Mom’s border garden of begonias and BEETS.
Over July 4th, we traveled to Iowa to see Mom, Sis and the boys (two nephews and a brother-in-law). I have previously featured a few of their garden specimens for Abigail’s Virtual Flowers so if you are an avid reader, you may see some repeats.
Prairie clover in one of Mom’s prairie gardens.
Mom and my sister’s family share a back yard. My brother-in-law has landscaped it beautifully, building a terraced garden from her upper yard to their lower yard. Mom has her flower beds, lots of fruit trees, some prairie gardens and one fairy garden.
Fairy Garden complete with bench (and tiny rabbit).
My brother-in-law has an espalier wall with apple and pear trees (that just happens to be in mom’s yard), a water garden, rock garden, outdoor kitchen area (with Big Green Egg), and a patio.
An espalier of apple and pear trees.
He has also put in a willow archway, a twig built trellis, a M*A*S*H pole for my sister (an uber fan), and a tree house (with help from The Hubs).
Willow arbor nook.
MASH pole. They made us a similar one for Christmas last year.
They “share” the vegetable beds.
An old ladder with petunias in the vegetable garden. There is something getting ready to vine up the ladder. Beans, maybe?
Both of their yards have separate grape arbors.
Mom’s
The Brother-in-Law’s. It looks like Mom is winning.
Mom and the B-i-L went to classes and became Master Gardeners together a number of years ago. They both love their gardens and don’t mind infringing on the other’s. It is hilarious to listen to them discuss gardening projects sometimes.
Part of the water garden with garden art.
They sound like an old married couple.
My nephew dreamed up this planter. It is a cedar stump, dug up, cleaned out and turned upside down.
The weekend after the Fourth, both gardens were being featured in a garden tour to benefit the local historical society.
Planter box on the garden shed.
They spent lots of hours prepping and planting and weeding for the tour.
Roses and lamb’s ear.
There were some disagreements and squabbling. 🙁
Alpine strawberry runners on top of a creeping juniper.
There gardens always look immaculate to me, though.
A milk can turned planter. This is from my grandfather’s dairy where mom grew up.
One of many clematis vines.
I believe this is a type of coreopsis.
My cannas never look as good as mom’s.
Calla lillies among garlic scapes.
Mom’s water garden with an antique pump.
I am a bit biased, but I think they had the best showing.
Just a bit of color.
Abigail, you pick any and/or all of these flowers you want today. Giggles and smiles…
What a lovely tour! I’m so surprised that your brother-in-law and your mom took a class together which probably means they actually rode in a car together several times! 🙂 Such a beautiful set of gardens. Do you mind if I use the picture of the fairy garden and the milk can garden? Of course I will give you full credit. I can’t wait to show my husband the milk can!
Of course you can. For some more fairy gardens:
http://eliotseats.com/?p=4072
And
http://eliotseats.com/?p=4096
Thank you!!
Your mom has an AWESOME garden!
Yes she does. It s beautiful.
Wow – that is stunning. I love the water pump and those cannas are so lovely. Very beautiful.
I think the water pump came off the farm too. My cannas always look raggedy and wind blown. Hers are beautiful, always.
How cool is all of this! You can see that there’s a ton of love and care put into these gardens, beautiful, just beautiful!!!
Yep, mom and the BIL love their gardens (and secretly compete with each other, I think). 🙂
Your garden is so decorative and pretty, I love it!
I have to say, I wish this were my garden. All credit goes to mo. And the BIL.
You have such a pretty garden! Home grown foods are just the best.
Homegrown is the best.
Iowa soil is so black and rich. Until I moved to Indiana (land of clay!), I didn’t realize what I’d lost. Your mom and sister’s gardens are fabulous. And that fairy garden is precious. Thanks so much for sharing them all with us 🙂
Have you heard William Elliott Whitmore’s “Black Iowa Dirt”?
Terrific looking garden! A lot of talent went into creating that – it’s spectacular! Love the MASH pole and the garden art in the water garden. Really good stuff – thanks.
They are a talented bunch!
So many clever ideas for plantings! Beautiful gardens and gorgeous pictures!
I get inspired every time I visit.
Can I come live there? Just for a week or two–it is beautiful. Kudos to all who work to make to beautiful (and I do know it takes lots of work)!
It takes a ton of work, but they keep on top of it. It is so serene just to wander around their yards.
[…] we were at mom’s for the Fourth (and the garden tour), she was determined to have a mother/daughter lunch amid all the […]