Friday, September 04, 2015

Back to School in a Garden



Teachers at my school went back on Monday. No students until next week. After a meet and greet in the school lobby, we all boarded school buses and trundled over to the Horticultural Gardens of the Pacific for in-service and lunch.
 

The day was drizzly and I had little time for wandering, but after lunch I went for a short walk. These photos were taken with my I-phone. I like a garden with some whimsy in it, like the planted rubber boots, and this succulent planter perched on a pedestal. 
 

This dwelling looks well-loved. The red and wood are great against the yellow flowers.
 

How many kinds of dahlias are there? I don't know, but I enjoy all of them, especially these pink-with-a-hint-of-yellow ones. 
 

Roses drooping in the rain. I was ever so slightly pleased/relieved to see that even beautiful gardens like this struggle with black spot on the roses. Our summer was so very dry (that's ended with a vengeance) that I didn't have much trouble with black spot in my own garden.

This weekend we will be celebrating the September birthdays in our family - 3 of them. Garden clean-up is also in the plan, if the rain stops. And I'd love to get to some sewing, if there's time. What are your plans? 

28 comments:

  1. Well, I was rarely thrilled with in-services, but that beautiful setting would make up for it.

    Have a great school year.

    I was just called to take a long term sub position and I just couldn't imagine my body standing in a classroom all day!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous9:12 AM

    What a nice event to start the school year off. Have a wonderful birthday weekend. We have one birthday to celebrate in September, my hubby's!

    ReplyDelete
  3. How lovely. Our school would never go anywhere like that for professional development. October is the busy birthday (and anniversary) month around here. Have a good weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  4. A misty walk through a lovely garden sounds just lovely to me. Your iPhone pics look great.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wonderful photos, have a great long weekend. I am so excited as Claire starts Kindergarten on Tuesday at Julie's school. We are going down to enjoy time with them next week.
    Hugs,
    Dagmar

    ReplyDelete
  6. I can always depend upon your posts to imbue my day with beauty and this garden walk with you, did just that. Thank you for all that you share, Lorrie. Your gift with words and photos is very much appreciated!

    Tackling some household chores this weekend and weather permitting (summer seems to have ended with a vengeance here as well - furnace was on this morning - gah!)will head outdoors for a hike with family.

    Wishing you a beautiful long weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  7. We had plans for camping this weekend but it might rain so we'll likely put it on hold. I notice that there are more succulents being grown these days, and the one you photographed is very pretty.

    ReplyDelete
  8. A wonderful spot for an inservice! Beautiful photos too! Hope you get to your sewing this weekend,

    ReplyDelete
  9. Have fun celebrating the birthdays Lorrie. Your pix of the flowers, and the whimsical way they've been displayed at that house, are so pretty - love the succulents, they seem to be in vogue again.
    Hope this is a good school year for everyone. . . . . . . . . especially you!.
    Hugs - Mary

    ReplyDelete
  10. We arrived home on the weekend to rain...and it somehow felt right! You came away from your wet, in-service day with lovely photos! Enjoy the b'day celebrations on the weekend. We have several to celebrate the following weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Beautifully captured photos of dewy blooms and distressed, mini dwellings, all happily cohabiting in the lush and lovely land they dot with a wee bit of whimsy, indeed! Have a wonderful school year, Lorrie, and Happy Birthday to those who are celebrating this weekend!

    Poppy

    ReplyDelete
  12. The gardens are wonderful - we have a small rose garden here in town that I'd like to wander through before more rain comes.

    This weekend we are celebrating the two September birthday with a bash on Labor Day. I have a new menu planned - the standard burgers, bratwursts and steaks is getting a little worn by this time of the year - one of my menu items is a big tray of fresh veggies with dips in green pepper bowls (and yellow and orange and red ones) - I think it will be very festive. The other two days I plan to spend a good amount of time relaxing. I'll have a no-labor day weekend. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh how I love roses in the rain. Best wishes next week.

    ReplyDelete
  14. What a great setting for the in-service day! You have spotted really beautiful details in the gardens. Have a lovely school year!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous5:01 AM

    Lovely place to have an inservice. :-) I closed up about 80% of my veggie gardens this week and am working on sashing a quilt. Have a good birthday weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  16. A wonderful place for a back to school luncheon. Now wouldn't it be nice to teacher in-service days there, too? Or you have such days there? Here it seems that there are nearly as many in-service days as there are class days. I am home alone this weekend; everyone gone in different directions, but I do have company for the week end. Monday is our Labor Day holiday, too. There is much to do in the garden, too. We are hot and dry, as well, wanting some rain. Needing some rain. The iPhone does take some respectable photos, doesn't it? Have a nice weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Your walk in the garden is beautiful.
    I may take a walk in the Chinese Gardens on Monday, as the lotus is in bloom and my camera is calling to take some photos. In the meantime with the cooler weather I think oatmeal cookies will be coming from the oven. Happy weekend! Soon I will be walking near you.

    ReplyDelete
  18. What lovely photos! Such pretty gardens. We are having much needed showers today and it has washed away all the forest fire smoke. Have a great holiday! Kit

    ReplyDelete
  19. Beautiful pictures, Lorrie. We had a lovely sunny day here today, with lots of flowers still blooming and apples ripening too. Happy weekend!
    Helen xox

    ReplyDelete
  20. What a good start to September! I hope that it will be a great month for you! xx

    ReplyDelete
  21. What a wonderful place to enjoy a meeting. Very pretty flowers.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Nice to have an adult gathering in such a pretty place before the craziness begins. I have great hopes for September, just wish we could trade some of our heat for your rain.
    Amalia
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  23. So how is back to school going? It's Tuesday isn't it?
    I'm looking forward to seeing the yellow schoolbuses rolling up the road...I know that the kids are not, but I love them.

    Enjoy your time teaching, this is a exciting new time for you.

    Jen

    ReplyDelete
  24. I would love to accompany you on one of these garden trips Lorrie - imagine our chatter and both of us with our phones out snapping photos!
    I love a touch of whimsey too, makes it much more interesting when the little ones visit and hopefully encourages them to become the gardeners of the future.

    The red wooden bird house is a lovely touch.

    A great venue to start the school year Lorrie.
    My grandies are back at school in France and the littlest has started kindy! Oh they grow far too fast especially when they are a world away!

    Hugs
    Shane x

    ReplyDelete
  25. Wishing you a extraordinary school year! Your seasonal touches are just lovely and I am loving your succulents and bird house.
    Jemma

    ReplyDelete
  26. Beautiful photos of the garden in the rain drops. Back to school again for so many. I wish you a wonderful semester as you head back full time. Blessings. Pam

    ReplyDelete
  27. My dahlias here in western PA / USA have just started to bloom.

    Enjoyed your post :)

    ReplyDelete
  28. My dahlias here in western PA / USA have just started to bloom.

    Enjoyed your post :)

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comment. I read and value each one, cherishing the connections we can make although far apart. Usually, I visit your blog in return, although if you ask a question I try to contact you directly.

A Wander Through my Mind

  Nothing is so beautiful as Spring -  When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush; Gerard Manley Hopkins When I opened my bedroom...