My Visit with Iowa Boy

This is a first of my two October posts under

"2008 Summer Inspiration!"
(I have to do two of them, because I visited two special blogger-gardeners!)

On July 19, 2008, I was cordially welcomed into the gardens of Don (Iowa Boy) and his wife, Liz.

I was a little nervous... after all this is Iowa Boy of 'An Iowa Garden!'

"Be still my beating heart," I said to myself
as I turned into their driveway.
"I'm really here!"

I met two very gracious, generous people! We wound our way around, through shaded pathways, past so many of the plants we see on posts at An Iowa Garden!

Yes, I am always admiring (aren't we all)
and appreciating the vast variety
of plants and information Iowa Boy provides.

So, without further ado, here are some photos I took, albeit without much in the way of identification and/or explanation. Sorry.

1. Click on this photo... we're looking at the TINY plant!

2. Helleborus (variety?)

3.
4.
5.
6.
7. Pinellia tripartita "Golden Dragon ??
8.
9.
10. Orienpet lilies
11.
12.
13.14.
15.16.17.

18.

19.
What a wonderfully restful, shady garden. This was my first introduction to a fellow garden-blogger. I continue to be amazed by the vast numbers of plants and information there is in this world. In fact, about midway through the tour, I began feeling a bit overwhelmed. (If he noticed, Don was too polite to say anything!) ;-)

But his graciousness did not outweigh his generosity. Take a peek below to see a few of the items he sent home with me! I am so excited!! I placed links for plant information... the best information for the pinellia tripartita plants was posted by Don, himself.

Photo 21: Top Left: Pinellia tripartita "Golden Dragon," Top Right: "A violet," Bottom Left: arisaema sikokianum Japanese Jack-in-the-Pulpit or "Snow Rice-Cake Plant, and two others that are not in this photo: hemerocallis, daylily, "Total Look ," and Pinellia tripartita atropurpurea.

Heading home to Shady's Garden!

Here's the little violet in its new home.

Pinellia tripartita "Golden Dragon," up close
Pinellia tripartita "Golden Dragon," in its new home
Pinellia tripartita purpurea, up close
Pinellia tripartita purpurea, in its new home
arisaema sikokianum, Japanese Jack-in-the-Pulpit
(not a clear photo, but here's where he's residing!)
Here's hemerocallis "Total Look" in her new home.
She's grown! :-)
(I think Iowa Boy mentioned his plant had 60+ buds this year!)

Had I not begun blogging a year or so ago, I'd never have "met" so many people on-line. And I'd never have had the pleasure of reading and meeting Iowa Boy from An Iowa Garden!

Now I hope my plants grow!! :-)
Shady G.

October!

Where did you find Inspiration during the Spring/Summer of 2008?

This is your opportunity to share!
My right side-bar has the information.

Your October post will be about meeting a gardener (blogger or not) who has especially been inspiring! An alternative post idea is to write about an inspiring garden you visited! In order to not be terribly confusing, you might limit one garden/er to a post... however, you could post more than once during the month! ;-)

Once you post, return to the sidebar and click on the link.
Leave your name and "comment's up" on my October post there.
If you want to see who else has posted, visit there from time-to-time to find out!

Have fun with your account, and
WE will have fun reading it!

Now, if you'll excuse me... I'm going to begin composing. ;-)
Shady G.

Let Us Go Gladly Into October

May we remember

with gladdened hearts,
moments of beauty -
awe and/or mirth.


In anticipation
with respectful pause,
moments ahead seem
open and gracious.


May we be ready
with confident glances,
moments away are
beckoning welcome.


In acceptance
and graceful movement,
a season enters
beautifully timed.

'tis now
October.


by me - Shady G.
October 1, 2008

(this last photo was taken in October 2007)

Let us go gladly into this season.

Garden Blogger's Muse Day was conceived and is promoted by Carolyn Gail at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago . You, too, can participate!

Lightning Strikes! Green Thumb Sunday

Today is Sunday.
I've been waiting to show you this blossom! :-)

This is Tricyrtis, 'Lightning Strikes'

I never can decide which picture to show...

... so I'm sharing both close-ups!

Isn't it pretty?

Green Thumb Sunday
You, too, could participate in this.
:-)

Hope your September is ending Beautifully!
Shady G.

I Found Another 'Fun-Guy' in the backyard!

Actually, there were two of them.
This was taken due to a comment by Deb at Garden Author.
She wondered if I didn't have any 'turkey tail' fungus.
Yep. I do. :-) follow the above link for great information!

But this one "takes the cake!"
(Maybe he ate it? ha.)
I don't know who this is...
do you? ;-)

Would you have any "fun-guy" of your own to share?
LOL
Shady G.

Looking at September

Come September
by Hazelmarie Elliott

poem taken from poemhunter

Come September,
when two of nature's seasons live as one,
where days of summer shed their final afterglow
'ere falling gently 'neath an autumn's rising sun,
and every hanging bough and turning leaf will know ~

the green meets gold,
within the murmurings and turnings of trees
that flutter their branches in a restless dance
of impending change. Their limbs akimbo, as arms,
waving goodbye...watching autumn advance,

yet, summer pleads,
to share the days of changeling September
and clings to every breath of autumn's eve ~
spreading warmth and sultry breeze with waning movement
while knowing time grows short, and it must leave,

as beauty stays,
though, not for long, for gold becomes gold
after summer's sung her final song,
and lustrous are the days and nights made bold
with autumn's breath blowing chilly and cold ~

O'grieve September,
though, not for long, as gold turns into winter white,
then into green with 'springing' guile,
and summer's sight brings back September,
to share a season's remembered smile.

May you enjoy this Fall season! :-)

Shady G.

Wordless Wednesday (almost!)

This year's crop of acorns is Way Too Abundant!

We can't justify the purchase of one of those monster riding vacuum/shredder/mowers. Our yard isn't large enough and we have way too many things (flower gardens, trees, etc.) to mow around. ;-) But, in two hours, I picked up three 5-gallon buckets of acorns. Not bad. I've one more area to go... but not this morning. Perhaps this early evening. Then, if they continue to fall, I can better keep up with them! :-)