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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Friday, July 29, 2016

New Friends Come to Visit

Several weeks ago, I received an email from the Cascade Cactus and Succulent Society  inviting me to join them to tour some Tacoma gardens and saying that they'd like to visit mine as well.  My garden has never been open before.  Non gardening friends have dropped by and there have even been visits by gardening friends  like Loree (here and here) and Gerhard here but never a whole group of plant enthusiasts so I was a bit nervous.  I needn't have been as the group was delightful. We began the day at the home of one of the members who had a great collection of cacti and succulents (post to follow.)  We then came to my garden where I was too busy talking to take pictures.  Tom snapped quite a few, bless him.

Before the arrival, Tom went out to the greenhouse to enjoy the cool air and morning sun. 

Sorry if you've seen too much of my greenhouse this summer.  I'm really enjoying it when it's not jam packed with tomatoes.  (Only 5 plants this year!)

I've seen this view many times but it just hit me that many of the colors and the general shape in the glass panel in the door and the rug are similar.

Baroque music was playing on the classical station and water was splashing gently in the little water thingy in there.  I only know that because Tom took some videos with sound.  It seemed very peaceful.


What a pleasure to enjoy the company of so many gardeners.


You can't see it in the picture but one of Judi Hook's creations is the subject of the conversation here.

It's interesting to see a group of people in my garden as I'm usually alone or with one or two others. 

Most everything in the garden cooperated nicely for this visit.  The brugmansias closest to the house were in a nice flush of bloom, and nothing had fallen, broken or died recently.  Down by the danger gardenette.



Visiting Marge Simpson, the pearl wearing Dr. Seuss truffula tree.

Clerodendrum trichotomum blooms spilling their perfume.  I've not noticed as many hummingbirds in my garden this summer for some reason.  They were fairly numerous during the winter.




Abutilon megapotamicum 'Red' on the right and above our heads has grown into quite a monster.


Wow, someone actually sitting at the table.  What a novel idea.  The chairs and table usually hold new plants before they make it to one of the pot ghettos or into the ground.

In the unlikely event of an emergency landing, exits are located to the fore and aft of the plane and over the wings.   Really, I'm giving directions to the next garden, that of my friend Florence.

It seemed that we were only in my garden for a few minutes but when I looked at my watch on the way out, an hour and a half had passed.

Because Florence was out of town for the day, I acted as host at her garden as well.  By the time we were finished there, my voice was tired from talking and laughing.  How exciting to have met a whole new group of plant enthusiasts and to be invited to see a couple of their gardens next month!

22 comments:

  1. I'll revisit this fun party later in the day and scrutinize the details.

    We can't visit your greenhouse too often. We visit our own gardens daily --if we don't we should.

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  2. It's always a bit unnerving to open your garden to a group. Everyone obviously enjoyed your fun and awesome garden. I'm sure the danger gardenette got lots of compliments. Your greenhouse is always fun to see.

    I received your package with the little succulent I won and bonus fox slinky. Love them both, thank you so much!

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  3. So nice to see so many people having such a good time. Many smiles. Good to see your garden as a tour like this, how it all fits together, not just parts. But most astonishing are the vibrant colors it displays at midday. Enjoyed this post.

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  4. Just for the record you never have to use the sentence "Sorry if you've seen too much of my greenhouse" in your blog ever again. I've been meaning to say how much I love the colorful rug in your greenhouse. I wish I could find a similar one that's weatherproof to put in the folly. I love that your greenhouse is still a nice place for sitting in, even in the summer. I have no tomatoes this summer, and now that mine is emptied out (finally) Nigel says I should put a little table and chair in. This looks like a fun and friendly group. Your garden looks great and so do you!

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    1. I liked the view in through the open door. Do that again where there's not a person in front of the plants.

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  5. Your garden and greenhouse look fantastic, Peter!

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  6. Tom rocks with the camera!!! Love that shot of the door and rug together, you're a natural designer. I'm so glad you said yes to the group and enjoyed their visit. I know they must have been blown away by your stunning garden. Here's to many more open gardens!

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  7. Your garden would be the highlight of any tour.

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  8. Brilliant Peter. I love the emergency landing.. :)

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  9. Gorgeous Peter. I am glad you had a great day and it's nice to see your garden.
    Have a great weekend.

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  10. Oh Peter, your garden looks wonderful! Please open with NPA next year. I want to visit!

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    1. Linda, you can come see my garden any time! Drop me an email and we'll set it up.

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  11. You have a really nice yard. Wonderful pictures. I especially love the airplane picture. Perfect caption.

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  12. Tours are always exhausting but fun wins out. Nice longer views of your garden and one of you! Don't think I've ever seen a pix of you so this was a treat.

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  13. I'm sure your garden was the highlight of the tour! That greenhouse alone would have garnered ample praise. BTW, every time I see the head planter in the fourth photo, I immediately think of my brother - I swear it looks so much like him that it's scary.

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  14. Your greenhouse is looking super, I'm sure your visitors were very impressed!

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  15. Having your garden shown can be a bit unnerving, but once it is over there is an afterglow and happiness you were able to share it, show it off, be around like-minded people. It's crazy that after all the pictures I've seen of your greenhouse and garden, Tom's point of view made it seem new again.
    For a time I wondered why you weren't in any of the shots... until I recognized your trimmed svelte self!

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  16. An hour and a half is barely enough time to see all your treasures. I'd have to camp out in a tent! I love your flight attendant impersonation -- I'm so old school/non-PC I still occasionally slip up and call FAs "stewies." Your Abutilon meg. is why I no longer will grow them -- that's what I call a happy abutilon.

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  17. You have a beautiful garden, and I just love your greenhouse! I would be a bit nervous to show off my garden too (especially as it usually is in desperate need of a good weeding), but it looks like you and everyone else had such a great time! I adore your truffula tree.

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  18. Keep showing us your garden and greenhouse Peter! The colour, plants, and vibrancy of it all, it's beautiful!!

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  19. Peter! I'm so happy to see you had a garden walk! Now that they've begun you'll have more visitors as word gets around about your glorious garden. Isn't it amazing how fast the time goes?

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  20. Hi Peter. Guess what I bought today. An Abutilon megapotamicum. It's just a wee 3 inch pot of a thing but I want it to be as big as yours. Do you have any guidelines for growing it and keeping it alive through the winter? Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated! (grace@gracepete.com) Someday I'd love to walk the paths of your lovely paradise!

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.