Text and photos ©Nancy J. Ondra
It’s great to be back: back at home, back in the garden, and back with my critters. But being immersed in getting ready for GardenFair at Winterthur in Delaware, and then participating in the event itself, was a wonderful experience. GardenFair ’08 ran from Friday, September 26 through Sunday, September 28, but we had lots of stuff to set up, so we started on Wednesday, heading down from Linden Hill around dawn on Wednesday with two trucks packed with plants, props, and odds and ends.
Here’s what our space looked like when we arrived.
After doing the basic setup, making sure everything was labeled and priced, and unloading a delivery of more plants from one of our vendors, we headed home Wednesday afternoon, then loaded the truck again with even more plants. We had another early departure on Thursday, unloaded again, and then finished setting up. Here’s what it looked like when we left on Thursday.
Though the weather on Friday was rather misty, it didn’t stop the die-hard GardenFair crowd from keeping us hopping from before opening to well after closing time, and we were glad to get yet another truckload of plants so we could restock early Saturday.
The clouds lingered through the weekend, but fortunately the rain held off until midafternoon on Sunday. Things were so hectic that there wasn’t much time to walk around, but I did get to learn about one really cool plant: Crown Jewel kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa ‘Madison’). The vendor next to us, Idlewild Farm, had two stunning specimens that sold before I even realized they were there, and I really wish I’d thought to take a picture before they disappeared. In spring, apparently, they look like any other kousa, but when they push new growth during hot summer weather, the new shoots are bright yellow, taking on red too as the season progresses. It’s definitely worth hunting for! (Idlewild doesn’t sell it through their web site, but they do offer a drool-inspiring selection of herbaceous peonies, tree peonies, and intersectional hybrids, and I see that they just started their fall shipping season. Uh oh!)
We were all pretty much exhausted by the end of the weekend, but not too worn out to start planning for next year’s GardenFair. While we very much enjoyed the space we had this time, we’re considering a more centrally located greenhouse…
…and we’re already making lists of plants we want to propagate to delight next year’s plant hunters. Oh, that reminds me of one more success from this year: selling four out of five bags of sun-dried alpaca manure! (Ok, one was to a friend, but the other three buyers were totally unbiased.) I knew there was some way for Duncan and Daniel to earn a living. Keep eating boys!
If you’re interested in seeing more pics from our GardenFair gala, click here to visit the Linden Hill Gardens photo gallery.
Wow you guys did a lot of work! It looks great and very well put together. That sounds like a very interesting Kousa dogwood. Almost like the best of all dogwoods, interesting bark and the small tree size. I’m glad your Alpacas produce such useful byproducts!
You would have loved that kousa even more in person, Dave; I can hardly do it justice. And yes, pretty neat about the boys; who says you can’t make money with alpacas?
-Nan
Your alpacas look so sweet! I’d take that manure any day, I know how great cow and sheep manure, when I used to get it, were for my veggies and flowers. I hate having to use any chemical fertilizer.
You know it, Nicole. It was amusing to sell some, but really, I hate to part with any, because I can use every bit that my boys make for my own gardens, and I wish I had more besides.
-Nan
Oh Nan, I had a comment ready in my brain about the whole story, your set up, the cool topiaries and the kousa, which I must have, when the last photo showed up. Those are the sweetest thing I have ever seen in my whole life. The brilliant blooms and your boys is a frame worthy shot. Are you still selling their production? I would be interested in purchasing some.
Frances
Thanks for your sweet comment about my two little Daylily Disposal Units, Frances. I have an easier solution for acquiring some alpaca “beans”: check out the Alpaca Farm & Ranch Locator to find an alpaca farm in your area. Many breeders have more than enough paca poo and would probably be glad to find someone who wants it!
-Nan
Alpaca poop is quite the novelty Nan. This picture of the boys makes one think that it is lovely scented too. tee hee.
The greenhouse looks great cram packed with all those colorful plants. I also like how you have a sprinkling of garden ornament around the greenhouse. It is a place for the eye to rest.
Well, I’m not sure I’d call the scent of alpaca manure “lovely,” but really, once it’s dried, it has very little odor at all: just a light earthiness.
It was really fun putting the display together, and with four of us working together, the creativity was definitely flowing!
-Nan
Nan, I just went over to the Linden Hill link. WOW Seeing those pictures has given me courage to look at my front garden with new beds in mind. My front garden is in full sun. I should take advantage of this. My excuse has always been that I am allergic to the sun. It is painful for me to be out in it for any amount of time. However when I see those beautiful flowers standing up straight looking so beautiful I want to get out there and start ripping out sod and planting.
Ugh – I too am not a big fan of being in the sun, Lisa, though I’ve had to adapt. While I don’t have much choice at work, here at home, I concentrate my gardening efforts into spring and fall, so I don’t have to be out much in the summer. I love being in the shade and miss my previous shady garden, but oh, the planting possibilities in sun are so awesome: tall grasses, asters, phlox, sedums, and so much more.
-Nan
Wow. I have to find a job like Duncan & Daniel have. I guess I sort of do though, I’m in advertising, and people have been buying my crap for years!
I can’t imagine the work you had to do to set up that display. It looks so well art directed too!
Oh, Jim – that was too funny. You’re welcome for the perfect setup for the joke.
Thanks for your comment about the greenhouse display. Really, is it possible to go wrong with chartreuse?
-Nan
I wonder is sun dried cat poo would also sell? Our two boys fill up the litter box so fast I can’t believe it. Maybe, with the litter sticking to ole #2, we could market it as an amendment that helps break up soil and create air pockets. Hmmmmm. Nan, you’ve given me wonderful ideas for my winter projects.
I’ll give you two free marketing tips, Benjamin: First, put a cute pic of your kitties on the bag. The only bag of paca poo that didn’t sell was one I had to hand-write a label for, because some mice got into the greenhouse overnight and chewed into the original bag. And two, instead of selling it as a soil amendment, pitch it to gardeners who have groundhogs, to put in the critters’ holes. (It’s supposed to chase the groundhogs away; I don’t know for sure if it works, because I don’t have any cat poo to try. And er, no, you don’t have to send me any.)
Just don’t forget us little people when you make your first million.
-Nan
The “after” greenhouse shots look terrific and so inviting, Nan! Gulp, the temptation!!! Glad you had a great time, and what a delightful photo of Daniel and Duncan enjoying a colorful treat! But I agree, it must be hard to part with their manure. Maybe you should sell prints of the photo instead and keep the manure for your beds!
You would have had a great time. You could have met up with the Tylers from Pine Knot as well!
Do you really think pics of poo would sell? No, wait – I’ve got a new idea: gluing poo to sheets of paper so gardeners can simply lay the sheets right onto their garden soil for no-mess mulching! (Yes, I’m kidding.)
-Nan
Hi Nancy,
Thanks for the kind words on the Kousa trees. To be honest, the plants were sold before they even got to the show. Darn it, I forgot to take the pictures. Like you, we are all exhausted from planning and preparing for the show. Yes, the kousa propagation project has begun.
Stay well, still recuperating!
Long
The trees truly were spectacular. I hope the grafting project goes well, because there are a bunch of us who’d love to get our hands on one.
-Nan
I wish I would be there.
The greenhouse loked beautiful, I want to bye everyting.
You have done a great work, all of you.
Ken
Thanks, Ken. I think you and Carina would have had a wonderful time. There were over 80 vendors in total – plants, outdoor furniture, plants, garden art, plants, pots, and…oh, did I mention plants? Really cool plants!
-Nan
Nan, Your greenhouse display was beautiful! I hope it was successful for you. I’d have loved to go shopping! Is it not difficult for you to Not bring things home yourself!? I’m sure the variety, at such a show, is fantastic. ;-)
Thanks, Shady! I had my thrills as we were hunting for and selecting the plants to take to the sale. After loading, unloading, and arranging them all, I didn’t feel all that much like shopping, somehow. Now, I wish I had!
-Nan