Valentines Day Garden Tour ♥♥

by Therese Armstrong

The slide projector was set up, the treat table groaning as IGC members streamed in to take a tour of  ‘The Small Gardens of Europe’ with Fred Rice.

For the next hour we were transported across borders and planting zones to examine many small gardens Mr. Rice has seen in places he has been. From the bright Caribbean and Mediterranean to misty moist England, we saw an infinite variety in which people use plants in small spaces to affirm their affinity to nature. The bold bougainvillea of St. Kitts held hands with the abundant pink petunias of Monaco while the hollyhocks and foxgloves of Rye in Kent reached across the pond to Fred’s own gardens in Manchester-by-the-Sea and Rome, NY.
We saw herb gardens and container gardens, climber gardens and trellis gardens, water gardens and rock gardens. All, to illustrate design points about texture, color and scale. We saw gardens in spectacular settings with ‘borrowed views’ of  medieval monasteries, ruined castles and the ocean extending in the background.

All this information was delivered in Fred Rice’s inimitable witty conversational style, which made us all want to stay and quiz him on the many aspects of his travels and projects touched upon in the talk. You can visit Fred’s website here:   http://frederickrice.com
                                           Once again our program planners did us proud!
                                           Thanks to Alicia Hills Moore and Laurie McAleer.

And thanks to the same Laurie and Maureen for the fruit, cake, hearts and flowers that made this a special Valentines IGC meeting!