GCO Spotlight:
A Tour of Kaye's Whimsical Gardens by Kaye Forbes
Where did my passion and love of gardening originate? It was deposited in me from genes originating in the Grogan family. My great aunts and great uncles from my mothers’ side of the family never married and lived on the family’s small estate into their eighties. They were always out there edging, weeding, planting and tending their extensive gardens. They also had a huge grape arbor. I remember going there as a child and being in awe of the meticulously edged beds of glorious roses and other stunning flowers in a plethora of color. It was quite impressive to view the expansive lawn and gardens. I loved to visit and enjoy the beauty they created with their aging weathered hands. To them it was like a religion to tend the property and see the fruits of their labor.
I really got seriously interested in gardening when I moved to Hershey. My first trip to Hershey Gardens was breathtaking and I right then and there decided I AM going to work at Hershey Gardens! I got a job there as a decorator, setting up the admissions and gift shop a month ahead of its spring grand opening… It was a dream job, embellishing the charming vintage building to warmly greet the guests to the beautiful expansive garden. I lugged boxes that were stored over the winter in the barn. Opening them was like Christmas. Combined with new stock arriving daily it was always Christmas morning. In the morning as you unlocked the gate, walked down the path, and gazed down at the panoramic view of the garden from the patio you thought you died and went to heaven. It was simply breathtaking, and I was smitten with the glorious landscape.
My next step was I just had to take the Penn State Master Gardeners’ course! Meanwhile, I was working feverishly on a much scaled down version of my own Hershey garden, enjoying every minute of it. We lived on a circle with only three houses. People would walk and ride their bikes up to our circle to view my expanding garden. It was feeding my soul and I was always focused on the next step to enhance my growing garden. It was an unfinished painting in my eyes. I have included a few pictures from that season of my gardening history.
I really got seriously interested in gardening when I moved to Hershey. My first trip to Hershey Gardens was breathtaking and I right then and there decided I AM going to work at Hershey Gardens! I got a job there as a decorator, setting up the admissions and gift shop a month ahead of its spring grand opening… It was a dream job, embellishing the charming vintage building to warmly greet the guests to the beautiful expansive garden. I lugged boxes that were stored over the winter in the barn. Opening them was like Christmas. Combined with new stock arriving daily it was always Christmas morning. In the morning as you unlocked the gate, walked down the path, and gazed down at the panoramic view of the garden from the patio you thought you died and went to heaven. It was simply breathtaking, and I was smitten with the glorious landscape.
My next step was I just had to take the Penn State Master Gardeners’ course! Meanwhile, I was working feverishly on a much scaled down version of my own Hershey garden, enjoying every minute of it. We lived on a circle with only three houses. People would walk and ride their bikes up to our circle to view my expanding garden. It was feeding my soul and I was always focused on the next step to enhance my growing garden. It was an unfinished painting in my eyes. I have included a few pictures from that season of my gardening history.
Thirteen years ago, we decided to move back to our home turf. We purchased 734 Fourteenth Street, in Oakmont, which had the saddest looking yard ever. I was years older now and wondered, was I up to the task? I developed a vision for all it could be. Saying it would take loads of work was an understatement! It was a huge undertaking, but I was determined our backyard would be a haven for ourselves and others… At that point I never dreamed how many people would be visiting my backyard haven!!
Of course, I also joined the Garden Club of Oakmont to bond with like-minded women. I was invited to join the Garden Tour Committee and was asked by Chris Little to include my garden on the garden tour which was held in June 2014 celebrating Oakmont’s 125th anniversary. It was great fun preparing, tweaking this, manicuring that, adding new plants and also adding “garden jewelry” of stakes, bird houses and other embellishments. An element of enhancing our outdoor living space was to invite our feathered friends to come and be a permanent fixture, enjoying our outdoor space alongside us. My husband always saw to it that our birdfeeders were always brimming with tasty nourishing food for our extended family of birds of all shapes and sizes.
Of course, I also joined the Garden Club of Oakmont to bond with like-minded women. I was invited to join the Garden Tour Committee and was asked by Chris Little to include my garden on the garden tour which was held in June 2014 celebrating Oakmont’s 125th anniversary. It was great fun preparing, tweaking this, manicuring that, adding new plants and also adding “garden jewelry” of stakes, bird houses and other embellishments. An element of enhancing our outdoor living space was to invite our feathered friends to come and be a permanent fixture, enjoying our outdoor space alongside us. My husband always saw to it that our birdfeeders were always brimming with tasty nourishing food for our extended family of birds of all shapes and sizes.
As I prepared for the tour, I was joyously primping the yard and garden for the guests to come and enjoy the riot of colors. It turned out to be a great event and it was fun seeing people enjoy all the eye candy I add to my garden. Serene is not the look I am after, but gaiety and whimsy sum up my vision.
My next endeavor was winning the BEST BACKYARD IN THE BURGH contest in June of 2017. I was the first garden selected for the season…It was a whirlwind the day of filming with camera men, technicians and the celebrity weatherman Mike Harvey all running around my backyard. ……As the filming took place, there was a helicopter overhead also filming the event. WTAE provided a lovely dinner for my guests that sat on the back deck watching all the excitement taking place. In my wildest dreams I never thought my garden would be viewed on television!
I have now moved into another season of life and have a more humble garden. But it never ever gets old watching your plants flourish, seeing what plant is happiest where and how everything flourishes and thrives in the glorious summer sun. I focused on butterflies this year and never saw such an abundance of butterflies ever! What a blessing it turned out to be to me. It was another delightful gardening season even though I had a scaled down version of my gardens from the past.
I hope you enjoy the photos of my different gardening adventures. I am delighted to share these pictures with you and hope they relay to you the richness gardening had added to my life. I cannot imagine life without gardening as a centerpiece ……….
I will end with this quote, which I love.
“Nature shows us how to live, love and grow alongside each other.”
Angie Weiland Crosby
Human beings on the great planet earth should mimic nature………………………………
I will end with this quote, which I love.
“Nature shows us how to live, love and grow alongside each other.”
Angie Weiland Crosby
Human beings on the great planet earth should mimic nature………………………………
