Saturday, November 18, 2017

I Am Thankful for my Award-Winning Cottage Garden


July 2017 Cottage Garden

I am already missing beautiful blooms in my gardens although the growing season has barely ended -- having lasted longer than usual. On this cold, rainy Saturday, I spent a pleasurable hour sorting photographs I took this year. It was a difficult task picking favorites for each month to publish here. I chose several from July when my cottage garden peaked, and when the judges from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) came. I was thrilled that they awarded my gardens their blue ribbon for the second time. The first time was for the 2015 Gardening and Greening Contest; click HERE to read about it. This year my garden was selected from over 350 entries. Again, PHS hosted a reception in Philadelphia to honor the award winners. H.H. and I were delighted to attend.

They gave me a certificate and a sign for my garden.

In addition to the sign for my garden honoring my accomplishments, next March they will give me two tickets for the 2018 Philadelphia Flower Show. The theme is 'Wonders of Water.' Can't wait! At the reception, large TV monitors displayed a continuous slide show of the award-winning gardens. Gardeners anxiously waited for theirs to appear.

A photograph of my garden displayed on a screen at the reception.

The slide show gave me some good ideas. Take a look at this unique fishpond:

Fishpond in an award-winning garden


It is always a pleasure spending time with fellow gardeners and it's fun meeting up with old and new friends. H.H. and I were so happy that Jenny Rose Carey was there. Jenny Rose is the director of PHS Meadowbrook Farm, author of Glorious Shade, and fellow Brit. I've mentioned Jenny Rose on several occasions in this blog. It was great that we had the opportunity to 'catch up' on happenings since we last met. I was able to thank my dear friend again for all the help she gives me with my book.

My husband, myself, and Jenny Rose.

Good food, drink, and camaraderie with  fellow gardeners.

Now for the pictures I chose of my 2017 gardens. I know you've seen them all before, but please bear with me. I believe this was my gardens' best year yet, as most of the plants loved the long spell of cooler, wet weather that we experienced this summer. Here are pictures from April through October 2017:

The entry garden in April
May Blooms
June Cottage Garden

The following photographs, all taken in July this year, show how the gardens looked when the PHS judges visited.

Cottage Garden Hollyhocks

Abundance Garden
Serenity Garden

Front Porch

The Pollinator Garden

Froggy Pond

The Kitchen Garden

Dude and Billy captured the judges' hearts

Here are August, September, and October to complete the year's round-up of my favorite 2017 pictures:

Serenity in August
September Zinnias
Early October Kitchen Garden, Abundance Garden, and one of our cornfields.

Yes, it was an excellent year in my gardens.

With Thanksgiving upon us, I reflect upon all that makes me thankful, especially my family and friends. High on my long list, however, is how very thankful I am for my garden. Among its many blessings, it gives me peace and tranquillity in this troubled world.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Pam x




I love reading your comments. I hope you leave one so I’ll know you visited! 
I look forward to visiting your blog in return.

16 comments:

  1. Congratulations! What an honor and a very well-deserved one I am sure.

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  2. Your garden certainly deserves all the awards that are bestowed upon it, you do a wonderful job with all the different areas and I always enjoy reading your posts and seeing all your wonderful photos. Congratulations and well done.

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  3. Oh, many congratulations. I'm impressed by how you have maintained such a large space in good order. My patch is very scruffy by comparison! While we gardeners work just for the pleasure that nature provides it is also very nice when others appreciate what we have created!

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  4. How wonderful! And your award was well deserved!
    I ADORE beautiful gardens! My in-laws are in England and I love the gardens there. Your garden makes me very happy. Thanks for sharing. xx

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  5. Congratulations Pam! your garden is gorgeous and deserves all awards!

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  6. Pam, a well-deserved honor indeed! All of your hard work and passion is evident in the beauty you have created. What fun to get together with other passionate gardeners and 'talk shop'. The flower show will be spectacular!

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  7. Lovely to have your award on a sign to display as a permanent reminder.
    And more to follow in future years!

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  8. Congratulations Pam! Your gardens certainly deserve this honor and bring so much joy to all those who visit them, whether it be in person or virtually. I am thankful for having you as a blogging friend, so that I get to visit your beautiful gardens every month. As a colleague who loves gardening as much as you do, I can see the passion and hard work that goes into every inch. I look forward to a future of watching your garden grow!

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  9. I really enjoy your blog Pam and am happy you got recognized for all your beautiful work
    And design. Congratulations! I have an English cottage garden too. Love your pond and everything else on your property!

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  10. Congratulations, Pam! You have a beautiful garden, and the award is well deserved! Thank you for the pictures! I love the names of your gardens.

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  11. Congratulations Pam!!! That is a high honor. We don't have anything like that in Oklahoma. We have a horticultural society, but no awards are given for gardens. I kinda wish we did. I'm so glad your garden won. It is beautiful. Simply beautiful. I'm so glad we met through our blogs. Your garden and you are a delight.~~Dee

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  12. A well deserved reward Pam, I follow your blog already for years and the pictures of your garden are always a delight.

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  13. Truly well deserved Pam, I love your garden. I am preparing a somewhat similar post in the meantime.

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  14. You’re right, you did have a banner year, and your award was well deserved!

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  15. Congratulations and well done! You do have a beautiful garden :)

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