a hitch.

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  5. If the apple is the bad one, then he's easy to spot! Methinks you're lucky to have a helpful wife...

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  6. You know what these annual get togethers need? Financial support to people who make 15k a year because they just graduated from 9 years of grad school. But I digress, looked like it was a swell time, and I hop you are resting up from your hard work being head honcho (sp?).

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  7. Wow. Everything looks amazing. And you even have time to blog. You're a pro!

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  8. Ah, quit your worrying Jim! It all looks fantastic! Although I'm sure it inspires angst, think of how good you'll feel when it's all over. :-)

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  9. Frances,
    I was disappointed you weren't around on Sunday also. And it was another good meal! Yeah, I like ideas. I'm not so much a plant person like so many of the visiting bloggers. Can't remember a single Latin name, I didn't go gaga over odd specimens at the nurseries, can't tell you how to hybridize anything. But I like ideas and design and I like to think that what I lack in plantaholism, I make up for in cleverness. It's just a theory.

    Donna,
    Stunt plants. yes. Planted a few of those this week. I'll look fo you this weekend, though I'm usually out and about as much as I'm here.

    Gail,
    Well mannered visitors are a give, they're garden appreciators, after all. We'll have to see about the weather.

    Pam,
    If there's one thing I have a lot of, it's pictures of my own garden!

    Teddy's Mom,
    (For anyone that was visiting on Sunday, Teddy's mom is the one that made the Middle-aged Male Gardener For Sale sign.) I have a great wife. The best. Way better than your husband has.

    Benjamin,
    We're not at the point of offering garden scholarships, but if I'm left in charge, I'll find an airline sponsor to fly everyone in for free! Unfortunately, I can't be in charge of anything else right now. remember that nice, great wife from the comment above? She's only so nice.

    Danger garden,
    Blogging is easiest when it's mostly photos!

    Jean,
    I do see 2,000 strangers as being easier than 60 garden writers!

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  10. Looks like you are definitely ready for all the visitors - wish I could be one of them!

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  11. This is a fantastic view of your beautiful garden!! You're ready for the masses!!! I'm glad I get to see it too, via your blog! :)

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  12. Pristine and beautiful! I need to go clean some rooms! Have fun this weekend and then....come to New England for a rest! I have the champagne on ice.

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  13. I must say that I am very amazed by the way the garden is arranged. Beautifully done!

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