Gardens created for the 2008 Beijing Summer Oympics

Arija's Delightful Garden

Arija's garden is 3 1/2 acres of flowers, shrubs,& trees which she planted & so beautifully landscaped in Old Mystic. A trip there is a real delight.

These photos, taken by Carol Connor, give a glimse of the beauty there.

A Visit to Portland Rose Garden

Diane Davis visited The International Rose Test Garden, in Portland, Oregon. It is the oldest official continuously operated public use test garden in the U.S. Its primary purpose is to serve as a testing ground for new rose varieties. The 4.5 acre garden with over 7,000 rose plants is on a hill with beautiful views of the city below, and of Mt. Hood in the distance. We have been here probably six times in the last dozen years or so, and today was one of the few days we could not see Mt. Hood. The main season for the roses passed by a couple of weeks ago, but there were still many beautiful specimens.

Arija's Summer Garden

I thought I'd give you an update on my gardening activities.
A week ago I had a group from New Zealand come tour my garden. The weather co-operated and we had a wonderful tour. A couple of "Kiwis" even informed me that viewing my garden was the highlight of their visit to CT.
Last Saturday I had an opportunity to visit Louis Raymond's garden in Hopkinton, RI. It certainly was not the run of the mill garden. Hopefully we may have him as a club speaker sometime next year, although he does "speak Latin" ...
Last Sunday I entered the CT Rose Society's annual Rose Show in Hartford and walked away with 11 (eleven) ribbons, three of them were blue. Not shabby, I'd say.
Too bad the Club doesn't meet during the summer. There's so many gardening activities to share.
Hope your gardening activities are off to an equally good start.
Arija

The Butchart Gardens

Karen Carriera recently visited The Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia. She brought back some wonderful photos.

The Butchart Gardens were originally a limestone and clay quarry for Mr. Butchart's nearby cement factory. The first section of the Residence was completed in 1904. Jennie Foster Kennedy married Mr. Butchart and devoted herself to the development of the Butchart Gardens.
The ugly scar left when the limestone was no longer quarried became the renowned Sunken Garden. Other Gardens in the estate include an English Rose Garden, a Formal Italian Garden and a Japanese Garden.




For more information visit their website at www.butchartgardens.com

A Favorite Tulip

This wonderful progression of a really gorgeous tulip was taken in Barbara T.'s garden. She was away at the time and her neighbor photographed it so she could enjoy it. So we are fortunate enough to enjoy it as well.

The Connecticut College Arboretum

The Connecticut College Arboretum is a real local treasure.  The Mystic Garden Club was treated to a tour of the Caroline Black Gardens.  But anyone can enjoy a tour on any Sunday at 2 PM from May to October.  Tours begin from the blue sculpture in front of the Olin Building near the main gate.  The first Sunday is a tour of the Caroline Black Garden.  The second Sunday tour is of the campus gardens and the following Sundays are of the Native Plant Gardens.
A special thanks to Carol Connor and Bodil Meyer for their photos.

The group is admiring the huge redwood tree.

The Mystic Garden Club field trip to the Connecticut College Arboretum. Remember you can click on any photo to enlarge it.

Purple Trillium

Photos from Trip to Logees

What a fabulous place Logees is! This trip was a terrific success and hopefully will be an annual event.

Magnolia in Noank

This is a dark pink magnola tree, a bit unusual & in full bloom now at a past member, Carolyn Crowley's home in Noank.

Carol Connor

Shinny's Daffodills

These photos were supplied by Greg Stone.

Karen's Photos from St. John

There's nothing like a winter get away to "the islands". We are greeted not only with blue skies, warm breezes but also a feast for the eyes of wonderful tropical flowers. Karen Carriera has returned from St. John with these wonderful pictures to share.
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Christchurch, New Zealand - Festival of FLowers

These photos were taken by Bert Turner at the Cathedral in Christchurch, New Zealand at their "Festival of Flowers" week.

Note the center aisle from entrance to altar area paved with flowers. Side aisles features the arrangements. Costume for the parade were done by Jenny Gillies, Costume & Fabric, Cosume & Fabric Designer. Fabulous! Her website is http://www.jennygillies.com/ - to see more as we, the audience, were not allowed to photograph them. I snuck in one.

By Bert Turner, MGC

Reminder - you can click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

Hawaiian Flowers

We have been coming to Hawaii for the past 5 winters. I am always so impressed with the flora and fauna here. There are several botanical gardens "up country" which means part way up the side of the volcano. The elevation assures more moisture and a slightly cooler climate than at sea level. I am always struck by the very vivid colors of the plants here. By comparison our flowers seem soft and pastel while here in Hawaii everything is large and bright and vivid.
The first year we visited the Enchanting Floral Gardens they were full of abundant blooms. There were little signs identifying the hundreds and hundreds of varieties of plants. It was obviously the life's work of someone very dedicated. Unfortunately it was somewhat over grown but still very charming and lush. Each year we have visited it has become more and more overgrown and some things have been sheared back without any real thought to the pruning. As a result our visit this year was very disappointing. Things are overgrown but no longer blooming profusely. They look tired and strangled.

Most hotels and condos have wonderfully manicured lawns and plantings in Hawaii. There are gardeners working constantly to keep things under control. Hibiscus and bougainvillea grow as profuse hedges. Orchids grow in large pots in lobbies everywhere.








I've taken some of my favorite flower photos from our visits here and put them in a slide show. I hope you enjoy it. You will recognize many flowers we use as annuals and plants that we use as house plants.

Desert Plants in Winter

Happy New Year!

We just returned from a vacation in Arizona and I thought I'd share
with the club some of the pictures we took of the desert plants in
winter. It's quite beautiful.

Best wishes,

Shinny

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