We are please to announce the release of the 2012 Master Gardener Guidebook. Written by a Master Gardener, it has all of the details of each of the 19 official 2012 Quilt Gardens along the Heritage Trail. You’ll find tidbits on the history of each pattern, plus flower choices and colors! View the Guidebook

May, they plant over 100,000 blooms
To make quilt the gardens, as they choose.

Volunteers by the scores plant each flower to sew
Creating a masterpiece to burst into blooms.

People from all over the nation and globe
Come to look at the quilt gardens, enjoy and behold.
Beautiful blooms that form gardens all patterned with color
And each tells a story of the garden where they’re laid.

The weather affects them as no regular quilt would,
And critters enjoy munching on them at will (a hazard of the artform)
But no matter how wind-blown, or gnawed on, or drenched
These quilts weather it all in beautiful form.

So as you drive the Heritage trail this summer, and wonder what should you see
Take time for the Quilt Gardens. You’ll be glad – so will we.

And congratulations to QG partner Amish Acres. The Amish Acres Arts & Crafts Festival also received a 2012 Top 100 designation.

Competition is tough with more than 600 entries. Winning events are featured in the special Top 100 Events in North America magazine and receive wide-spread attention via ABA’s press releases distributed to media outlets throughout North America.

Plus ABA works with Group Leaders of America (GLAMER) on special promotions for the winners.

As Ambassador for the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer and breast cancer survivor, Heidi is an advocate for the cause, bringing an inspirational message of hope to thousands of men and women across the country.

 She’s also enthusiastically involved in the Quilt Gardens’ Hope along the Heritage Trail partnership.

“The ‘Hope Blooms’ garden at Wellfield Botanic Gardens is a visual reminder of this important cause and how much people care. It moves them in a special way,” says Heidi.

“The garden helps get the message out that research funded by the Foundation is changing lives. I love coming to the Wellfield garden and bringing my children. It’s a lovely beacon of hope.”

With 18 gardens on the beautiful Heritage Trail Elkhart County has much to share.  Not only can we boast of the beautification added to the county, we extend a hand of hospitality to visitors from around the world.

My usual summertime post as a Quilt Gardens tour guide was exchanged for one of support for the first part of the season.  I playfully say that I am in gardeners purgatory – a state of being caused by my enthusiasm for gardening earlier this spring.  My love of gardening is an exercise in patience as I grapple with another back injury.  So while I would love, love, love to be doing all things gardening, I am resolved to sit and watch the weeds grow. 

Always the optimist I have however been sowing seeds and propagating more perennials to add to my home gardens – my jewelry box of treasures.  Soon I hope to rejoin my fellow guides in welcoming visitors and sharing the history of Elkhart County, the beauty of the Quilt Gardens and tales from Amish Country. 

If you have been to the gardens, tell us what you think by posting a comment below. We will randomly* select a winner to receive a free 16 oz double insulated Quilt Gardens logo insulated drinking cup.
Deadline is Thursday, July 28, 2011. Good Luck! 

*Winner will be drawn using random.org