Buffalo, The Last Day

Sunday morning we got up, had breakfast, and took another swim in the pool. It was time to gather our things, and check out of the hotel. We had significantly more than we came with, so several trips to the car were needed. We got it all, even the nutmeg geranium from the windowsill. We headed up to Lancaster Avenue for our last garden tours. What you see is the last picture I have. Apparently my camera batteries were dead. It's too bad . I had a gorgeous long shot taken from an immaculately groomed side garden,through an archway,the front yard, and ending with the fence and garden of the neighbor across the street in the distance. It was one of those great images that was in the camera and then lost forever.I'll have to remember that one in my head.

It was time to say our goodbyes and head for home. With a brief stop to obtain a lentil and wheatberry sandwich for Ed from Amy's Place, we were on our way.

I met a lot of great people, authors, professional garden writers, and gardeners. I visited many fantastic gardens. It was exhilerating, exciting, exhausting and fun! I learned something about myself. I'm a just gardener who writes about the garden I love. I'm happy to get back to doing that.

Wet Friday Fun In Buffalo

Bright and early Friday morning we started the day touring the gardens of the cottages on Little Summer Street. This little blue cottage garden uses its tiny space to advantage including vertical plantings against the cottage itself. We did not see the gardener here, but clearly the cat is in charge!



If you walk through the garden paths behind cottages on the street, you find more small garden spaces and a few cottages built of brick. The old stable tower and ivy covered wall are a fantastic backdrop for this garden space.



Fences become planting areas here. This planting of hens and chicks with morning glories makes intriguing use of the fence's vertical space. By the time we finished on Little Summer Street, the rains came. We were glad to have the refuge of the bus to dry off a bit.



For an interesting contrast, here is another vertical sedum planting. It is part of an extreme gardening makeover project taking place in the front yards of houses facing Olmsted's Martin Luther King Park.

We visited a second Olmsted Park where they are renovating the Japanese garden. We took a short tour of the garden and got a brief look at the celebration that was going on there.

By the time we arrived at Rue Franklin for lunch, the rain was heavy. This lovely restaurant has a garden where we might have dined on a nice day, but with the rain we were seated inside. Of all the wonderful food we were served, it is the frozen lemon and glazed blueberry dessert that I will remember. It was exquisite!

Our next destination was Urban Roots, the only garden Coop in the country . Many of the bloggers made purchases here . They had a nutmeg scented geranium complete with tiny white blossoms. Too good to pass up, it boarded the bus with us . Plants, garden ornaments and 67 wet bloggers left happy for our next stop which was an amazing garden on Bird Avenue. I can hardly imagine what it would be like to have two buses of wet bloggers pull up to tour your garden on a rainy day. The garden which surrounds the house on every side absorbed us like a sponge. Out hosts were wonderful and friendly. People in Buffalo are extremely welcoming!

After a short time to rest and change into dry clothes at 7:30 it was back to the 20th Century Club for another fabulous dinner. Tonight even featured door prizes. At every meal invigorating conversation flows freely between avid gardeners.

Back at the hotel it was time for a for a meeting of bloggers to exchange ideas. After a day like this and past my usual bedtime, I fell asleep almost as soon as I hit those comfy pillows.

Buffa10, Day 2

Now this is a great hosta picture!! A cottage on Little Summer Street was being renovated, and this truck had to do what it had to do. Some work is destructive by nature. I happen to know, though, that these hosta will be back. When I was growing up, we had hostas next to the front porch. My pot of marigolds had gotten me an adorable picture in the local newspaper and at some point a vision emerged for a lovely child's flower garden in that small space. Effort was made to clear the plot, but it was unsuccessful.

After exploring the roots of my little problem, some details started to emerge. Leaves with sun on them, to me, have an unreal quality, but in the shade they can look quite nice. The flowers are so garish that I want to avert my gaze. Day 3 has a hosta garden on its agenda and if it wasn't for the tea and scones being served, I'd be heading for Old Man River and Goat Island.

Back From Buffalo!

I have to admit I have a little jet lag, and I didn't fly to Buffalo. Buffa10 was a incredible four days.

Thursday afternoon we arrived at the Embassy Suites and checked in.Our suite was spacious with a beautiful view of downtown Buffalo. We took no time to sit and enjoy it because we needed to walk to North Pearl Street to look at gardens opened especially for us. Garden Walk Buffalo is not until the last weekend in July. This year the 24th and 25th. We toured a number of gardens on North Pearl and Park Street. Many of the houses have garden from the house to the sidewalk with no lawn at all. Others have some lawn with beautiful flower beds. Buffalo seems to have a gardening infection that spreads through neighborhoods with terrific results.


Front yards may be viewed from the sidewalk anytime, but if a yellow Garden Walk sign is posted you can enter the garden. You can wander between the houses and enter private gardens in the back. Frequently hidden behind a charming garden gates, these back yard havens are often shady spots to sit and relax. Thursday was a scorcher, and the temperature drop was amazing when entering these enclosed green spaces. We spent some time in Elizabeth's garden meeting the other bloggers for the first time. From there we walked to dinner at the 20th Century Club. We had an amazing dinner outside in the garden. Fabulous food and garden conversation made for an enjoyable evening. We walked back to the hotel and arrived at about 10:00 PM. Tired, I skipped my plans for a late night swim in the pool headed for bed. Friday was to be a full day!

Having had more than 70 garden bloggers in Buffalo, there are lots of beautiful photographs of the gardens in Buffalo on line to see, and that's great, but there is still time to attend this fabulous FREE event. If gardening is your thing, then the last weekend in July , Buffalo is the place for you to be!

Hot Gardens In The City

It was pointed out to me that I must disclose that on this Bufa10 bloggers trip while the trip was not free,( I'm not in Congress!) special rates and sponser donated gifts were given. That being said, You will get what I truly think regardless!.

How amazing it is to walk the streets of Buffalo and see so many gardens. Eight inch strips between building and side walk have ornamental grasses where weeds would have been. The Allentown area has beautiful old houses. Front yards filled with stunning flowers and trees delight the eye. More intriguing are the hidden garden spaces tucked behind the house. This garden was filled with flowers and huge pots growing edible plants, a precaution against lead contamination in the city soil. I find these enclosed garden spaces fascinating compared to the wide open spaces we garden in at home. They certainly bring a coolness and beauty to city living.

Buffa10, Day 1

I spent my formative years here in Buffalo, so many of my thoughts have little to do with gardening. One problematic plant plant-related sentiment is this: I hate hostas! They are everywhere here and it's clear that many people have an abiding affection for them. Although great effort may be required, my Buffa10 goal is to learn to like a couple of varieties of hostas.

It starts with tolerance of the leaf or two that appear above. The deep veins do draw the eye nicely in this photograph. We'll see how this goes.

To Buffa10 Or Not To Buffa10?

I've been on the fence about attending Garden Bloggers Buffa10. It runs from July 8 through July 11. It would be so easy to leave the garden now, but I did a search of 2009 to remind me what the garden I would be leaving for four days in July looks like. It's right in the middle of poppy season. Last year Ed started his garlic harvest on the eleventh.There's a lot going on here. Then there is the other thing, this blog has been my garden journal. Granted I have opened it up for the world to read, but only through a window whose view I control. Am I ready to take myself, and my "Not So Secret Garden" out of cyberspace and into the real world?




I've spent some great time in Buffalo in the past. Amy went to college there. Stefan, the Dracaena marginata is from Buffalo. I used to stop in the city at a big garden center to buy plants and pots that I could not find near home. I still have sweet woodruff and Blue Parrot tulips that came from there more than ten years ago. The Buffalo Botanical Gardens is an old friend that I would love to see again. I can't help wondering if the incredible wax native wildflower display is still in the science museum. It all sounds like so much fun! Deep down I know this is my chance. It's close enough to drive to Buffalo. I think I even remember the way. It's time to get off the fence and make those reservations. Becky from Plants and Stones is going to Buffa10!