More Madison Gardens: Part II

What strikes me about Mark's & Linda's garden is how careful maintenance is part of the whole...sometimes accompanied by the mutterings we gardeners can make, but mostly practiced with loving kindness and self-knowledge. This garden & its gardeners are a testimony to process. After all, isn't that the real joy of gardening?

Mark does most of the hardscape, Linda is the plants person.

Marvelous Gardens in Madison Part II

Well, I have finally kept my promise and can show you a few photos of Linda Brazill's & Mark Golbach's special garden in Madison. The reasons I rave about it are those qualities that are implicit in them and made manifest in their garden. This space is the sort of garden that makes me so content, I don't want to leave. It's subtle and yet endless intriguing. It forces me to pay attention and I am rewarded by myriad details that enchant and provide contrast so the whole resonates more than the sum of its parts.

They sometimes document their garden process in their marvelous blog for which Linda writes and Mark photographs: Each Little World.

Fun, Funky & Fuzzy Arum italicum

So the gardener part of me loves this plant. I cheat and grow it in dry soil when it wants rich. (Maybe that's why I don't have to worry about it being invasive). It wants to be protected in our zone 5 so at least I provide that. The fantastic foliage [large, veined, boldly shaped] isn't even in these images since the leaves are dormant this time of year. But I confess I had to show the fruit here because it is striking. I have seen many people passing by and being awed. Grown-ups and kids. Our friend, Steve (who is in from San Diego to paint our new energy-efficient windows) tells me that as he stares out the window while painting he has seen tons of folk stop and photograph. I have tried to take a good picture several times and have been defeated by the light conditions and my own artistic shortcomings. So, since I promised I would document for Mark & Linda in Madison, here are two fuzzy shots that at least give a sense of the red red berries on the how-can-you-ignore-it stalk.

It's companion plants are Hydrangea 'Annabelle,' Vinca, some Valerian I cut as soon as it flowers, Christmas Fern, a Toad Lily whose species I've forgotten and Variegated Solomon's Seal. It all survives a lot of shade from the evil Bradford Pear on the city parkway and continuous dog pee. And winter salt.

More Allen Centennial Rock Garden

The Amazing Perk: By implementing this style of rock garden, you can create actual typography! In the tradition of Asian gardens, you could develop metaphorical landscapes in flat Midwestern spaces...in green fashion via recycling & lower water use.

Marvelous Gardens in Madison: (Part I) Allen Centennial

After recently visiting Volo Blog, I then meandered through the rain up to Madison. There I spend a wonderfully relaxing, sustaining weekend with dear friends, Linda Brazill & Mark Golbach. When the clouds parted, we toured the UW-Madison garden: Allen Centennial, an educational delight. The garden really engaged me. Linda with her 25 years of outstanding journalistic experience and Mark with his art background and fine camera tell the garden details on the August 12th post on their marvelous blog: Each Little World. Some of my photos assist in the telling...

The one observation I'd like to add can be seen above. What a creative solution to recycling left-over flagstone! One of the most interesting rock gardens I've seen.

Birds in Volo Bog

Mystery bird creates atmosphere...

...Great Egrets: from a distance, I saw ten!

Volo Bog In A Nice Rain

Last Friday was a lucky day for my first visit to Volo Bog, the only Quaking Bog with an open-water center in Illinois. Who would have imagined it would be 70 and raining? Just me and the plants & the birds and insects galore.

Couldn't photograph much due to rain...above see boardwalk through bog in all its marvelous green. Below I was able to take shelter in a blind.

For best quick summary, Google Chicago Wilderness article: that inspired me to go.