Touring the gardens on the Chapel Hill Spring Garden Tour this weekend was a great way to gather gardening ideas and see plants that work well in this area. Each garden had a very distinct personality and it is fascinating to see the different styles and approaches to gardening.
I was particularly charmed by the Marson Garden, where I helped out as a tour guide on Saturday morning. The enthusiastic and talented owners, Pat and John, were on hand to answer questions as people walked around their garden, setting a comfortable and friendly atmosphere. Unfortunately the pictures I took do not do this garden justice, but one feature I really like is this bench, created from a rock uncovered during some grading work. Something like this would fit in well with my concept for a seating area in the center of my meditation circle.
Bench at Marson Garden
Back at home
After seeing so many well designed and well tended gardens it was easy to grow an ever longer task list of things to do in my own garden—plants to add, plants to remove, paths to build. Plantings in the meditation circle really need to be completed…
But for today around this garden there was just time enough for a quick glance.
Meditation Circle
Clematis 'Jackmanii'
Clematis
Batik Iris
Scabiosa columbaria 'Butterfly Blue' (Pincushion Flower)
Almanac
After cooler days last week the temperature today was about 82 degrees F. There has not been rain for a week and things are starting to look stressed and dry.
pbmGarden 
I’ll Tray and send some of our rain your way! 🙂
Wow, you’re good!. The weather service is forecasting showers tomorrow night. Thanks.
Your garden doesn’t look stressed through lack of water, your lawn is very lush. Is it just a week that it hasn’t rained? Until last week we haven’t had any rain since September and during summer there is never any rain for at least 2 months and with temperatures of 36 – 39° C. Let your plants ‘learn’ to search out water deeper down.
Christina, thanks for putting this in perspective–a week is too soon to panic. I had just noticed the Shasta daisies looked all wilted Your garden looks so lovely even without rain. You’ve obviously got things worked out for dealing with low rain.
In my area we’ve actually had good rains since fall, but for the past three or four years we have been in pretty severe drought and are under year-round water conservation measures. I do try to follow your watering advice–I very seldom water anything, but last night did carry a sip to a few of the new wildflowers recently planted. The grass usually is crispy brown by July from heat and lack of water.
Happy gardening.
That Iris is a beauty and the photo is pretty good too!
Thank you so much! Irises are very photogenic.