The group who visited our garden on August 11 were from the Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. Last year a two-person scouting team came at a similar time and on almost the same date in August.
When the group came in person, they told us they scheduled our garden as the last stop of the day knowing how restful and contemplative it was. I was impressed to think that not only did they appreciate our garden enough to include it on their agenda, but they recognized the perfect time to visit.
Despite knowing the group would arrive on a bus, it is always a bit of a shock when it pulls up!
We put down a number of non-skid runners to make sure the deck was safe after the morning rain.
As with most garden lovers, everyone was friendly and engaging.
Whether you go on a garden tour or host one, it is non-stop discussion about plants. My straw fan with textile accents generated a lot of talk as well.
Usually most of my time is spent answering questions about our garden or identifying plants. This time I made a point of asking visitors about their gardens. It was a treat to see someone else's garden!
Julie Jenny, the Education Programs Coordinator of the Scott Arboretum (left), was our contact person for the tour. She kept us informed every step of the way and from our viewpoint, the group seemed very organized. In addition to visiting public and private gardens, they went to a number of locations in the region including a dairy farm and Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright's home.
We put out "before and after" photo albums of the garden as well as some historic images of the house from the family who built it in the mid-1950s. Since the Scott Arboretum group stopped at our house at 5 p.m. we knew their next stop was dinner. So we provided water, dried apricots and a Spanish treat that is a cross between a cookie and a cracker.
Knowing we had a tour scheduled for August, helped us to do a number of jobs that have been on our garden "to do"' list for quite some time. Now it's nice to have those things done and to know that no more tours are coming — until the Garden Bloggers Fling in Madison next June.
Oh, the Fling is coming! Won't that be something? I know your garden will get rave reviews but it might be an anxious time for you before hand.
Posted by: Barbara H. | Friday, August 23, 2019 at 06:28 AM
I love you fan. I wondered what it was when I spied it in the first picture. Looked like a nice group of people. I know they appreciated your garden as the tour conductors saved the best for last. Long sleeves in August? It must have been a cool spell. Lucky tourists.
Posted by: Lisa at Greenbow | Friday, August 23, 2019 at 06:54 AM
I can't imagine a BUS on your street! It sounds as if it all went well, and I'm sure everyone enjoyed your garden. It sounds like it would've been a great tour to be on.
Posted by: Kristin | Friday, August 23, 2019 at 07:18 AM
They were in the area for 8 days and had a really full schedule. I think it would have been too much for me. And some of those folks were significantly older than me and Mark.
Posted by: Linda Brazill | Friday, August 23, 2019 at 08:05 AM
8 days is a lot. I know birding 8 day tours are a killer. With gardens tho you would be sitting down a lot more. ha.. so she says.
Posted by: Lisa at Greenbow | Friday, August 23, 2019 at 08:49 AM
What hardy people your visitors must be! They don't even look particularly exhausted. They were probably feeling a bit lonely for their own gardens, too; very clever and empathic to ask them about the garden at home.
ceci
Posted by: ceci | Friday, August 23, 2019 at 01:59 PM
I have thoroughly enjoyed your posts leading up to the tour. The garden looks fantastic and I wish I had been lucky enough to see it in person.
Posted by: rusty duck | Friday, August 23, 2019 at 03:45 PM
With all your preparations behind you, it looks as though you had a good opportunity to really enjoy your visitors. Kudos on your successful tour!
Posted by: Kris P | Friday, August 23, 2019 at 05:22 PM
I caught sight of those runners in your last post and wondered what they were. I appreciated their graphic boldness. Also, I wish I had thought to ask tour guests about their garden, it seems so obvious when you mentioned it, but I get so caught up in the nonstop questions I never would have stepped out of the moment like that. Now I will!
Posted by: danger garden | Friday, August 23, 2019 at 11:13 PM
Even more reason to try to get to the fling next year. Lucky visitors.
Posted by: Susie | Saturday, August 24, 2019 at 04:59 AM
This may be the first time I ever managed to ask one of the visitors about their garden. I woman I spoke to showed me a photo of an area in the front of her house she's woking on as we were talking plants. Her husband is an architect and they live in a stunning old stone house.
Posted by: Linda Brazill | Saturday, August 24, 2019 at 10:12 AM
Since the garden is still looking good we decided to hold an open house (really open garden) on Labor Day weekend.
Posted by: Linda Brazill | Saturday, August 24, 2019 at 10:13 AM
It would be lovely to meet you in person instead of just comments!
Posted by: Linda Brazill | Sunday, August 25, 2019 at 03:29 PM
I'm pretty sure an excellent tour could be made just from the gardens of your visitors.
Posted by: Nell | Monday, August 26, 2019 at 12:04 PM
I am sure you are right. The person in charge of this tour said she'd take us around if we decide to go out east to their area.
Posted by: Linda Brazill | Monday, August 26, 2019 at 12:10 PM
Hope you do sometime! Pennsylvania's stone houses are among the most beautiful buildings anywhere. The Arb itself is also worth seeing at any season. I kick myself for not spending more time with the trees there during college.
Posted by: Nell | Monday, August 26, 2019 at 04:42 PM
I lived in Rochester, NY for a few years and it is an area with many cobblestone houses. Had a friend who owned one so I got to see the inside of one as well as the outside.
Posted by: Linda Brazill | Monday, August 26, 2019 at 10:15 PM