I found a great garden center!

I'm sure we all have our favorite go to places for plants. I had a few super favorites in southern Wisconsin; I lived close to some really fantastic places with massive selection. It took me time to find them all. I made a habit of internet searching, bookmarking magazine pages and each spring we'd go explore a new one. I went back to the best.

Now since we moved to Minnesota last year right during May, I had almost no time to garden shop- plus I brought a whole u-haul of plants and garden strucutres. I did get out to one great little place int the twin cities; they had great ideas and inspiration, but I was far too smart to pay their prices. This year I was excited to see if I could find some that rivaled those places I had in WI. This week, I found my first one!

I visited Tonkadale, in Minnetonka, MN. I somehow found it by searching online, and the website seemed promising. I was most impressed with the fairy gardens. The trip came about spontaneously, so I didn't have my good camera with me. I found their prices fair, and even some beyond fair. the selection was awesome! You have to sort of "dig" to find what you're looking for. The plants weren't very clearly organized, but perennials starting at $3.99 a piece, and fairy garden plants at $1.99- well you can hardly beat that! They had a great selection of tropicals, annuals, veggies... beautiful gift shoppy stuff, and even succulents at fair and reasonable prices.

I came home with a green aeonium, nicotiana sylvestris, echinops, a light blue delphinium, and a ruby red helenium, and a handful of fairy garden plants, including a heart vine, creeping fig, and varigated baby tears.

I loved how the perennials were situated among a grove of trees.

I will be back for fairy garden stuff when my budget allows; the selection was unmatched, and the displays were inspiring! I took some pictures of the fairy gardens!

And this three tiered fountain was in the back of the store, by what seemed to be mostly shade plants but also had vines, hardy succulents, and these great arbors.

 I could have spent a LOT more time here, too. My kids and husband were waiting in the car!

One last treasure on our getaway...

On our way back down from Cambria to Los Angeles we passed back through Solvang. We spent the morning and afternoon eating and wine tasting. On our way into town, though, I spotted this place on the side of the road, and I just had to stop:

We breezed through here, but I did find some things I fell in love with. This potting bench for one:

The squirrels here made my day. They were giant.

Cute, clever birdhouse.

Look closely, at the base of this whiskey barrel fountain there's a frog sleeping. His head, belly, and legs peak out of the ground. Cute!

Junk treasures abound.

I could make my very own bed like the one I saw at Cambria with this frame. Gorgeous. If only, I were rich.

Almost done posting pictures of our vacation to California, and have lots to share at home, too.

Garden Shops & Sights in Cambria

Cambria is town packed with whimsy and charm. Sure, there are quaint stores, bakeries filled with interesting tasty treats, the ocean front restaurants, and scenic bay where waves crash endlessly, but the gardens are what I fell most in love with. I brought my camera with me to snap pictures of all the interesting garden-themed things I saw in the small town. The trip was a getaway for my husband and I, and while he loves me darn good, he does not share my love for gardening. I tried to keep my garden exploits to a minimum. At the same time, these gardens were pretty spectacular and I didn't know when I'd get to be back. Taking pictures was the easiest way to take the sights with me so I could deeply enjoy them later.
This wall of morning glory was so beautiful!

Agapanthus under an arbor walkway near a bakery.


More enchanting agapanthus.


A store front.

The backyard of a garden store. That handsome guy is my husband.

No idea, but I love them!

Delphinium always capture my attention.

Isn't she pretty?

One of the coolest things I saw when we were there was this little vignette. It was in the store Heart's Ease, which my husband and I visited in 2002 on our honeymoon.
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Also outside Heart's Ease.

More tunnels, paths, and arbors in the garden stores we passed through.


Love this blue:



A gourd house:

And this green:


Inside some of the stores, too. Amazing eye candy and ideas galore.





On our walk to lunch I found this jasmine growing on the side of a store front. I fell in love. I have one of these plants at home but it hasn't bloomed in years. I keep it, just in case.

Me:

I took a clipping with me to smell all day. Combined with this glass of Reisling, and the later walk we took on the beach, the perfect day was achieved.

Happy gardening, more to come as usual.