It's so nice to see these pictures on a day like today ! Your monarda combo is so pretty. I'm going to keep that in mind when we can finally buy plants again. I think your pic of the arch with the pathway is just perfect! And it's awesome to see your overall view , sometimes it's hard to picture a whole garden piece by piece. So lovely!

Ron, came across your post which I missed before...what a beautiful place you have. I am in the midst of planting shade companion plants, so appreciate your thoughts on light for the list you have. Hope you will keep posting pics! Oh, forgot...the potted hostas that you overwinter in the garage...do you have any special tricks for overwintering? I have done it 3-4 years now with about an 85% rate, but I'd like to improve on that because I do not like losing even one! I overwintered some out in our shed this last year instead of the garage, and the mice got into them and I lost a bunch. My biggest problems have to do with springtime moisture levels...I do not water them at all in the garage, come spring, I try to make sure at least 1/2 have broken dormancy before going outside. (Leave them in the garage too long, they dry out and die, water them in the garage, or take them out too early, they can rot.) Would love to hear how you handle yours. For this next year, I'm thinking about giving each small one an ice cube in Feb/March. Just to add some moisture back in as the weather warms up.

All of your beautiful photos were taken in the Master Gardener Demonstration Gardens except for photo #3 which is the Federated Garden Club. These 2 gardens are just 2 of 21 that exist in the 114 acres that comprise Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park. You must turn right as Christy said to get to the southwest parking lot. There you will see the English Garden, the Iris Garde, Hosta Garden, Asiatic Lily Garden, Ornamental Grass Garden, Butterfly Garden, White Garden, Columbine Garden, Redbud Garden, Wildflower Garden, and that's just to name a few. You'll also see the Butterfly House which opens May 15 and runs through September. There will be a Bluegrass & Blossoms Festival, as well as the Butterfly Festival. For more on events at the park, check the link below. You can "search" for events at Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park. Here is a link that might be useful: Friends of the Garden Calendar

Thanks guys. Johnnieb, WOW, I was down there in September, and did not take any pics, but man those bananas were almost twice the height in Sept 08 than they are in your photo from July. It always amazes me how fast they grow. Ive had Musa basjoo go from 1 foot tall, to 15 feet in just a few months. Definitely the thing to grow if you want fast, and extremely noticeable results. I wonder if they would care if anyone took any of the seedlings? I would guess they would not since there are literally hundreds of them in that planter and the surrounding planters. I wish they would let them go to seed more. When I was there in Sept, I was there twice in two weeks, and the second time I went down I noticed they had removed all of the seed stalks from the Sabal Minor. It was kind of disappointing. I would venture to guess that once enough of those get planted around the DC area, and are left to go to see, we might start seeing them naturalise a bit in and around the city.