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I was at work briefly this morning but had travelling on my mind.  I arrived at the Horticulture Center in a downpour and we had some decent rain over the prior morning hours.  I was technically off today but wanted to touch base with Larry, Big John, Cheryl and Janice this morning as Thursdays can be quite busy with Grumpies and Grumpettes.  We talked about some indoor projects although the weather at that point was supposed to eventually clear and get hot and sunny.  I'm sure everyone kept busy out in the gardens and maybe we tested some more lights for the Holiday Lights Show!?  I'll be back in the office Monday and of course we have a busy weekend with weddings and hopefully lots of visitors catching the tail end of summer color.  The recent rains have been timely and much appreciated (thanks Mother Nature!).  :)
Tomorrow (Friday), I'm doing two presentations at the University of Illinois Extension Statewide Master Gardener Conference in the Quad Cities (specifically Moline, IL).  I'll talk about Ferns & Mosses and Vertical Gardening.  Due to the morning time for my first presentation, I wanted to get the travel (4 hours +) done the day prior (today) and decided upon a fun route to Moline, IL that would take me from WI to IA and finally back in to IL.  My first stop was the Dubuque Arboretum & Botanical Gardens (DABG) which I've visited on about four other occasions.  I hadn't been to the DABG in many years and really enjoyed the visit.  The gardens looked recently saturated too but I arrived along with plenty of sunshine and quickly warming temperatures.  DABG would be my first of four "botanical stops" on my way down to the conference.  I also visited the Bickelhaupt Arboretum (Clinton, IA), Vander Veer Botanical Park & Conservatory (Davenport, IA) and the Quad City Botanical Center (Moline, IL).  I had been to all four destinations many years prior and wont have much time to elaborate on the histories, collections, etc. but do encourage blog readers to do so and consider a visit.  The first three destinations were free (donations encouraged) and all of the photos below are in order of visitation.  The Quad City Botanical Center had admission based entry but my RBG membership card had the American Horticultural Society (AHS) reciprocity which made it a worthy freebie!  It was 94 degrees F by the end of the day and I was spent (and mildly pungent) by the time I reached the hotel.  Looking forward to tomorrow and my shameless promotion of RBG to these flatlanders (for full disclosure....I grew up in IL and went to U of I in Champaign-Urbana).  Below are some highlights of my tri-state tour!
[Image] DABG flower beds with prairie in the distance [Image] DABG coleus planting [Image] hostas at DABG (lots!) [Image] Japanese garden at DABG [Image] same as above [Image] same as above, note the zig-zag bridge [Image] English garden at DABG [Image] more hostas and cool structure at DABG [Image] odd GEICO promotion at DABG? [Image] scary eye of above creature [Image] roses at DABG, outdoor use gazebo in distance [Image] DABG perennial border [Image] formal garden at DABG [Image] more coleus at DABG [Image] cannas galore at DABG [Image]
[Image] metal sculpture of the founders (read about the history of this garden!) [Image] visitor's center (original house of the founders) [Image] the best view of the arboretum (lots of conifers!) [Image] humongous weeping white pine (Pinus strobus 'Pendula') [Image] bench with amaranth (Amaranthus sp.)! [Image]
[Image] cool conservatory at Vander Veer [Image] neat windmill [Image] see water serpent/dragon? [Image] conservatory continued... [Image] working greenhouse with mums to go out soon [Image] all-accessible planters [Image] vertical planter [Image] water feature at Vander Veer [Image] trailing tomato on all-accessible bed [Image] Autumn clematis (Clematis terniflora) on arches [Image] rose garden at Vander Veer [Image]
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[Image] cool artwork in the visitor's center [Image] outdoor railway display garden, cool succulents in train cars [Image] another cool (and tall!) conservatory [Image] same as above [Image] same as above - note waterfall [Image] outdoor gardens with lots of conifers [Image] children's garden and playhouse [Image] nice haul of schwag in the hotel room for being a speaker (no beer though...)