It’s the time to look at other people’s gardens. While public gardens are great at showing you what’s possible in your area, signing up for a tour of private gardens can give you a strong sense of what you could achieve in your own back yard. Plus, you may be able to talk to the home gardeners, who, for the most part, will be happy to tell you how they did it, how old certain plants are, and what their soil and sun conditions are.
Consider huge tours—each year the free Buffalo Garden Walk has 300 gardens on display—to just a few open gardens that are fund-raisers for worthy causes, such as the Garden Conservancy Open Days. If you take the time to see what others are doing you may get an amazing gardening education—especially if you’re looking at those gardens that feature greenhouses.
Ahead of time, list some of the personal challenges you are experiencing in your own garden or greenhouse. Putting it down on paper can help you focus on what you want from the tour. It can be something as simple as finding out how are others controlling whitefly on certain plants in the greenhouse, or when do they take their plants outdoors, or put up their summer shade? Be prepared, at the least, with a small notebook (my favorite Field Notes writes in the rain—and these tours are rain or shine events) and a phone camera.
On the other hand, after your preparation, allow yourself to be surprised, or inspired by things you never thought about. Perhaps it’s a fence gaily painted in giant flowers, or a small rock pool surrounded by ferns. Or even a model railroad—take time to enjoy the fun. Those inspirations may lead you to ideas that would be perfect for your outdoor home.
Many open gardens will have signage on their plants. Photographing both the plant you like and snapping a shot of the tag can be helpful in creating your own wish-list. But sometimes, if you cannot find an ID, so go ahead and ask others around you—some one is sure to know. Sometimes you do get more than one opinion! Write everyone’s ID down in your notebook for later referencing. Plant ID apps on your phone may also help, although sometimes they go no further than identifying something as “Rose.” Hmmm.
Garden tour etiquette. I have had my own garden on tour for both The Garden Conservancy and my local NPR radio station, so I have witnessed a lot of gaffs. Please leave all pets at home, but if you have children, find out whether the tour is family-friendly. Some gardeners freak out at the sight of a stroller, others, like me, welcome it. Know your own kids. The goal is to give children a positive experience, not be bored to death.
Never step off the path, even to photograph something magnificent. Never remove a plant tag. Never walk into a roped-off area, such as a sodden lawn. Never pocket seeds or cuttings without express permission—yes, it happens. But most people come to private gardens with open hearts and minds, not pockets. Most gratifying for the gardener.