Hostas!

[elionwyr]

Last weekend, Bones and I were driving around town, looking for yard sales.  Along our journeys, we saw a sign that said, "Michigan Hosta Tour," and pointing down a road that was out of our way.

When I was preparing to move out to the midwest, several friends offered me plants to take with me.  (This is because they know I HAVE A PROBLEM and probably need a 12 step program to deal with my plant addiction.)  So of course I said, "YES PLEASE."  But I focused on things I knew Bones would like, and that would be hostas.

He had moved a bunch as well when he relocated to our home.  I didn't realize quite how many until we looked at our combined pile of plants and realized we both have a problem.

So.  Hosta tour?!?!  Heck yeah!

We followed signs to a cul-de-sac in one of the many local neighborhoods that's sprouted up along the edges of a lake.  And we promptly lost our sense of bravado.

"Do we...just walk into that person's yard?"

"Um. Maybe?"

We looked at the varied people doing just that.  "Will they know we're not in their club?"

"Not if we don't tell them.  And if we don't belong here, I think we can outrun these people."

"Ok.  Let's go!"

We wandered past the front gardens into the back, and were just...amazed.








I loved the constant changing of themes, and this walkway made of bits of stumps was particularly striking..














This is Arleigh, owner of the property and creator of the gardens.  She used to be an art teacher, and opens her garden for sporadic tours to varied groups.

She swears she only spends a few hours a week weeding, in part because she just plants things too close together to allow weeds to take hold.  She's been in this property for..I want to say about 15 years.  It's hard to tell in the photos, but most of the plants are labeled with Latin and common names, as well as general descriptions.  It's the kind of garden that would be a fantastic education resource, and it demands that you stop and look behind you so you don't miss any beautiful bit of greenery.

Arleigh encouraged us to walk down the street to a garden that is primarily hostas.

I...had no idea there were so many hosta out there.
















What I loved about this garden was that the home owners didn't go in with what they thought a garden should be.  They worked with what they had and they've made it gorgeous.  We're told they've cut back a lot of the trees, but it's really hard to tell.  Not photographed are all the little spots with chairs that allow visitors to this garden to sit and take in their surroundings.  And, of course, both gardens benefit from the water supply that is the nearby lake.




Tiny hostas!!




I didn't get the owners' names - alas - but the man of the house wore a shirt that said, "The Hosta Man," and they invited us to come back whenever we wished.  I told Mrs. Hosta Man about bringing hostas from Pittsburgh; she laughed, put her arm around my shoulder, and said, "If you're that kind of person, you need to join our hosta society!"

Before we left, I grabbed Bones' hand.  "Hey!  Wait!"

He looked at me expectantly.

"Kiss me in a beautiful garden!"

He smiled, and did just that.  "These kinds of adventures only happen when I'm with you," he said softly.

That feeling?  That one right there?  It's entirely mutual.

<3

Comments

[luis-mw.livejournal.com]

And when you find a place that has a particularly good view you can say hosta la vista baby

[oneagain.livejournal.com]

Heeheeheeheehee!!!

[elionwyr.livejournal.com]

Ha! :)

[oneagain.livejournal.com]

Um...wow. WOW. WoW. Wow. wOW. BEAUTIFUL pics, wonderful story. Many thanks for sharing this :)

[elionwyr.livejournal.com]

It was such a gift of an afternoon. And both home owners gave us permission to come back whenever we wanted, even if they weren't home. Amazing generosity.