Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Unique Opportunity with Special Guests

When my cousin Beckie mentioned that she and Rose were having visitors from England and asked would I like to come meet them I immediately said yes.  I wouldn't have passed up this opportunity for anything because her visitors were Cheryl who writes Take Time To Smell the Flowers and her precious MrP. They came all the way from England for this visit.
Beckie and Rose had the best itenerary arranged for us.
We first went to Meadowbrook Park. Here they have a section of prairie. It appeared to be a sea of yellow what with all the Goldenrod blooming. There were plenty of bees and bugs to keep the camera shutters fanning.
There was also some interesting sculptures scattered through out the prairie.
At one end of the park was a cultivated garden. There was also an herb garden.
The next stop was at the Idea Garden. This is where Rose spends some of her time doing her Master Gardening hours.  There was much inspiration of color for the garden here.
There was also unique grasses and other plantings.
We went to a Pollinatarium to watch bees busy at work. I learned so much during the short while we were there. It was facinating watching the bees coming and going in the hive with glass sides.
We walked on through another garden kept by the University of IL.
There was so much to see. We had such a grand time. Rose entertained us at her home and garden one evening.
Then Beckie entertained us in her home and garden. We enjoyed one anothers company like we were long lost friends come together again. Who else could you sit with on the patio, enjoy watching the wildlife, talking gardens and Grands.
The only bad thing about this visit is that it was too short. We said our goodbyes in the parking lot.
I hope that we have another chance to visit and tour together in the near future. I can't thank Beckie and Rose  enough for putting together the tours and making us feel so welcome.
Until we meet again...Bon Voyage.

25 comments:

  1. Sounds like a great day had by all there, Lisa. The gardens looked great and I bet the chat was even better. How nice you got the chance to meet Sylvia :-D

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  2. Hi Lisa, I have been waiting to see your take on the visit after reading Rose's post, through another set of eyes, and lenses! It all looks wonderful and fun, great gardens, great company. Seeing the Prairie type of garden was perfect, there is so much interest in such plantings right now all over the world, rightly so! :-)
    Frances

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  3. There's nothing so special as getting together with gardeners and visiting gardens! Looks like you had a great time - love that prairie sculpture!

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  4. Fun times in a beautiful setting!

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  5. Lisa, I am not surprised that you all got along like you've known one another for years! It's like that with gardeners and blogging pen-pals! The gardens look wonderful and what a glimpse into a Midwest garden they gave the guest. gail

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  6. We did have a great time. Cheryl and Mr P are such nice people. I could go on and on about them and the trip. Fun fun.

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  7. Oh what a fun looking/sounding day. Lovely that you could get together like that.

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  8. Lovely day and gorgeous gardens. Sounds like fun connecting with new friends too.

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  9. What a wonderful visit! (And I love those prairie sculptures. :)

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  10. Lisa, What fun to relive our visit through your perspective! I'm glad you enjoyed the two days; we did have a wonderful time, didn't we? I wonder what I'm saying to DB in the second picture--I look like I'm giving him a piece of my mind, which I know I wasn't:)

    I haven't been in the garden much since you left, but I'm hoping for some inspiration to write something profound or poetic in the lovely journal you gave me. Thanks again for such thoughtful gifts!

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  11. What a wonderful opportunity you had to meet with cyber friends!

    Looks like it was a fun day...love that herb garden!

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  12. How very WONDERFUL that Rose included you in this special visit. So glad it was a good one for all of you. Imagine stopping in to visit a fellow blogger when you come ALL the way from England. That is special indeed. The weather and trip sure looked like it cooperated nicely.

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  13. It sounds like such fun. When gardeners gather, never are they strangers.~~Dee

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  14. You and Beckie and Rose *and* Cheryl? I am so sorry I didn't gate crash this. Glad you all had fun.

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  15. Wow...all those gardens to see with friends and family! How much more fun could someone possibly have??? I'm so glad you got to go!!! Hope you had some nice fall air for it as well!!!

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  16. Nothing like an actual face-to-face meeting to make connections that are deeper than digital!

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  17. What a wonderful place with delightful people. Thanks for sharing the visit.

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  18. Lisa girl that must have been a blast! It is such a treat to get to meet other bloggers and how they appear in real life in real time ? LOL .. the tours and entertaining sounded wonderful ! great pictures but I don't know "who is who" in them girl ! haha
    Joy

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  19. Dear Lisa,
    I think Cheryl and Mr. P had as much fun as you did too. They are quality people indeed!
    We had lots of fun too when they came to Kansas City.
    Such a delight to meet kindred spirits.
    Sherry

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  20. Hi Lisa!
    I KNOW how special it is to meet a blog friend in real!!!
    This seems like the perfect meeting! And that wonderful weather you had!

    So glad you all had fun!
    And how special there was even a gardener blog friend from England!


    have a nice day Lisa!

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  21. Lisa,
    What great fun. When gardeners get together it's amazing how easy conversation goes. Kindred spirits in unique ways. Cheryl is a dear and it was so nice you all were able to visit and share the pretty gardens together.
    Meems

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  22. Oh, what fun it is to travel and visit with other garden bloggers. Good times.

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  23. P.S. Is it wrong to admit Cheryl looks *nothing* like I pictured her, not that i really had a specific image in mind?! :)

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  24. Oh what fun you all had! What a great place and to spend time there with family and new friends makes it even better. :-)

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  25. Lisa, your day with blog friends and your cousin sounds wonderful...chock-a-block full of fun places for like-minded gardeners.
    Conversation just flows when blog friends and gardeners get together, and yes, we could visit for days and never run out of conversation topics :)
    Glad you all had such a great time together.

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