Home of the Practically Perfect Pink Phlox and other native plants for pollinators

Friday, November 20, 2009

Fairegarden Style

The yellow shrub is an azalea! Seriously!

It must be true that the third time's the charm..my trip to Frances' had already been rescheduled twice when Mr I Don't Garden and I headed over the mountains this past weekend. We couldn't have asked for nicer weather with day time temperatures in the high 60's and the sky a fantastic deep blue. Even though we had missed the big time fall color parade, Fairegarden's color was far from over. Just take a peak at this~~ The hollies are luscious. Just what you hope they will come to be when you plant them in your garden. I love this part of the garden~~It's the front yard and even though Frances let's it be, you can see that the design works very well.

This blogger would be remiss if I didn't show you the famous Fairegarden Muhly~~You have to love a grass that continues to dazzle this late in the season. It is extremely happy in this garden. I have no such success, but there is something in the soil...in those magic pebble river stones....that makes the Muhly grow and set seed everywhere. We met at her favorite nursery,Mouse Creek, to do a little gardener bonding before we even got to Fairegarden. Frances knew how much I enjoyed MC and called to make sure that it was open this late in the season. We didn't have near enough time to see all the offerings of Mouse Creek or chat with the owner Ruth. There was time to find several must have plants. They were gently tucked into the car and Mr I followed us on to Fairegarden. Frances and I wanted to visit and the Mr didn't care...He was along for the drive! Technically, Mr I was my driver! He was a sweet heart for agreeing to spend a weekend with two obsessive fascinating gardeners. Luckily, he and The Financier had met before and it looked to me like they had a pretty good time telling stories and rolling their eyes at us!

Just in case you're wondering what plants I had to have: A non-vining clemmie, Salvia guaranitica 'Argentine Skies' and a really nice chrysanthemum....and an interesting looking new cultivar of hybrid Coreopsis 'Red Shift'.


We had a great visit. We spent time really looking at her garden.
Walking through the garden, talking about plants and checking out the views.Gardeners assessing a garden;)
It was so enjoyable I didn't take nearly enough photos! Blood Grass

We took a road trip to the Bald River Waterfall The waterfall was running heavy from the recent rains and trees looked ghostly when photographing straight into the mist and sun.

Above the falls~~ HeucherasWalking Fern and Seersucker Sedge grow everywhere.
It was native plant heaven!
Thank you Frances for taking us to this special spot.
Bat Faced Cuphea

Visiting Fairegarden was a treat. Frances is delightfully funny,
a good hostess and a truly remarkable gardener. This one you must enlarge!

What makes Fairegarden~ Fairegarden?
Full sun? Great drainage? Magic pebbles?

A cuphea grown from seed

Frances adds something special and deeply significant to the mix...
She believes in doing the very best she can with everything she undertakes.


leaves at the Bald River Waterfall~~more on that in another post.

That's her philosophy.
She's not afraid to plunk a plant in a new spot and move it two months later...
Nor, is she afraid to tackle big projects: I mean big~~like an entire concrete staircase!
Go here to see my post about my visit last year and more photos.
Or creating her own Zen Garden, even trying a new look in the existing lawnette.

Some of us talk about our ideas~She makes them happen!
Not a bad way to garden or live.

Gail

It's the friends you can call up at 4 a.m. that matter.
Marlene Dietrich

44 comments:

  1. Gail, it looks like you and Frances had a great visit. It is always interesting seeing a garden, from anothers perspective.

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  2. It is nice to see something somewhat familiar from another gardener's perspective. I really liked your leaves in the mist photo, and look forward to seeing more from the waterfall.

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  3. Dear Gail, you are too kind and sweet, thank you from the bottom of my heart. And a big thanks and hug for Mr. I. He helped keep The Financier amused, literally! We did have so much fun and hope to repeat that many times over in the future. But I would be remiss in not correcting you about our dear Ruth's Mouse Creek nursery, just in case anyone is trying to go there themselves, not because I am obsessively detail oriented. I love seeing the garden through your lens. You are the best! {{U}} :-)
    Frances

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  4. Gail, you are one lucky lady to be close enough to visit the Fabulous Mz Frances and the Fairegarden. I am sure it is the aura of Mz F that lifts and encourages this garden to give such gorgeous rewards. I am glad you take us there to see the Fairegarden through your lens.

    I noticed on your sidebar that big congrats is due to your little one for his accomplishments. I wish him luck in getting into the program he is pursuing.

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  5. Those pictures were awesome Gail !! The first thing I always think of when I think of Frances is PINK MUHLY GRASS .. it is my absolute favorite (even though it is hard to nail one because there are so many gorgeous plants in Fairegarden) .. it sounds like a wonderful time was had even by the .. ahem .. men folk ??? LOL
    Joy

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  6. Gail, I have been so looking forward to this post ever since I found out you had visited Frances. It's always amazing to me how you can see so many photos on a person's blog and think you've seen the whole garden, then view a visitor's perspective and see something totally new. The front garden shot is so lovely and not one I've seen in quite this way. I'm so glad you and Frances had a chance to visit and that the sun was shining on the two of you. I agree that Frances must have something special, a little faire magic perhaps, to create such a paradise. Fairegarden is right up there with Monet's garden on my list of gardens to see someday!

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  7. What a treat to see Frances' garden through your eyes. Glad you two had a good visit.
    That waterfalls looks wild with water. I wonder how different it looks when there hasn't been a ton of rain?
    thanks for taking us along on your visit.

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  8. Forgot to say congrats to your Doctoral candidate!

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  9. I say this every year but I need to get some winterberry hollies! Her slope looks really nice for fall, more of the "dying well" strategy. And you had to get a shot of the Muhly!

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  10. Wonderful photos, Gail! I loving see your visits to the Faire Garden. The waterfall is particularly magnificent!

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  11. Hi Gail, Looks like you and Mr. I had a great time. I love your photos of fairegarden; they're very different angles then I've seen on her blog and gives a fuller sense of her whole wonderful garden! As a huge bat lover, my favorite plant is, predictably, the bat-faced Cuphea. So sweet!!

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  12. What fun, Gail! I too have been waiting with bated breath for the update of your visit, and these shots are simply delightful. The waterfall, leaves in the mist, walking fern (a huge favorite), and as everyone has said, seeing Frances's lovely garden in a new way---aaahhhh!!! Gack, I knew someone with De Quervain Syndrome years ago, and I think she also had surgery to correct it. Wishing you a quick and pain-free happy ending!

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  13. It is interesting to see her garden from another photographer. I'd love to see it in person. What is the pink flower in the last photo? I believe I saw this on my mother's property last week and I didn't know what it was.

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  14. Phillip, It's Euonymus europaeus; isn't it smashing! gail

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  15. You are lucky to have been able to visit this "notorious" garden. More and more surprises pop up everytime I see photos of France's garden. Thanks for sharing your tour. Love that blood grass!
    Rosey

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  16. Hi Gail, a pretty garden walk and a visit to a wonderful waterfall. A great way to spend a couple mid-November days.
    Marnie

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  17. Amazing photos! That's almost as good as being there... It really does look like a magical place.

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  18. Gail... What a lovely tribute to Frances... how lucky you both are to be able to visit in that way. Looks like you had a wonderful trip. I love the waterfall pictures. I was just visiting a nearby one here. Your shot of the tree in the waters mist is gorgeous. A very heart warming post of gardening and friendship. Carol

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  19. How lucky you are to live relatively close to Frances. She's such an inspiration & an awful lot of fun. Recently, I've been rethinking my modus operandi in garden visits. I'm beginning to think it's more important to experience the garden through your senses, to feel it and be in it than to photograph it. So I think your "failure" to take a lot of photos is actually a good thing. I look forward to hearing more about your new Clematis.

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  20. MMD, I've been thinking much the same and have started walking in our parks and the neighborhood without the camera! I want to live my life, not record it!

    Gail

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  21. What a lovely tour through Frances' garden. You two must have had a blast. I do wish I had a Mouse Creek nearby! Are those hollies in the front Possumhaw? They're beautiful (as is everything else there!).

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  22. Hi Gail....the waterfalls are amazing....I so love them.....and all the wild planting.....I was in heaven reading that.

    What a stunning garden.....I adore the grasses.....so soft......and the beautiful autumnal colours...

    This lady is most certainly a gardener as is the lady that wrote the piece.

    Have a wonderful weekend......

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  23. Love your post title, Frances does have style doesn't she? I read both of the posts. Ya'll look like you had a wonderful time together. I know the men enjoyed it too, even if they did grumble a little!

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  24. What a great visit, and you showed off Fairegarden so well, Gail. I enjoyed hearing about your latest meet-up.

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  25. What a lovely trip you had - its so nice visiting fellow bloggers.

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  26. It was fun to read both of your posts about your visit. I don't think I had seen much of Frances' front yard before, just as pretty as the back. Sounds like you both had a really nice time.

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  27. So fun to see Frances' garden in your footsteps, Gail. Thanks for taking us with you. We should all have a meetup/gabfest at Mouse Creek someday!

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  28. Sounds like you had a marvelous time. Nothing like garden talk and walk. So happy for you!!

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  29. Gail, I'm so glad you got to visit with Frances. Gardening is one thing but to have a dear friend to visit & stroll through her garden is fantastic.
    I'm glad the weather was so good for you also.

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  31. Sounds like a fun visit!! Frances' garden looks fantastic. I *need* to know the name of the yellow azalea, I better ask Frances right away. ;)

    As always your pictures are beautiful. Beautiful pictures of a beautiful garden and waterfall!

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  32. Gail,
    What a wonderful post about a visit to a fellow gardener... And it looks to me like you saw LOTS through your camera to share with us. Thanks for images of a totally lovely garden!

    Lisa

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  33. It is so nice that you and Frances have forged such a great friendship... and you aren't too far away from each other either. Her garden must be exquisite in person as it is so amazing in photos. What fun for both of you.

    I had some fellow gardeners (non-bloggers) visit my garden this morning... there is nothing like getting to chat as long as you like, standing in the garden, with another "fascinating" gardener.
    Have a wonderful weekend.
    Meems

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  34. How nice to have history and memories with friends, plants, and blogs. I can't think of a better combination and it will lift your spirits through the surgery. That Frances seems like a gem of a person and you too. Thanks for letting us have a glimpse to the nursery and all.

    The grand part is we know what you meant about 4 am ;) and the muhly grass--I just love that we do.

    And Gail--thank you for participating in Operation Christmas Child..we raised $800 for the little kids and made 20 boxes. I'll deliver them on Monday and write a post on Tuesday.

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  35. Gail, a lovely visit. As I read, I kept thinking "I wish I lived near them or vice versa." I miss you both and have no obsessed gardeners nearby. Wish I did. On the enlarged photo of the front yard, is that Frances taking a shot from another vantage point? I couldn't tell for sure. This year, I bought that coreopsis. I'm going to see if it comes back next spring. You're so right about friends at 4:00 a.m.~~Dee

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  36. What a wonderful visit (and photo tour for us)! Glad you gals had a great time together.

    Cameron (catching up on many days without blogs)

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  37. A different perspective but the same stunning garden ~ 2 great pairs of eyes behind the lens, 2 great gardens and now 2 great friends (and sounds like 2 great husbands) ... life as good as it gets!

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  38. What a great post, Gail. I feel as if I were actually in the beautiful Tennessee countryside that I love so much.

    I'd give my eye teeth to have that japanese blood grass survive here.

    Word has it that Frances sprinkles magic Faire dust instead of fertilizer on her garden.

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  39. Gail you captured the heart and soul of the Fairegarden quite well. The long shots often give a better feel of a space. At this time of year it would be harder to be distracted by the individual plants in the exhuberant abundance of blooming things packed into a typical sized suburban plot.

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  40. What a privilege to get to visit another garden blogger...and you certainly picked a great one at that! I'm glad you both has such a great time...her garden is just lovely! Kim

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  41. Hi Gail! It's so great you and Frances can get together like you do. (Even if it's once or twice a year). I'd love to just tag along and listen to your conversation ~ I'm sure I'd learn so much. Fairegarden is fabulous. I don't really remember seeing Frances' front yard much either. I'm glad you had a good visit.

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  42. Two of my favourite gardeners (please excuse my "u"), together in the garden. Double fun. Loved seeing Fairegarden through different eyes.

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  43. Beautiful views of a beautiful garden and it sounds like you had a beautiful time! It's such fun to hang out with fellow gardeners and talk plants.

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  44. *Sigh* How I wish I'd been there too - it looks like you had a fab time! It's lovely to see such a friendship blossoming - and it all started through blogging to boot!

    It's good to see Frances' garden through another's eyes :)

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