Bulb Tour

The estate that I work on has a bulb tour every year. This year, it is on May19th.

It is a benefit event and each year my bosses select a local nonprofit to benefit from it. All proceeds go to the Mt. Desert Nursery School this year. (See moutdesrtnurseryschool.org)

It has been a late spring and I won't guarantee a fantastic display for the 19th but if you're in the area, drop by.

Last fall, we put in 80.000 + bulbs. Some of them are planted out in large blocks as you see in the photo. Others are planted out in various combinations inspired by plantings that we saw in Holland last spring. I myself am anxious to see the Muscari pool that we planted out (about 500sq ft of Muscari w/ small yellow clumps of daffodils coming up through them).

The site is a 10 acre property located on Sommes Sound on Mt. Desert Island in Maine. The tour comes with the opportunity to walk the entire perimeter of the property. You will be able to see several of the many gardens we have en route. Plus, you will be able to walk along the shore on Sommes Sound, until recently, considered to be the only fjord on the U.S.'s eastern seaboard.

It's quite a hike up here, about a 5 hr. drive from Boston. But you'll beat all the other tourists. Just dress warm, real warm:)

Oh and plan to see Acadia National Park too. It's on the same island.

Gee - I wish I could be there - alas we have graduation ceremonies that day. I envy anyone who can make.

Beautiful, watersedge. It must be hard to leave the area when the bulbs are in bloom .... or anytime at all.

Very nice, edge. What do you do at the estate?

W, How wonderful! I wish I could be there to see it. Mt. Desert is one of the most beautiful places on earth. I am fortunate to be able to lease a house just about every year in Southwest Harbor. You are so very lucky to be a local :-) On a humorous note, It took me about 2 minutes before my brain caught up with the fact that this was a nursery school for children, not a nursery school to learn about running a nursery -- which I was very excited about (sigh). I guess I've got too much gardening on the brain.

Victor,

I'm the head gardener. Come August, I'll have about 13 on the outside staff. There are gardners who specialize in wetland gardening, perennial borders, hybrid tea roses, vegetables, and greenhouse maintenance, and turf. It's quite a place.

irishbelle,

See you this summer!

Karl

Sounds like a great job, Karl - lucky you! Hope to get there to see it one day. Maybe I'll stow away in irishbelle's trunk!

Watersedge, I go to Acadia every year....sometimes several times a year. It is one of my favorite places in Maine. I would love to come on the tour, but my son's GF senior prom is that night and I think it will be a little hectic. I suppose if we left here early enough we could make there and home again before night fall. What time does it open??
I have a tendency not to want to leave once I am in that area. I could picture those 2 in prom attire among the flowers...what a picture that would make!!!

Watersedge wrote: Last fall, we put in 80.000 + bulbs. Some of them are planted out in large blocks as you see in the photo. Others are planted out in various combinations inspired by plantings that we saw in Holland last spring. I myself am anxious to see the Muscari pool that we planted out (about 500sq ft of Muscari w/ small yellow clumps of daffodils coming up through them).

Bulbs planted in large blocks are stunning. The Muscari mass with the Daffodils
should look awesome.

pixie, It should start arond 9AM. Come on up. See the bulbs. Snatch a cup of chowder (Northeast Harbor actually has a restaurant open at this time of year!). And bring the kids for a photo op.

Since it's a benefit for a nursery school, I think the school kids'll be running around in little fairy and gnome outfits. Normally, I'd gag but since this is, in part, my show, I'll just write," won't that be adorable?".

Watersedge....you are talking to a Grandmother of a fairy, so yes it would be adorable! LOL

How apropos!

Bring her too! Even I have to say that she's pretty darn cute :)

That pixie gene must be a strong one!

It sure is......or maybe I just brainwashed her!

The Brugmansia in the Conservatory.

Now that's a brug! Very impressive - I wonder how I could finance my own conservatory :-)

There must still be a little gravy to be had by attaching yourself to The Big Dig :)

True . . . but there may be a clause which favours contracts with Americans . . .Canadians are such amateurs when it comes to corruption.

This message was edited Apr 23, 2007 2:22 AM

Karl, really wish I lived close enough, but alas..

Aww....c'mon. You're only a zone away :)

If I had jumped in the car when I wrote the e-mail...

Oh......................I forgot to mention that there's the Bar Harbor (Trenton) airport that's only 25 mins away and Bangor International Airport a little more than an hour away (for all you jet setters).

watersedge
What is the temp up there expected to be that time of the year? And how far is Sommes Sound from Portland? Sounds like a very great day. Good luck with all of it!

The temperature will probably be in the 60's during the day. It's always hard to predict. The ocean really plays tricks on us here. The mountains on the island also make a lot of micro climates. At the same time, on the same island, Bar Harbor can be sunny and warm and Northeast Harbor can be foggy and cool.

It's about a 3 hr. drive from here to Portland, at the speed limit.

And I do think it will be a swell day. We put some really good thought and time into the design this year.

Karl

They're coming!

The first wave has just begun.

Beauty!