Quilt Gardens Tour

As any good gardener knows one must make sacrifices in order to have a magnificent garden.  There is of course the initial investment but even more costly than that is the sacrifice of sweat equity that our dear Mother Nature demands in order to achieve our gardening goals.

The Quilt Garden Tour volunteers know all about sweat equity.  They have dealt with ferocious thunderstorms, drowning rain showers, and insect and critter damage throughout the summer.  Then the blistering heat arrived promising to dampen the enthusiasm of even the most ardent helpers.   Especially this year as our summer temperatures soared in the mid-nineties with heat indexes in three digit delirium.  All the while our steadfast crews were not deterred – much to their credit.  In spite of it all they have produced many fine exhibition gardens dotted all over Elkhart County.

In my capacity as a step on guide I have had the opportunity to hear first hand just how impressed our visitors are with these gardens and the many local attractions.  Yes, they are impressed with the gardens, but even more than that I hear over and over how friendly our community is.  They comment on how lucky we are to live here in such a relaxing environment.  They remark on how refreshing it is to see so many communities working together to make their county more attractive to visitors.  They marvel at the sacrifice so many volunteers make to ensure the success of our Quilt Gardens.

I agree with all of these comments and I am proud to consider myself a native of this caring community.   I find it so encouraging that others see the treasures that we take for granted.  It is a reminder to stop and appreciate Elkhart County and give thanks for the small town values we learned at the knee of our elders.  Values like hard work, determination, cooperation and sacrifice to achieve common goals.  Thank you to each any every one of the many people involved with Quilt Garden Tour 2010.  Thank you for your sacrifice and dedication to your hometown community and to the county we all call home.

Its peak week for the 2010 Quilt Gardens…they are stunning and beautiful! We have had tons of people in the Visitor Center this week telling us how much they love the gardens! Luckily we have been able to capture pictures of them at their different stages…check out our Flickr PhotoStream!

We are also interested to see your pictures of the gardens. We have a special group on  Flickr where you can upload and share your pictures. It’s amazing to see all of the different vantage points and angles…so if you have time to share them, we would love to see them! Remember to  join us on FaceBook and tell us what you thought of this year’s Quilt Gardens!

We’ve reached the midpoint of our summer here in Northern Indiana.  The weather is predictably warm and so is the color found in our gardens.  Nature provides us with so many wonderful hues to enrich our lives.  Shades of red, yellow and orange remind us of the sunshine so plentiful this time of the year. Cool shades of purple, azure, pink and white provide a visual respite from the heat of summer.  No matter which color scheme you choose the reward is the same.  A break from the dull grey of our concrete lives in the cities and towns we call home. 
Our Quilt Gardens have been sketched, painted, photographed and written about by visitors from across this great country of ours. They are inspired by the imagination of a county intent upon telling the story of lives pieced together with remnants small and large to form the fabric of a community.  A blending of cultures both simple and complex stitched together and held by the thread of human experience.  This is what I find so alluring about the Quilt Garden Tour.  The art of a garden held so precious in the hearts of the people who tend them and the joy held by the visitors thrilled with the result. These colors and cultures unify our hearts and remind us that in nature there is no discrimination.

As I wandered through my gardens looking for just the right spot to plant a new ornamental grass I’d acquired my gaze settled on an old patch of ditch lilies I’ve been meaning to replace. When we first moved to our home as a young married couple I was thrilled to receive a few free plants from my favorite aunt. Now years later I find that I can be a bit more selective having the freedom to buy showier plants to include in my repertoire.

Just like my experience in my gardens the Quilt Garden Tour has evolved and become more selective by establishing a more discriminating set of guidelines for participating sites. The venues are no longer grandfathered in under older standards. Now each Elkhart County site is asked to provide visitors with better view ability by raising the bed to a significant angle or by adding a viewing platform. Each Quilt Garden is juried by a panel of local landscape designers, Master Gardeners, growers, and park professionals in order to provide a quality experience to visitors. In all there are ten standards that must be met by site applicants.

As we grow in our experience as gardeners we find that our taste in plant materials changes as we build confidence and knowledge. Our plant palette develops a more sophisticated air of distinguished elegance.   So too will the Quilt Garden Tour continue to learn and grow. Each season brings with it exciting new opportunities to make each year better than the one before.

Yes, I still love day lilies – even ditch lilies, but now I offer them homes in the meadow where they can be appreciated for their wild beauty as they tower over the other wildflowers.

Dutch Country Market

Norman loves flowers, so he and his family were very excited when Dutch Country Market was juried-in as an official quilt garden site. Since there are eight members in the Lehman family, their “Eight Birds” pattern is quite fitting.

The family works as a team on the garden, although Norm says the girls seem a little more enthusiastic than the boys. And he admits there is a bit of incentive; he promised the family a trip to Colorado.

They did have some extra help to plant the garden’s 4,000 flowers. Obviously hard work and extra hands paid off. The garden was done 24 hours after the flowers were delivered! The quilt garden is a long-term commitment for the Lehman clan, and they like the challenge of changing patterns. “We’ve already picked out the pattern for next year,” says Norman.

Thanks to the volunteer efforts of master gardener’s Vickie Estep and Mary Davis plus design assistance of Sara Heeter, the 2010 QGT Master Gardener Guidebook is now on-line ready to be viewed, downloaded and appreciated by hundreds and hundreds of avid gardeners. 

Vickie worked countless hours researching plants and writing a colorful, compelling descriptive for each garden. You can almost smell the flowers when you read her copy.  Mary carefully researched the history and story behind each pattern, and she brings those patterns to life.  Sara provided the CAD Design assistance that makes the patterns nearly pop off the page.  Take a look at the results of their efforts at QuiltGardensTour.com .  It’s a great read.  And guaranteed; you’ll learn a lot!

The 2010 Quilt Gardens Tour is off to a great start! Fantastic pictures are starting to come in and I love that you can already see the patterns so clearly.

I have also posted a neat picture of the new viewing platform at Greencroft in Middlebury. This will make it very easy to get great angles for pictures.

Check out our gardens from week 1! View Photos

Our first garden being planted is in Nappanee at McCormick Creek Golf Course.   Flowers are being delivered and planting will start on Tuesday, May 18.

McCormick Creek chose the One Room Schoolhouse for their design.  About 100 yards south of the garden site use to sit the Culp one room schoolhouse.  The Culp schoolhouse was built in 1870’s and served the children of Nappanee till 1952.  What a great way to bring the history of Nappanee alive for the Quilt Gardens Tour^sm.

If you attended the Culp one room schoolhouse, tell us what you remember.

RSVP for the online party with your Twitter Link and Twitter ID below!

Click here to enter your link/RSVP for the party!

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Twitter Party! We’ll be online and in person at the Elkhart County Visitor Center talking about our Quilt Gardens and Hope Along the Heritage Trail.

The 2010 Quilt Gardens and Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer are partnering to raise funds for breast cancer research by raffling an original quilt wall hanging.

Please join Heidi Floyd, Development Ambassador for the Vera Bradley Foundation and Sonya Nash, Quilt Gardens Project Manager. Heidi will be talking about The Vera Bradley Foundation, the latest cancer research, inspirational stories, Vera Bradley products and more! Sonya will be on hand to answer your questions about the Quilt Gardens event. Of course we will have lots of fun prize opportunities for our Twitter Party guests!

WHEN:
Date: Wednesday, May 26th
Time: 12:30-1:30 (light lunch provided)
Hashtag: #QuiltGardenTour

Follow us on Twitter: @QuiltGardenTour @AmishCountry @FollowHeidi
Event Tweet Grid: Use the following link to set up a unique TweetGrid to follow the party hosts.  http://is.gd/c3eGi

If you plan on attending the Twitter Party live and in person, please give us a call 574.262.8161 or email eccconv@amishcountry.org and let us know you’re coming!

Registration: To be eligible to win great prizes!
1. RSVP by leaving your Twitter handle/username below where it says Click here to enter.
2. Tweet the details of the party before the start time and share the details with your friends.  Be sure to include @QuiltGardenTour, @AmishCountry, @FollowHeidi and post a link back here to RSVP.  (Be sure to add @QuiltGardenTour in your tweet).
3. Sit back and tweet with us during the party or join us at the Elkhart County Visitor Center during the event as we learn all about the 2010 Quilt Gardens Tour and Hope Along the Heritage Trail campaign!

Pre-register to win our Grand Prize! Anyone registering (according to the directions above) between now and May 25th by Noon EST will be entered to win one of our great prizes!

1. Grand Prize – A One Night’s Stay at Jameson Inn Elkhart!
2. Set of 2 Quilt Gardens Tour Travel Mugs (black)
3. Set of 2 Quilt Gardens Tour ceramic coffee mugs (red & blue)
4. Quilt Gardens Tour rain guage & reusuable grocery bagVera Bradley Clutch (retired pattern) & A Vera Bradley Lipstick holder (Loves Me pattern)
5. Vera Bradley Clear Lotion Bag (Hope Garden pattern) & A Vera Bradley Lipstick holder (Loves Me pattern)
6. Vera Bradley Mini Notebook (Hope Garden pattern)

Winners will be selected using Random.org from all party attendees following the instructions.  Must be 18 or older to register.  Open to residents of the US and Canada.  Canadian winners will be required to pay shipping. Registration is not required to attend the Twitter Party.

Elkhart County Visitor Center
219 Caravan Drive, Elkhart, IN 46561
We’re located in Elkhart at North Pointe Plaza, just off the I80/90 Toll Road (Exit 92) behind the Cracker Barrel Restaurant.

To RSVP and be registered for party prizes enter your Twitter username and link to your Twitter username below.
Example:
Blog or Link Title: @UserName
Link: http://www.twitter.com/UserName

RSVP for the online party with your Twitter Link and Twitter ID below!

Click here to enter your link/RSVP for the party!

If you plan on attending the Twitter Party live and in person, please give us a call 574.262.8161 or email eccconv@amishcountry.org and let us know you’re coming!

We need planters for the Quilt Gardens Tour.  If you love this tour, and have wanted to know what it takes to plant a garden, this is for you.  Volunteers are needed at most all sites.

Here are the Gardens and the days of planting.

Nappanee Garden Committee is planting May 18 at 9-11; 1-3; 5-7
MennoHof is planting May 20
Meadow Brook  Farm is planting May 22
Elkhart Parks Department is planting on May 24
Middlebury Greencroft is planting on May 24-25
Linton’s is planting May 25
Ruthmere is planting May 25
Amish Acres planting on May 25
Krider Gardens is planting on May 26
Wakarusa is planting their town garden on May 26-28
American Countryside Farmers Market is plating May 27-29
Old Bag Factory is planting on May 27 at 1pm

Please leave us a comment on where you would like to volunteer, and then email me at Mindy@amishcountry.org with name and your contact information.  That way I can let you know times and other information that the site operators may need from you.