In Nina's Garden

By Skeeter

I left my Georgia Garden for another week long visit with my family in Tennessee. This go round Tina and I were able to squeeze in a visit with Nina. Upon Meeting Nina on previous TN visits, I found out that Nina grew up in a house next to some of my mothers relatives! Amazing what a small world it is out there. My mother has been wanting to meet Nina ever since. It was my Mothers Birthday and I decided it would be a perfect day to take her on a Mother Daughter Day out in the country to visit with Nina and Tina.
Nina and her husband Gene, live on the most serene spot one can imagine! I could sure wake up to this view in my front yard every morning. So peaceful and relaxing.
As you drive up the driveway, you are greeted by this beautiful patch of color.
At first glance, I knew this would be my favorite garden within Nina's paradise.
So much color, full and lush just calling out to butterflies and bees to drop in.
Our eyes were captured by this Red and Gold beauty. Nina tells us this is one plant. Or is it two plants? Hum, this beauty is Helen's Flower or Helenium Autumnale, red-gold. You tell me, is it one plant or two plants? Quite impressive and all coming from the same root!
Nina has one of the Tipsy Pots that Lola inspired me to make this past summer. They are such a fun touch of whimsy in the Garden.
This Cypress Vine caught my eye with lots of activity from the Hummingbirds. Nina says this plant is very invasive but I must have one in my garden! I was enjoying all the Hummingbirds and it would go great close to the Saints Bald Cypress Tree! The camera focused on the foliage instead of the blooms but you can still see the star shape of the red blooms. Nina, I will be looking for those seeds as this is a must in my garden. :-)
Then I spotted my new favorite garden in Nina's yard. The gold fish pond! I have always wanted a pond but the Saint has not taken that bait as of yet. "Too much trouble to fight off the wildlife" and he is probably right. So for now I enjoy other ponds such as this one at Nina's house.
The goldfish are so happy swimming around and I was about ready to jump in the water with them as it had started to heat up by this time. Gotta love those Dog Days of Summer...
A blink of the eye and I had another favorite spot! Nina is not happy with this area of her yard. She says it needs work but I found it very inviting with being such a natural type spot to view.
Little touches such as the fallen pot spilling greenery make this a very interesting place in the garden. Nina, we are usually our own worse critic so don't fret about this spot. I found it wonderful.
The Cosmos were blooming to beat the band! Yet, another Southern Term out of my mouth.
See the tiny bee having a sip of nectar?
I then spotted this special planter in the garden. This lunch box belongs to Nina's father who carried this to work for many years. At this point of the Garden Tour, I stopped looking for a favorite spot. How could I chose just one with so much beauty surrounding me? Instead, a favorite memory of Nina's Gardens, found in the love and care with these little touches throughout.
What would normally be a blank wall on my house has become a cute work of art in Nina's Garden. I found this to be a great way to display a window and pan from the old house Nina once called home.
I forgot to ask if this wagon once belonged to Nina's children but for now, it holds plants and makes for another great focal point.
I don't have this plant but I think Tina and Nina called it Joe Pye Weed. It was in full bloom and the butterflies were having a feeding frenzy.
Here you see three of the flutterbugs busy at work.
My mom does not know too much about flowers but she enjoys viewing them. She says the flower bug skipped a generation with her. Her mother was an avid gardener and belonged to the Clarksville Garden Club. But one thing is for sure, my mom knows her Air Conditioners! She retired from Marketing at Trane Company and she was most impressed to see the newer model in Nina's Garden. Okay mom, that is not a flower so on with the Garden tour now....
I was in awe of the ivy growing up the tree trunk along with the ferns below. More little touches of whimsy with old candle holders used for color amongst the ferns.
I like the way Nina used old dishware to create a nice little statue to brighten up a spot. If only I had known of this while working 3 days at the Cats Are Us yard sale in June! They had lots of things for me to use to make one of these. Note to self: Keep Nina's dishware creations in the mind...
Ah, one of my favorite statues of all times. The little Savannah Girl made famous with the Book and Movie "Midnight In the Garden of Good and Evil" I did not care too much for the movie but the statue is adorable.
Hosta looking healthy and with so many woods around. I know there must be deer in those woods. How do you keep the deer away?
I was baffled by this bloom. Does anyone recognise it? I have seen Rose of Sharon before but never have I seen a Double Rose of Sharon.
The bushy tree looks like a Rose of Sharon for sure but the blooms are so not Rose of Sharon as I know them. I learn something new in every Garden I visit!
The silhouette of the bird was familiar to me. That is because Tina has posted on this spot before with a previous visit to Nina's Garden. This little bridge has been painted white since Tina's posting. It makes me want one ever so more now. Saint, are you listening here? Ah, Magnolia trees make a perfect front drop to the woodsy backdrop. I spotted signs of the Yellow Belly Sap Sucker (woodpeckers) on the trees. I hope they leave them alone as they can do massive damage.
A shady spot but still hot day as the humidity was starting to take its toll on us by now.
Beautiful planters on the walkway to the front door where air conditioning awaited us.
Nina was a great hostess and had us a wonderful lunch prepared. We sat and ate lunch (a simple Sandwich my foot) while gabbing up a storm. As usual, the time flew by and it was time for us to head on down the road. Thank you Nina for a wonderful time and we must get back out your way again some time when the weather is cooler for a longer visit outside in the garden.
And Thanks to Gene for letting us ladies take over the house for a few hours. We don't bite and with the next visit, I expect you to join in on the fun. We do talk about more then just flowers you know. Gene gets credit for the beautiful trim job of this evergreen! Gene, I have a hedge you can clip if you ever get to our neck of the woods...

We said our goodbyes and Tina took off to greet the Jimster from school. Nina gave us some backroad directions to the old homeplace so we took off in that direction.

A beautiful curvy drive through the woods and we were at the old Church where my grandmother and her family gathered for events and worship.

Mom and I spent a little time walking around visiting with the family members buried on the chuch grounds. I learned more family history and here you see my mothers Grandparents stone.

We drove up to the old homeplace spot and also past the creek that I would wade in as a child.

It is nice to slow down the fast pace of life and go down memory lane at times. We must never forget where we came from and to occasionally go back, stop and smell the wildflowers growing along the creek or roadside.

We sure enjoyed our stroll IN NINA'S GARDEN...