Tour Day

There was a steady flow all day long.

But you can disperse a lot of people into the wild cultivated gardens and still have plenty elbow room. Most of them you won't even be able to see once they wander off.

My rough guess is that about 150 people made their way to the low spot high on a North Carolina mountain top. Three of them were blog readers of mine from Kentucky, Tennessee and Florida/part time NC. It was also interesting to meet many of my near neighbors from the side roads off the scenic byway. It was a most enjoyable group of visitors. The compliments flowed.

The Carolina Lupine got a lot of inquiries and there was some oohing an aahing over the Indian Pink. The shoulder high Yellow Flag Iris drew lots of questions. That bold foliage makes a statement even without any blooms. My glass bottle edging was also a big hit.

There were wild flowers sprinkled generously throughout.

I have helped plan and put on a number of garden tours. I have been on a number of garden tours. We have opened the gardens to smaller select groups a few times and had plenty of private visitors. This was my first official time as the garden owner on a real garden tour. Now I know what it really feels like from the other side and it feels fine.

I'm sure all my experience on the planning and touring side of this kind of event helped a great deal. For me it was a no stress event. I went about my regular business in the garden and let the Master Gardeners do all the real work of putting on the tour.

And the tall flower meadow is no where close to a peak bloom. August into mid-September is really the best time I said to many.

They came. They enjoyed. I think quite a few of them got an inkling of letting nature be the co-gardener.

Then it was over. The last visitors left. They were near neighbors from off the scenic byway and he was Hawaiian. Aloha.

Then the beasts came out from hiding. It was time for dinner.