If you should have a lovely garden....

This was taken about a week ago. I couldn't do this today because it's about a billion degrees outside right now. But it makes for a perfect excuse to stay in and catch up on blogging. The main purpose of this post is to share some pictures from the National Garden Festival in Buffalo, NY. But I'm also trying to make sure I post artwork here, too, even though posting artwork is MUCH more scary than posting pictures of gardens. So here was an afternoon I spent sketching in my own gardens (which, I might add, have finally filled out and started to impress me!). Cinders and Bandit were more than thrilled to join me.

If you love gardens and live near Buffalo (and it's not a billion degrees out), I would highly recommend a trip to the Garden Festival. There are gardens open all over Buffalo (city and suburbs) on Thursdays and Fridays and then a featured neighborhood open on Saturdays and Sundays all throughout the month of July.

Dan and I headed out last Friday and toured several gardens in the Buffalo suburbs.

There are "rules" to follow, like don't bother the gardeners if they're in the middle of something, don't touch anything, etc... I spent a lot of time walking around with my hands behind my back because it is almost impossible for me to not touch things in a garden. This was kind of funny because all of the gardeners were more than happy to take you on a tour and answer any questions. Not one of them was "in the middle of" anything, other than entertaining the visitors. One of them ripped a branch off her curly willow tree and gave it to me when I mentioned I loved the tree. She told me to just plant it in the ground and I should have a curly willow, too very soon. Another gave me a rock from his garden that I mentioned I liked. I could not have been more excited about bringing home a rock and a stick from the garden tour- Dan found this all very amusing.

I have also fallen in love with mini hostas. I was kind of interested before the tour, and I had purchased two this year, but I can't believe how many different kinds there are!

We stayed at a fantastic place called the Roycroft Inn in East Aroura. Saturday morning we went for a quick hike to the Eternal Flame waterfall, which was totally amazing. Then we headed on to Lancaster, the featured neighborhood for that day.

This is the garden of Two Chicks and a Rooster. A little sign in the back yard said "If you should have a lovely garden, you should have a lovely life". YES.

They had awesome gardens and free slushies, which can really contribute to the loveliness of life in the summer.

AND they had a man cave. And here's where I lost him.

Next we went to visit "Ron the Recycler" as he is known by his neighbors. He finds old things and turns them into something else, like this dog rock complete with a lump of coal nose and driftwood bone.

Ron sent us to his sister and brother-in-law's house where I found a new project for Dan. Isn't this a great potting shed?

There were lots more gardens that we toured, and I can not wait to visit again. Thanks to all the gardeners for opening up your homes and a special thanks to the ones giving out sticks, rocks, and ice!