Sometimes you get tired of your own garden. It can feel so ho-hum that you stop seeing what’s really there, what you like and don’t like, and what you’re just plain stuck with — too much shade, too much sun, or rocky terrain.
Taking a garden tour is a wonderful way to expand your aspirations. There’s nothing like seeing what another gardener has done to solve a particular problem, or to incorporate an unusual plant or element in a garden design, to get you thinking about different approaches to your own space.
Seeing other people’s gardens also helps you see your own garden with fresh eyes. Maybe you take for granted a stalwart stand of Phlox paniculata ‘Bright Eyes’ that returns year after year no matter how much you neglect it. You might see it in someone else’s garden with different companion plants and say, “Wow, that’s a lovely plant. And I happen to have it!”
Maybe your garden could inspire others. After all, where would we be if there were no gardens to tour?
The Northampton Garden Tour organizers are looking for gardens in Northampton, Leeds and Florence for their 2017 tour. If you’re interested in offering your garden, now’s the time to throw your hat into the ring.
Putting your own garden on a tour is a great way to give yourself a deadline to bring new life and excitement into your yard. Maybe there’s a bed you’ve been wanting to redesign. Or you have a corner that needs some TLC and you have been ignoring it for years. Or you want to experiment with a new color scheme.
Being on a garden tour is a lot of work, but you probably already put a lot of work into your garden. There’s no better motivation for tackling those ever-postponed plans than to sign up for a tour. You’ll bring your garden to a higher level that will bring you enjoyment for years to come.
The Northampton Garden Tour seeks a diverse selection of gardens that express a particular gardener’s sensibilities either on a small scale or in a grander space. Sometimes the organizers select a garden primarily because of a particular feature that will be of interest to the public. They may include one or two gardens done by professional gardeners if the gardens are of interest. But they are primarily committed to sharing the unique visions of various home gardeners with the public.
If you aren’t planning to host a wedding in your garden next year, doing a garden tour is the next best way to make your garden shine. It’s a wonderful way of giving back to the gardening community that is so generous in opening its gates to fellow gardeners.
If you know of a garden that might be good for the tour or want to volunteer your own garden, contact Julie Abramson at jabramson@albany.edu or 585-0719.
Gardens are meant to be shared. And there’s nothing wrong with a bit of showing off!
In the Pioneer Valley, we’re fortunate to have excellent farmlands and a strong agricultural economy. But farming is still a challenging endeavor, and the land itself can be hard to come by. The nonprofit “community farm” model is an innovative approach to this challenge.
Saturday, from 10 a.m. to noon, join Kestrel and the North Amherst Community Farm for an inside look at this approach, with a tour of Simple Gifts Farm. Farmer Dave Tepfer will walk visitors through the workings of the farm, including vegetable and livestock production, and share how community involvement supports it.
Stay after the tour for complimentary “pick your own” flowers and herbs from the fields or get your hands dirty helping the farm’s CSA members with a garlic harvest.
Simple Gifts Farm is located at 1089 No. Pleasant St., Amherst. Suggested donation: $5 to 10.
RSVP to office@kestreltrust.org
Anyone who struggles to fill dry, shady spots in the garden should make the acquaintance of epimediums, considered by many to be the ultimate ground cover for dry shade.
As the number of varieties of this hardy workhorse increase, its role is expanding in the garden. The delicate beauty of these plants belies their surprisingly tough, long-lasting nature and their ability to perform in the ornamental shade border.
On Aug. 6, from 1 to 3 p.m., Berkshire Botanical Garden in Stockbridge is hosting a presentation on epimediums by Karen Perkins. She will discuss the history and culture of this up-and-coming genus, from its growth habit and propagation to management of pests and diseases and possible planting combinations. Plants will also be available for sale after the talk. The talk, co-sponsored by the Berkshire Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society, will take place at the Education Center.
Perkins is owner of Garden Vision Epimediums in Phillipston, a mail-order nursery offering 160 species and varieties of epimediums along with other choice shade perennials. She lectures frequently at botanic gardens throughout New England.
For more information, go to: berkshirebotanical.org.
Mickey Rathbun can be reached at foxglovers8@gmail.com.