St Cloud Hidden Gem

My family and I go up to St Cloud a couple times a year. We live about 40 minutes from the heart of St Cloud and find various reasons to go there, including shopping and dining. Recently my husband has decided that he is going back to school and will be attending Saint Cloud State University. We drove up one rare free late spring afternoon to get a feel for the university. My neighbors had told me about a wonderful free garden in St Cloud, but all of our visits there never suited a trip to the garden. Either it was raining or we had the dogs, so I never even bothered to look up where the garden was. So there we were driving around trying to figure out the university. We missed a turn and run across a bridge, marveling at the very full Mississippi river... Went to flip around and there was the garden. The rain had just stopped, so obviously I begged my husband to get out of the car with me and walk around and see everything we could see.

Just like I do, they had their succulents in the sun but under a roof we really do get too much rain for them here. 

How beautiful are the trees? And that's the Mississippi River...

I can't wait to go back and see the annual plantings all filled in.

Aboretum in the Spring: Part One

 

Just a quick post of some pictures from a recent visit to the Minnesota Arboretum. I had never been in spring, and enjoyed viewing the early tulips, and daffodils so much. I tried to keep this post entirely full of the lovely tulips, and saved the daffodils for the next one.

More Chicago Flower & Garden Show Photos

I've always loved tulips but I gained new appreciation for them when we moved next to neighbors who plant hundreds of tulip bulbs every fall. Last year I could not resist and when the tulips went on sale I bought every variety in sight. So, getting a preview of all of the tulips at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show was exactly what the doctor ordered! I even found a few varieties I had planted. This is one late spring, even for this far north, and the tulips in my yard are a long way off still-- we can't even see the dirt yet, thanks to tons and tons of snow. So inside this building on a pier in Chicago was in tulip heaven! Enjoy!

Gavota: 

Valery Gergiev:

Orange Princess: 

Ad Rem Beauty 

Belicia: 

Boston: 

 

Kees Nelis 

Princess Irene 

Cool Crystal 

Apricot Joy 

 

Annie Schilder

Oh! I can't wait for tulip season around here! 

Overflowing With Ideas

I found endless ideas at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show. I was snapping pictures left and right. Here are some of my favorites!

If I ever have a reason to have a lavish garden party, this one looks pretty romantic.

My favorite area was this section (for vendor information see here).

I love this ladder shelf... and I have a ladder or two just waiting to be made into a similar model. And if you are short on space and have a drill, this wall planter would allow you to grow plenty of edibles.

 

They tucked their hose into old tires. and the tiered garden is a nice space saver, too. But my favorite thing about this picture is the shovel as the rail post.  

 

Love this herringbone brick pattern. 

Love, love, love this sort-of adirondack chair.  

 

And I wish I had a reason to make a giant letter in my garden... 

This shed seems to be made from all salvage materials.  So inspiring! 

And note to self: someday have a flower market!