All dressed up and no one to show...


Yesterday, on the Fourth of July, it was the National Garden Festival's Open Gardens here in Buffalo Niagara. In the morning, I got the place all spiffed up after a half dozen days of rain. It wasn't easy. Though it was nice not to have to panic about watering for a week.

But no one showed! Or no one that I know of. I was inside for a bit, sequestered in my office. The garden was looking good -- and I enjoyed it by myself.

The checkerboard is filling in nicely. Got its first chop this morning.
The raised bed potager garden is looking better than some past years.
Lettuce is ready to pick, but I'll wait until after Sunday's bike tour of gardens stops by.
I added signage to the rock garden so guests could see where the rocks came from. Additions from this past year? A lava rock from Diamondhead, Hawaii; a cobblestone from Prague, Czech Republic; and a new stone from Sayulita, Mexican.
The dwarf pear espalier is looking resplendent. I will even get a few pears from it this year.
The planters are FINALLY starting to fill out.
 I call it "Still Life with Hypertufa"
From the right angle, the garden looks downright lush. But not many see it from
crouching down over the potager while standing in the middle of the checkerboard.
The Harry Potter Garden has filled out nicely. See Trevor? And the Mirror of Erised?
Interpretive signage is up and hanging. Straight-ish.
Pots on fence have looked better. Last year's Persian shield with coleus was much nicer.

Baskets & boxes are looking okay. The front yard has only intermittent color right now.
The hellstrip is looking less hellish as time goes on. Next year will be its banner year.
The apple tree knee-high espalier living fence around the
vegetable potager garden had two apples growing. Until they fell off.
Under the apple espalier, between the bricks and the raised bed of the potager, are strawberries. The strawberries I purchased, unfortunately, have leaves about the size and scale of the apple tree leaves, and they are tall and gangly. I was hoping for more visual definition between the two. Next time, I'll know better.
I still need a bell with no clapper for this sign.
New artwork looking sharp.
I guess I could have swept under my patio furniture.
The coral bell fountain is fountaining.
The scupper is scuppering.
Here's the coral bell fountain in the bed of coral bells.
Finally found a climber that likes this spot. It's called an Exotic Love Firecracker Vine.
Gotta' love that name.
And you can barely see her here, but nesting in the lantana, with three bright blue eggs is a robin.
Whenever we use the back door she flies the nest, sits nearby and screams at us.
If I use the grill, or trim the espalier, she dive-bombs us. We call her Angry Bird.
The baby robins (nestlings) we'll name Lantana, Fantana and Santana.

Comments

  1. Well, at least you could show us what it looks like. As one who has visited your blog for years it's delightful to see how many of your projects have prospered over the years. The Pear espalier looks fabulous.

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  2. Thanks John! Note that I'm not showing all my failures here.

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  3. What fools these mortals be that didn't find their way to your fabulous garden, filled with inspiring ideas. I remember it so well from the Buffalo Fling. I'm glad to see the update!

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    1. Hi Pat! Well, it was the Fourth of July. I'm sure people had plans more exciting than mine. Thank you for the kind words and have a good Fourth weekend.

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  4. it does look amazing and inspiring. it's so nice when it is all doing well at the same time. love the checkerboard addition. i would love to do that here on our farm but not sure it fits...i'll have to think on that one. happy 5th to ya.

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    1. A checkerboard garden can go anywhere! Thanks for the kind word Marmee...

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  5. OMG. I had no idea gardens would be open on the 4th.! I would have gone around and dropped by. I just thought the holiday was a day off as I thought today would not be open as well. Next week for sure. I bet many thought as I did. I did not go to a party that I could have, needing a a few days rest from the SF return. but a few gardens would have been relaxing.

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    1. It was kinda' sketchy which ones were open. I don't think there were good sized crowds out there. I got to a few myself on Friday - down in Hamburg and Edan. I can't wait to see your SF photos...

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  6. That's what happens when you don't put out a "Free Beer" sign....

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    1. "Free Beer" was always going to be the name of my band. Not that I have any musical talent - other than naming bands.

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  7. Excellent photos, your garden looks tremendous. Had I known (and lived in the area) I would have surely stopped by for a look. I enjoy your site and have added myself as a subscriber.

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    1. Thank you very much. Benevolent gnomes? I don't think I've ever met a benevolent gnome.

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  8. Well, your garden looks lovely online. I especially love your Harry Potter garden!

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    1. Thanks! It was originally done with my daughter. Now it's more mine as she's 15 and it's not "cool" anymore.

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  9. I hope to visit some day...everything is looking gorgeous!!

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    1. We'll get you here eventually Donna, you're not THAT far away. I travel by Oneida when I take the thruway to visit my family in Binghamton.

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  10. Love the robin. We have some Wattled Honeyeaters that "own" the territory we live in. They are now so used to me that they will come flit around me and even sit on branches a few feet away so I can photograph them easily without having to resort to the zoom. It is either because (a)they see me as harmless (b) they appreciate my planting trees and plants that they feed from or (c) that I take their side in territorial disputes with the Red-vented Bulbuls.

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    1. Chicks are now born. The Mom AND now Dad are way more aggressive. I couldn't even use the grill last night.

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