The forecast for Sunday looked bleak. Very bleak.
Sunday morning dawned with a damp and musty air, hanging like limp laundry on a clothesline after being left out all night. Alas, the garden gods smiled down upon us and we were gifted – for it was truly a gift – with a glorious day for the Elmhurst Garden Walk and Faire.
The Faire in Wilder Park began its slow and steady transformation at 6:30 am, with vendors driving up and garden club members who recruited children, grandchildren, and spouses to lend their muscles, stamina, and goodwill. They helped the vendors unload their vans and stake their tents.
A fair was born.
Once the vendors were all up and running, Tom and Jennifer and I went to see the private gardens that were featured in this year’s event.
Would you like to see a few of the gardens’ highlights?
How lovely, Penny. Is this the event you chaired a year or so ago? I’m sure it is a tremendous amount of work for everyone, and I always marvel at the vendors who have to set up and take down, often multiple times a month at various events. I’m sure this was really more rewarding than “refreshing”–I previously used that word because of all the beautiful colors. I love the beautiful outdoor seating areas and that little statue, the baby nestling the bird, well, I want one. LOL! I can imagine your relief when the weather shifted to a beautiful day! The last photo showing a patch of beautiful blue sky shows you didn’t exaggerate. 🙂
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I didn’t chair the whole event, Debra, but was once again chair of the boutique fair. The entire event is a lot of work, but, so worth the trouble as we give out a lot of scholarships and other monies. The garden walk is the main feature with the private gardens and we also hold a fair as well in beautiful park. We have really good vendors. One had just gotten back from Ohio the day before and a few had tents in other towns as well on Sunday. They work hard on their crafts and then hard to sell them. The outdoor rooms were phenomenal. The one with the fireplace also had many bonsai plants, which he developed; an art form of the horticultural kind.
I want that statue as well. The homeowner had it strategically positiond in a corner of the garden. It was a good day.
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The weather was truly a gift to us all on Sunday! I was so hoping that you would share your favorite photos from the Garden Walk and Faire, Penny! The Faire is always filled with so much inspiration. I have several pieces of art and many perennials sprinkled throughout my garden from previous visits to the Garden Faire. What a treat it must have been to visit each lovely garden! I knew that I would miss the festivities this time since we hosted a special family gathering here on Sunday. We were so grateful to spread out onto the front porch and the deck on such a lovely July day! Thanks for ALL that you do to make this annual event a huge success, Penny! ♡
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It surely was, Dawn. I’m glad you had what sounds like a nice family gathering. There is nothing like a a good front porch to spread out on, one thing I wish we had here – and there is nothing like these family gatherings.
Thank you. The Elmhurst Garden Club is a remarkable organization whose many hands make this an annual event. We, too, have our garden adorned with with living and decorative items from the event.
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So true! Family gatherings seem more precious with each passing year. My parents are here visiting from Phoenix. So our time together is very, very special. ♡ Hope you can relax a bit this week… as you look back on another successful Garden Walk and Faire!
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How beautiful, Penny, I love all the flowers and how green everything is. My poor garden is drying , we are now on severe water restrictions and can no longer water our garden.
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We have had a great deal of rain hereabouts, Gerlinde, and I often comment that I wish we could send some of the water your way, knowing you really need it. I cannot, of course, do that, but I can post pictures instead. This is the first summer I can remember where I’ve only needed to water the gardens once – and that was mainly just the potted plants.
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How lucky you were to get such good weather. I love the little statues, and the flowers are making a grand display. I think gardens in good order and in full bloom bring a lot of joy to people
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We were very lucky, Juliet. Predictions were for heavy rain just about when the Garden Walk and Faire was to begin. Visitors were enjoying the gardens and while I think the earlier predictions kept some from attending, it made for a more leisurely stroll in the gardens. How I wish you could see these gardens, Juliet.
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Me too. See my comment on your latest post for my cunning plan (ha ha)
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I have looked at this now several times and always see something new. While I like the statue of the baby and the bonsai fireplace, the tall wood birdhouse with the sentiments love one another, laugh a lot and sing has to be my favorite. What bird could resist such a fun house? I appreciate your work and that of your friends who work so hard to make this annual event such a success. And the pictures are splendid!
(BIG day here re: Watchman).
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Isn’t it amazing? I’m glad you noticed. It is called a peace pole and it has sayings and artwork on all sides. If I were a bird, I’d definitely want to live there. These were all lovely gardens. It is quite a team effort, with so many members doing their part – and we should be able to give out some very nice scholarships again this year. Thank you, Marilyn.
What a stir Watchman has caused. Did you get it?
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How lovely that you and the other club members go all out to make this event colorful and beautiful. It reminds me of a women’s Christmas dinner I attend every year where table hostesses have a theme and decorate their tables with their own china. Only they don’t have the beautiful flowers of this garden walk and faire. Congrats on all of your hard work, Penny.
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The homeowners do it, L. Marie, A few local businesses lend some of their table products, but, it is mostly what the homeowners do. The one with the colorful blue plate is a potter and oh-my, what wonderful work she does. It is fun to see what they do and how their flowers work into it.
That Christmas dinner sounds festive. I like decorating our table over the holidays and would love your Christmas dinner.
Thank you, but, the accolades go to a very special team of gardening women.
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Lovely event your Garden Club puts on… I know it must be a lot of hard work. We used to go to a similar garden/home tour in Eugene (I think they are held in June here — just a bit warmer here in Oregon I expect). It was always such an enjoyable day.
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I’m sure you have nice memories of those tours in Eugene. These are such inspiring events, whether home or garden, even kitchen tours, and usually benefit some organization or recipient. I’d love to hear more about them, Sallie. This was hard work for many members, but, worth it. Thank you.
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We’re loving the bike in your garden! What a terrific touch.
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Isn’t it great? It is a tandem, two-seater bike and I wish it were mine, but, it one of the seven gardens on this year’s walk. They even put flowers in the basket. 🙂
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I am so glad that the weather cooperated for you. I understand how much work this is for so many of you. I have always been impressed with the many good works your garden club is involved with. Last weekend we attended a birthday party in Washington, Illinois. I saw some new trees planted in public areas and, of coursed wondered if some of these were the trees donated because of your Elmhurst Garden Club generous contributions.
Your photos are lovely. Because of my silly computer problems, they tend to stack on top of each other but I can click and see them individually. I can’t decide which is my favorite. I like the bird house a lot. It looks very 60s to me. I like the bird bath very much as well. I would like to have a couple around here, but it seems a bit redundant with 3 ponds on the property.
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We were, too! It didn’t look good until about 9 am, but, ended up being a very fine day. Yes. Our club donated money from a previous garden walk to help replenish the trees in Washington. It was nice of you to think of that, Janet. It meant a lot to us to be able to help in those effort to “green” Washington.
You can still have bird baths for the smaller birds. 🙂 Your ponds always look so peaceful and the geese like them.:)
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Good morning Penny! As for Watchman, GTAW now, I have only read the first chapter as published online. There were 2 sentences that I relish -” Although a respectable driver, she hated to operate anything more complicated than a safety pin” and “She was a person who, when confronted with an easy way out, always took the hard way”. I haven’t ordered the book yet. I am not surprised by all the revelations that seem more realistic than the previous picture of Atticuss. Now I am re-reading Thurber short stories. So, do you have the book?
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Those are enticing sentences, Marilyn, especially the first one.
I don’t have it as yet, but, will read it at some point. I think, just based on what I’ve heard thus far, that this book will be good for showing how a writer develops and grows over time.
Thurber short stories – good for hot summer days. I just picked up Goldfinch. We’re discussing it in September. I figured I best get started.
A beautiful summer day here today, Marilyn. I hope you are having a nice day.
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I’m determined to come to this event someday, Penny. Your pictures are gorgeous. I can almost smell the smells. 🙂 I’m glad the weather cooperated.
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I would love for you to see the gardens, Andra, and enjoy the faire and all that comes with this event. We lucked out with the weather, which the club has done for 20 years.
Hope all is well with you. I’ve not been very faithful commenting and such lately. Hope to be more attentive soon.
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Beautiful! I’m so glad the weather cooperated! Considering how strange it has been, you could have had anything from sweltering heat, torrential downpour to October cold!
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I know. We all fretted, even in the morning, but, it ended up being a great day. I worried most for the homeowners, who really worked hard and long for this event. Looks like another nice day today. 🙂 Enjoy it.
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