Louisville Garden- Road Trip

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Recently, Wonderful Husband and I took a weekend road trip to Louisville. The trip almost got cancelled because Spoiled Mutt developed a bladder infection. Plus, our Outback’s battery decided to die – both on the day before we were supposed to leave. Wonderful Husband got the battery replaced and picked up medicine for the Spoiled Mutt (to be administered by my daughter and her fiancé, both of whom are Registered Veterinary Technicians). So, the trip was on!

As we were driving over, I mentioned to WH that this was the first thing we had done “just for fun” all year (sad, but true). We were meeting friends in Louisville to attend the “Old Louisville Garden Tour” (www.oldlouisvillegardentour.org).

Old Louisville Garden Tour

The annual tour treats visitors to amazing gardens in a very upscale, historic neighborhood. The neighborhood, being quite old, had huge lovely trees and for the most part, we were walking in shade. The humidity was reasonably low, there was a lovely breeze and the shade made our tour very comfortable. Honestly, I don’t know what was more beautiful, the hundred – plus -year-old mansions or the gardens.

I have to admit to feeling just a bit intimidated and, OK, I’ll confess, I was a whole lot envious. There were the huge shade trees, fantastic fountains and planters, entrancing water features, and each bed was packed full of glorious plants. Whimsical statues and garden art were tastefully arranged throughout each garden. All this around some of the most gorgeous mansions I’d ever seen.

I felt a bit better when I realized that most of the gardens were smaller than our one large hosta bed. Besides, I told myself, these gardens have been here over a hundred years…we’ve been working on ours for ten!

I’ve been mulling over what we’d seen and what I could do to make our gardens better. I love whimsical statues, especially those crafted from scraps of metal. I’d love to have more than one water feature: one for the birds and wildlife, one for beauty (at least). There’s a boggy place we could build a small, slightly arched bridge and I could plant Louisiana irises around it.

Our gardens will never look like those in Louisville, not while we’re still alive, but it’s good to see how time, money, effort and love can make gardens that beautiful – certainly something to work toward!

Stay green, good friends!

Meet Dona Bergman

Dona Bergman is a founding member, Southwest Indiana Chapter of the Indiana Native Plant & Wildlife Society, and an Advanced Master Gardener.

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