Buffalo gardens are the best

For Garden Walk Buffalo this year, I was able to get out and see a few gardens a few days before the walk, as well as for a couple hours on the Sunday of the Walk.

This Highland Avenue garden is
more like an art gallery with plants.

I was fortunate enough to be able to accompany John Paget, a film-maker around as he shot gardens around the area for a garden tourism video being made by Gardens Buffalo Niagara and the area's visitors bureau, Visit Buffalo Niagara. John's shot some great videos for Visit Buffalo Niagara, including This Place Matters; Buffalo, America's Best Designed City; and Buffalo for Real; among many others.

You can be sure when the video is complete, I'll be showing it here!

On the Sunday of Garden Walk I got out to a couple neighborhoods I hadn't visited in years, or had never been. As always, Garden Walk is surprising in its gardener's creativity. Even having been involved with the group for 20 years, some gardens are still a revelation. I love still being surprised and amazed.

Above is the alcove between two garages on Prospect Avenue at Vermont Street, near Buffalo's Armory. It's an amazing hidden space - and what you see here is ALL of their back yard. They made the most of it!

Here's a bit of some of the gardens I visited. I've got lots of photos for each garden, so some of these may get their own posts in the future.

Make plans o visit the more than 400 gardens of Garden Walk Buffalo - in 2017 it will be held, Saturday and Sunday, July 29 and 30. And make hotel reservations now - downtown hotels fill up!

One garden I'd been to before that is a constant amazement, no matter how many times I visit, is this Norwood Avenue garden. The gazebo was there when the owner moved in about eight years ago. A river runs through the back yard.

A favorite grassless front yard garden on Johnson Park, one of Buffalo's oldest neighborhoods.

This Busti Avenue garden has this huge fountain, a generous-sized front yard, a three-hole putting green, and a view of Lake Erie and the Niagara River.

This brand new garden on Prospect Avenue, makes excellent use of repurposed/reused.recycled materials.

The New Phoenix Theatre on Johnson Park has its garden along two sidewalks. Great colors on the building - and the sidewalk!

A Johnson Park garden with a great mix of plants and creativity.

The entrance to the garden in the above photo from Johnson Park.

A favorite garden on Richmond Avenue.

Industrial tree ornaments in a Manchester Place garden.

Captain's wheel hanging around? Throw it in the garden!

Different view of the above corner of this Baynes Street garden.

I never tire of visiting this garden. It's called the Eight Paths Garden for good reason.

Rustic and artistic on Highland Avenue.

Highland Avenue garden art.

One of the most colorful and kid-friendly gardens on the Walk, the tree house on Richmond Avenue.

A new favorite garden on Manchester Place.

A Manchester Place hellstrip.

A Granger Place (almost) grassless front yard.

And, of course, the bowling ball totem pole in this Highland Avenue garden.