Open Garden?

Today is the first Thursday in June. I was supposed to have an open garden this evening but it just won't be possible.

When I first had a garden, I'd give anything for people to come see my flowers. I used to joke and tell people that I'd grab pedestrians off the street and make them come see what was blooming that day.


As my gardens began to grow and I joined several different garden clubs, I found that I'd be asked to open my garden for a tour. At first it was just for my own club, but like a snowball going downhill, soon there were other clubs and organizations asking for a tour here.


Depending on the size of the group and the nature of the tour, there's quite a few things you can do to make the experience a success.


The first thing you need to think about, whether you have 5 people coming or 500, is where to direct somebody who desperately needs to use a toilet. Luckily for me we have a bathroom in the garden. Sometimes we call it the cabana but that's a pretty fancy name for this basic building. (click on the sidebar label that says "The Necessary Room" to read an old post from last year if you want to learn more about this spot)


The largest tour group I've hosted was 500 people who came when the national convention of the American Hemerocallis Society was here on Long Island in July of 06. Other people stopped by that week too so in total I had 600 visitors see the garden within 4 or 5 days.


One reason I try hard to maintain labels in my garden (even though they annoy me so much at other times) is to help educate visitors. Once you have more than a dozen people in the garden it's hard to answer everybody's questions. To make matters worse, it seems like that botanical name you know so well always slips your mind just as somebody points to that plant.

No matter the size of the group visiting your garden, there are some basic necessities you should think about. While food might not be on your list, at least consider putting out some kind of cool beverage. Even a simple pitcher of water with a lemon slice in it is acceptable.

Another extremely important thing is to provide seating, preferably in a shaded location. Chairs, benches, hammocks, whatever you have on hand will do. If you don't have enough chairs, consider asking a neighbor if you could borrow a few.

One thing I didn't plan on during our tour was selling plants. I always seem to have a multitude of things potted up since I'm such a propagation nut. After some inquiries from visitors, I simply put out a basket with a few dollar bills in it for starter change. Then I made up a sign with prices and let people take care of themselves. It worked like a charm.

My biggest piece of advice is don't stress out. Yes there will be a weed you forgot to pull or a shovel you suddenly find sticking out of one of your favorite beds. Try to remember that you see more faults than your visitors. They will be too busy looking at the glory of your garden.

Finally, to the people who took my gardening class, I'm so sorry I can't hold that open garden this evening. I have no way to contact anybody so I hope some of you check this blog out today. Unfortunately I have a lecture for new Board of Ed trustees that I must attend. My daughter (who could have conducted the tour without me) must attend a wake and my husband will be busy running back and forth with my younger daughter and her crazy rehearsal schedule.

I'd still like to have an open garden in the next week or two and invite the local bloggers who read my posts too. So stay tuned.

For those of you in different areas, do you ever hold an open garden?