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Garden Writers Region II
Friday, 25 May 2012
Garden Party in Wilmington, Delaware
We have visited one, two, three, four gardens. Had a trunk show / raffle in the Longwood Gardens Conservatory Road parking lot. Kirk calls your number, come up and choose. Quickly now, other folks are waiting for their turn. Plants, lots of plants, we all get plants. And there's "stuff" enough for everyone. Several gift baskets, good stuff like Sustane's compost tea bags, some books. I donated two jars of Creek Road Crafts preserves and my book "Preserving Memories." But we're not done yet. Dan Benarcik and Peggy Anne Montgomery have invited all of us to a finale in their garden. Who cares that the early morning photo shoot began at 7:00 a.m. and I have a two hour drive back home. My justification - as if I needed one - by the time I leave their place the end-of-day commuter traffic round Philadelphia should have thinned out. I accepted the invitation, with pleasure. Besides, I wanted to see the garden. Dan creates the most stupendous container plantings at Chanticleer. Just image what he must do at home. Spoiler alert: very few containers, and those very simple. The rest of the garden - awesome.
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For the neighborhood, their home is modest in size. The yard, though, is larger than average and quite deep. And there are some stupendous boulders.
There are tables set out on the lawn, awaiting our arrival.
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Candles in glass holders hang from trees near the house, waiting for dusk to come alight.
Clever little gizmo, a ceramic stopper and wick Dan found on-line, plugs a bottle of
citronella oil and repels mosquitoes on the patio. Really like the holder Dan made too.
Sheltered patio tucks into a corner of the house. Mediterranean in feel, with black aeonium planted out
for the summer, with other succulents and agaves, a hardy hippeastrum, lavender, and more. Delightful.
There's scrumptious food and ample drinks. Scoop cheese on crusty bread or crackers, a cluster of grapes,
sandwiches. A glass of wine, a beer, or lemonade. (Remember, I'll be driving.) Stroll, enjoy the garden,
the company of friends. What a perfect end to a wonderful day, in and out of gardens. GWA Region II rocks!
