I’m no great gardener. I’m no great writer either. I’m not even a good photographer. But I like gardens, I like design, I like to travel and like to share. So here’s some gardens I’ve visited, and when I can, I’ll show how I’ve incorporate what I’ve seen in my garden. A picture is worth a thousand words, so, if you don’t mind, I’ll have more photos and fewer words. That’ll save you from plenty of grammatical and syntax errors, as well as LOTS of mispelings.
The “Art” of Gardening, for me, was my granddad, Art Osteen. Granddad was always out in the garden puttering around, trying to avoid grandma. He had an immense vegetable garden, spring bulbs, a stand of lilac trees, a grape arbor “tunnel,” and perennial beds. He tapped his maples each fall. Grandma’d be busy canning, pickling, making jellies and boiling down maple syrup. When they went camping, it was my job to watch their garden. A chore then. Thirty-five years later, puttering in my garden is one of my favorite things to do.
If you’re looking for latin names, plant lists and hardiness zones, this is not the site for you. If you’re looking for inspiration, ideas, and to see gardens you may never have seen, or would like to visit, this site is for you.
I’m also president and co-chair of Garden Walk Buffalo, one of the largest garden tours in the country, with more than 260 residential urban gardens open for two days the last weekend in July each year. Buffalo, of all places, is another great gardening destination. Look for some spectacular Buffalo gardens to be added to these posts.
On top of all this, I was fortunate to have designed a 120-page coffee table book on Buffalo gardens, Garden Walk Buffalo, (photo to the left) which comes with a companion DVD. Buy one, hell, buy three.
I have more than twenty years experience in the advertising/graphic design business, eighteen years experience at marriage, and nine years experience as a dad.
To see what I do when I’m not doing what I do, visit JimCharlier.com.
