Oh, the Places You'll Go

The blogging pen has been quiet for a while, but I have posted on Facebook about my gardening experiences. Gardening is my passion if you haven't already guessed.  I am the happiest when I can get down and dirty.  It is therapeutic for me. It clears my head and allows me to reflect on happy times, past and present.

I love this time of the year when preparing my gardens. I like designing and shopping for plants. I would like one of each, but I have to limit myself because I have been known to create a nightmare. By the end of the gardening season I tire of all the watering and dragging a garden hose. However, after a winters rest I am ready to start all over again.

This post will be mostly photos of gardens of my travels and my own.

Birth of Spring

Pot of Gold

Chick Charms

A House is a House

Display Gardens

Garden Volunteers

The places you will see!

The Plan

Scroll Trellis

Fountain Park

Last year at Cultivate'16 we had the opportunity to walk the floor to view new plants and garden innovations. It is a chance to find a product that is usable for the at home gardener. This time I zeroed in on the Scroll Trellis by Larry and Diane McMurray from Hugo, MN.

The product was versatile and clever. We had great conversation on how we could use them in our downtown planters in Fountain Park. We have two large planters at the entrance to our park, that hosts concerts each Friday evening throughout the summer season.


We have chosen to use white Mandevilla for the vine and blue and white Lavandola for the filler plant.  To discourage vandalism, and that is always an issue in public parks, we anchored a concrete brick in the bottom of the planter. It was simple, quick, and with maturity will be a beautiful centerpiece. Larry and Diane sent me mini solar lights to attach to the Trellis. These add ambience to the already attractive planter.

Placing of the Scroll Trellis

Work in progress

We have since ordered four more trellises to place on the Amphitheater stage.

At the Amphitheater

They have other products that I want to try. I will keep you posted on their progress. I love the simplicity and easy installation. Would love to try some cucumbers on the pole trellis. It is a great product for anything that climbs.

 Good job, Scroll Trellis

Master Gardener Conference 2016

Conference time, is the time to meet up with old friends, meet new, all coming together sharing the passion for gardening, knowledge, and meeting other people volunteering to make an impact on their own communities.


Reunion

It is a time of experts in their field stimulating us to want to do a better job more intelligently. We had several choices of subject matter and speakers. Prior to the event we signed up for the speaker and subject.

We had the privilege of Dr Michael Dirr talking to us about the use of trees and shrubs and the need of trying new species. He gave us a virtual tour of his personal gardens. Dr Dirr is a very personable speaker . He wrote the bible on trees. Everyone needs his book in your library.



Janice Kirchenbauer and Dr. Dirr Book Signing

Sue Steinen and Dr. Dirr on Noble Trees

Bill Hahn is the Arborist and Horticulturist for the city of Akron. He stressed the use of tough trees for urban areas. Our Park Director, Sue Heppeard, would have loved this segment.

Bill Hahn, City of Akron Arborist and Horticulturist

Dr. Dan Herms, a Professor, State Extension Specialist, and Chair in the Department of Entomology at The Ohio State University , talked about how to avoid disease by design to control insects.

Dan Herms, Ph.D. Department of Entomology, OSU

Dr. Doug Tallamy was full of knowledge and information, plus had a great sense of humor with his presentation . He certainly kept our attention, not only with the subject matter but a lesson on public speaking. He knew his subject and could have fun with it. I loved him.

Dr. Doug Tallamy and me

Pam Bennett, our State Master Gardener Volunteer Program Director, gave out awards and reported on the value of the Master Gardener program. Her excitement transfers to all of us around her. There are over 3,500 Master Gardeners around our state giving hundreds of hours to their communities.


There were vendors offering up unique products for purchase.  Had to have it.

Fun Stuff

The Summit County Master Gardeners did a great job correlating this conference. The speakers, accommodations, and the food  were excellent. It was a completely filled event. Do plan to attend next year, mark your calendar.

Feeling inspired.

Louise

Wordless Wednesday...Fall is in the Air!

Children in the Gardens

Who would have thought that the creation of a small one acre parcel in a park could be turned into a lovely nature learning experience for so many youth. Since the completion of the Smiley Park Children's Garden it has brought outdoor educational opportunities to the youth in our community.

Every summer the Van Wert Master Gardeners develop programs for the kids. The purpose of the programs is to introduce them to the gardens. To teach them various concepts of gardening; how to plant, the benefits of insects, the care plants require and much more. Each session is full of fun, activities and a finished project to take home at the end of each session.

Master Gardener's Volunteering and offering their expertise to educate our youth in the world of gardening.

Connie, Ruth Ann, Cheryl, what great leaders and volunteers

Special guests speakers are called upon at times to help with specific programs. Curtis Young, OSU Extension Educator talked with the kids on the World of Insects and introduced the kids to the types of insects that you find in a garden. 

Kids were shown oversized insects to real live ones.

Many times other organizations offer assistance through donations such as these seed pods. The seed pods were made available from Van Wert Family Health, through Scotts Miracle-Gro. All the kids were given information on the pods and able to take home at the end of the day.

Each program offers learning experiences through hands on doing.

Benefits of Bees in the garden and building their own Bee Hotel.

"Name that Tune", was a program on listening to the birds sing and how birds do good things in the gardens. The kids built their own bird habitat to take home.

"Blooming Boots", was learning about plants such as these succulents that are easy to care for and don't require the time consuming task of watering that most flowering plants do. Each child planted their own type of boot or shoe

The Children's Garden offers the opportunity for outdoor class room to the youth of our community. This is made possible through the volunteer hours of the Van Wert Master Gardeners. If you are interested in the Master Gardener program and would like to volunteer, check this out. They are always looking for a few helping hands in the garden and working with the kids.

Until next time!

Back!

It seems like its been some time since the last post. Oh wait, it has been a long time! Feels like I should reintroduce myself as well as my partner in crime, but we will skip all the formality because if you are reading this, you know who Two Girls With a Purpose are. All kidding aside, an apology is in order for being on such a long hiatus. However, I must say in our defense we've been pretty busy!

Within the past year I've been the reciepent of two more grand babies. How precious they can be. With the miles between us, my husband and I have had to do a little traveling.

Wyatt Emerson Heppeard, February 15, 2015

Easton Ryan Heppeard, May 26, 2015

Oh how they have grown!

Easton

Wyatt

Louise and her husband have been guests at local hospitals, but that is all in the past.

Louise & P.Allen Smith "Van Wert Blooms"

On top of that Louise had a years worth of planning a special program held in our very own back yard called, "Van Wert Blooms with P. Allen Smith and Friends". What a success that was but that is a whole other blog in itself.









Our last blog talked of our travel to Toronto for the Bloggers Fling.  We have done a little traveling too; Louisville, Nashville, Cultivate '16 then of course the numerous trips to various nurseries. All these adventures and more we plan to share.

From Kentucky to Tennesse

Cultivate '16 Columbus, OH

Please, come back soon. We promise to be here sharing our wisdom (if we find it), travels, adventures and happenings in our home town.

Until then!

2015 Toronto Bloggers Fling

Two Girls With A Purpose picked up Our Little Acre and headed north to Canada with passports in hand for the first International Bloggers Fling. For Sue it was her first Fling and first time on foreign soil. The Fling was started by a group of Bloggers in Austin, Texas. Since then they have met in different cities around the country. It has been held in Asheville, Buffalo, Chicago, Portland, San Fransisco, Seattle and now Toronto.

It is a time for gardeners that like to write, convene, and talk about how to use their blogs either to promote their agenda or just explore and share a common interest. It is a time that the host city arranges activities of viewing extraordinary gardens. We get to view macro to massive estate gardens, and usually Botanical Gardens. It is not for the faint of heart. It was said we walked between 8-10 miles each day. I need one of those Fit Bits that tracks your steps.

Sue was our driver and Kylee was the navigator. I was Ms Daisy in the back seat. We made a few pit stops and arrived at the Fairmont York Hotel in downtown Toronto. This is where the Queen stays when she visits Toronto. It was a lovely hotel. Three women can quickly trash a hotel room with all their stuff. At least two of them did.

Fueling Up

Our Last Pit Stop Before Crossing the Border

Royal York Hotel

Beautiful Royal York Hotel Lobby

Place of Residence When Visiting Canada

Our hostess, Helen Battersby met us with her beautiful huge red hat. Soon we began to see some familiar faces. It is always fun to reconnect with friends that we have met at other flings.

Helen Battersby and Victoria Kirk, Lee Valley Tools Consultant

An evening event had been planned at the home of Lee Valley Tools. It was just a few blocks from our hotel, so we walked to the store. Just a small training session for what was about to be the norm. Lee Valley was a beautiful store of all top quality products. They greeted us with beautiful horsdoeuvres and drinks. Oh so good and tasty. It was a relaxed shopping experience. Lee Valley prepared us swag bags filled with wonderful products. We were given a three piece set of garden tools that are almost too nice to get dirty. They also gave us a heavy duty hoodie and a $50 gift certificate. The weather was lovely for a great walk back to our hotel.

Bloggers visit Lee Valley Tools

It was a long day and we were ready to call it a day.The next day starts early. We are all ready for some zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzs.

Sue or I will post about activities on day two.

Pictures posted by Sue. We would like to thank Kylee Baumle and Helen Battersby for a couple pictures that we are sharing with you!



Love Canada, Louise