On May 26th, the MG’s were treated to tour the gardens of members Nancy Szabo and Gayle Wagoner.
And what a treat it was! Both gardens reflected a number of tried and true garden design principles, encompassing a whole lot of work with stunning results, and reflecting the owner’s love of plants and all things botanical.
Nancy’s wonderful vegetables garden, strutting with healthy, productive vegetables plants and flowers are too numerous to name.
Her selections not only included the tried-and- true varieties, but also the lesser- known ones such as Kohlrabi, Potatoes Amaranth, white and yellow beats, Taiwan black long beans, Red long beans, toothache flowers, Pak Choy, Stevia, red, yellow and yellow carrots to name a few.
In between carefully planted rows, lovely zinnias were allowed to reseed freely, along rows of Roselle, Marigolds and Cosmos. Hoop arches and trellises were ready for climbers.
A productive Keyhole Garden and a Huegel Garden of European design also netted a variety of plants.
Her garden area and beds were carefully documented to allow yearly rotations. As all of us know, these kind of gardens require daily care, sometimes several times a day, to keep producing and flourishing. She constantly looks for new varieties and creations, always finding the new, unusual and fun project. I’m quite sure she does not sleep from April through September….but then we’ll leave that to another article…..
Watching Nancy educate us made me realize that only such an energetic, creative and knowledgeable person as Nancy could pull this off year after year!! How lucky we are to have her in our group!!
Gayle’s beautifully styled and manicured garden was a picture of calm and serenity.
Groundcovers were entwined among perennials and annuals. Small paths meandered throughout the garden. Large pots filled with “spillers and thrillers” added for heights and interest, and gorgeous statues drew the eye from one area to the next. Small tables, chairs and benches invite visitors to sit and reflect. Large boulders and smaller rocks were added for definition and edging. A smooth lawn leads down to the lake with a fountain- like water feature.
Her mostly shaded area required careful selection of interesting shade loving plants, which she successfully staged.
Her garden reminded me of a place one would go to in order to rest and reflect, renew and energize. The magnificent view from her house is absolutely mesmerizing. I find it hard to believe that such calmness and beauty would not heal all that is askew in anyone’s world.
Thank you Gayle for sharing your beautiful sanctuary with us!!
Our last stop was the Van Zandt Country Club grounds, where 32 healthy, beautiful red Knock-Out Rose Bushes were planted and tended to by Pat and Mike Mullin.
A lovely sight, and a wonderful way to honor the 32 Individuals in whose memory they were planted.
Mia Sullivan
