April is National Garden Month - visit a garden near you!

In celebration of National Garden Month, I thought I would take a few posts and share some images from several public gardens that I have visited in the last few years.

                             


I will share a selection of photos of each garden with information on the location and how I found it.

My hope is to get you in the gardening mood and perhaps encourage you to visit these public gems.

I am going to start with the Wellfield Garden in Elkhart, Indiana

Located on the property of a previous and current artesian well water production area for the City of Elkhart they have turned the space into a floral recreation area with numerous garden vignettes that focus on styles of plants or a particular theme or time period.





There was a large section under construction in which I believe they are installing an Asian Theme garden which will require a trip back. but as you can see, the garden and the fauna are lovely.

I obtained many bee and fly and butterfly images during this visit.

This cottage garden even had a small cottage that covered a well pump.  The path and the plant choices were perfect for the style.  We visited on a hot day around my birthday in September, but the garden did not look spent or past its prime.  They just installed some great restroom and meeting room facilities meaning it would be a great way stop for a picnic and family event.

The water features from a small lagoon and stream and small lake and the water plants, woodland plants and other plantings surrounding it made for a very peaceful stroll.

Fifteen active wells pump water from the ground to two large storage tanks that are part of the municipal water system for the City of Elkhart.  It was created as a water system in 1884 and has been maintained by the City since 1925. It is one of 3 wellfields in the city and I think this use of the open space is without par anywhere I have visited.  It is still one of our favorite gardens.

                                 
Here is another well cover looking like a building.  They have blended the buildings and decorations into the landscape almost flawlessly with the gardens that surround them. There was a recent installation of a windchime that can be heard off and on as you stroll, but it was a dark bronze and although it was 7 to 10 feet tall and 5 feet in diameter I was right under it before actually saw it.  The tones it gave off were rich and deep and not loud but resonating.  I love windchimes and I have never seen one so unique.

The specimen plants I was able to photograph did include a few herbs, like this Elderberry.

This is Crane's bill a wild Geranium which was planted among a dwarf Lady's Mantle variety that was new to me.

Wanting to know what the Asian Garden will look like upon completion, will make us have to stop back again.  It was such a beautiful garden. We stopped here because we were headed to Southern Indiana to a special Civil War site, but War events must be offset by garden visits as required in the marriage contract.

Next National Garden Month post.