“Glorious October: I think of it as the golden month. There’s goldenrod in the fields; the sunshine is melted honey; the foliage flames with orange, red, and gold. The days are warm and mellow, the nights sharp and cool. A man feels alive and full of energy and only slightly sad.”
~Charles H. Knickerbocker (American author and physician; 1922 – 2001)
Gladly shared by Betty Hanselman
Gardener’s wife (& October gold seeker)
During our recent visit to the Pacific Northwest, James and I spent a delightful morning in the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden in Seattle. This non-profit membership organization is, according to the website, “. . . dedicated to the conservation, public display, and distribution of Rhododendron species.”
This beautiful, wooded space contains one of the largest collections of species Rhododendrons in the world, displaying over 700 of the more than 1,000 species found throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Interestingly, some of the specimens even hail from tropical regions of southeast Asia and northern Australia!
Most surprising was the wide variety of characteristics between the species we viewed–from tiny plants with narrow, fern-like leaves, to large, tree-size specimens with leaves the size of small umbrellas!
A large variety of young Rhododendron plants is available for purchase near the entrance to the garden, encouraging visitors to convey the beauty of Rhododendrons to their own properties.
If you value the large, showy blooms, evergreen foliage (many species), and versatility of Rhododendrons, talk to us (717-653-1273). They are among our favorite plants; we’d love to share their beauty with you and plant some in your garden!
Shared by Betty Hanselman
Gardener’s wife (& Rhody enthusiast)
For more information about the Rhododendron Species Garden, please visit the website: https://rhodygarden.org/
“Once a garden is established, much of good gardening is about removal rather than planting, honing what you have to produce a pleasing effect, sacrificing the particular for the good of the whole. Gardening is a creative past time, but the result is always a work in progress; unlike a painting or a piece of music, a garden is never fixed in time.”
~ Rosalie Parker (Contemporary British author, from “In the Garden”)
Whether your garden is established or just getting started, we would love to help you turn it into a work of art! We invite you to call us at 717-653-1273 to find out how we can partner with you in this glorious pursuit!
Shared by Betty Hanselman
Gardener’s wife (& advocate of garden care)
“Go, sit upon the lofty hill,
And turn your eyes around,
Where waving woods and waters wild
Do hymn an autumn sound.
The summer sun is faint on them—
The summer flowers depart—
Sit still— as all transform’d to stone,
Except your musing heart.”
~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning (popular English poet of the Victorian era; 1806 – 1861)
For quite some time, James has been wanting to visit some of the notable gardens in the Pacific Northwest, one of them being the Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island, a short ferry ride across the Puget Sound from Seattle.
Early this year, we were thrilled to receive an invitation to attend the wedding of one of our son’s college friends and to learn that the wedding venue was, of all places, the Bloedel Reserve!
In July, we flew to Seattle in time to visit the Bloedel Reserve the day before the wedding. We spent part of a glorious sunny day strolling the beautiful grounds, through wildflower meadows and woodlands, around the Japanese teahouse gardens, and over emerald lawns to the estate house where the wedding set up was taking place, overlooking the sparkling waters of the Puget Sound. What an unexpected delight to be able to privately preview the wedding venue as part of our garden tour!
Named one of America’s top 10 public gardens, the Bloedel Reserve was the perfect choice for a wedding! Surrounded by towering trees, meticulously-maintained lawns, and sweeping vistas across the Puget Sound, friends and family gathered for a most exquisite celebration. What a rare privilege it was for us to be witnesses of Ben and Sara’s lifetime covenant in the gardens of this spectacular estate!
Joyfully shared by Betty Hanselman
Gardener’s wife (& delighted garden tourist)
“This is my rock
And here I run
To steal the secret of the sun;
This is my rock
And here come I
Before the night has swept the sky;
This is my rock,
This is the place
I meet the evening face to face.”
~ David McCord (American poet, author, and editor; 1897 – 1997)
Gladly shared by Betty Hanselman
Gardener’s wife (& grateful for plenty of rocks to go around!)