Neighborhood Garden Tour

For many years in June I have made a point of snooping in other peoples backyards during the annual, free garden tour which begins about six blocks from my house. There are some fabulous spaces in this gorgeous old neighborhood. The backyards are typically modest in size, but many gardeners have put years of their hearts and souls and pocketbooks into turning these private spaces into personal paradises, with elaborate beds, walkways, seating, ponds, decorative urns and all manner of artful displays, in addition to the variety of cultivated perennials and imaginative containers with colorful plants from other zones.

Unfortunately, I slept late and forgot about the event (the 17th annual walking tour), until it was almost over. I did a quickie peek of just three yards and have a few outstanding photographs. Because of the unusual weather this year, many plants are having their best year ever, one case in point being the hydrangea. This row of white snowballs spilling out in "irrational exuberance" (thanks, Alan Greenspan) over the immaculate stone path should be in a magazine:

The leaves are enviable green and the blooms are pink and perfect:

These fluffy astilbe, thoughtfully paired with heuchera, with the contrasting greens of some extraordinary hostas (with no bug-holes in the leaves) in the background made this shady garden photo-worthy today:

One more--a perky little coneflower:

Next year I will set my alarm and visit every yard!