13th Annual Master Gardener Tour

Recently we volunteered at the Polk County Master Gardeners tour of gardens. There were 8 private and 1 public garden on the tour. I'd like to share a few highlights from each garden.

Sue's Garden:

 Artful design, prominent shady areas, and many orchids characterized Sue's garden.

 Sue had two fabulous fairy gardens on her deck.

Karen's garden:

 Karen's back yard features an inground pool backed by a terraced hillside filled with clematis, roses, and larkspur, to mention a few of her bloomers.

 'Roguchi' is now on my wish list - I adore this clematis.


Ruth's garden:

 Mountain laurel

 A stunning container, followed by a stunning tree...

 Tricolor beech


Melissa's garden:

Melissa built a berm and it's filled with succulents and cacti.

 She has containers of succulents as well.

 Melissa's rain barrels are open, and they sport water flowers as well as a piece of curly willow being rooted.

I adore her dry stream bed. So picturesque!


Neil and Laurie's garden:

 A hillside garden complete with border beds, many conifers, and a meandering stream and pond.

 'Taylor's Sunburst'

 The large water feature begins with a stream at the top of the hill that culminates in a large pond just off the home's deck.

 A water lily in the pond


Carolyn's garden:

 Foxglove in a cottage garden setting

 Roses and clematis 'Princess Diana' on an arbor

Clematis 'Comtesse de Bouchaud' - I have this one too, and I absolutely love it.


Cheryl's garden:

 Lush and full, love the pink roses

 The potting shed

Heather's garden:

 Heather's garden is on an acreage with a wooded ravine. She and her husband have built trails down the ravine.

 In tribute to their Australian heritage, an aboriginal resting place built by Heather's husband.

 The high place

Well designed beds rimmed by rocks are part of the transition area between lawn and woods.

I'll close with two shots of the Demonstration Garden, a Master Gardener project garden.

I am linking to Bloomin' Tuesday