LIFE'S BETTER IN THE MOUNTAINS

Sunday, October 5, 2008

The Great Divide

Recently our community garden club held its annual "Great Divide." This event provides an opportunity for neighbors to share perennials they have divided. Anyone is invited to bring plants, but bringing a plant is not required. Each person is allowed to take at least one plant, regardless of whether or not they brought anything.

The event is held at one of our parks and is always well attended.





There were displays of specialty plants and demonstrations of maintaining bonsai and other plants.

I particulary enjoyed the various birdhouses, handmade and donated by local residents. They were available for sale, with the profits going to the garden club.



There were demonstrations and displays by various organizations. The Department of Natural Resources provided information and displays of forest animals.
A pigeon breeder brought his pigeons and was very happy to talk about them.

I was amazed at the beauty of these birds. I asked the breeder why these pigeons are so lovely and the ones I usually see seem like nuisance birds. He had an immediate and simple answer, "Good nutrition and lots of love."

My husband and I each selected a plant. Here are the plants we chose last year. They are thriving and we have really enjoyed the fall blossoms.



I hope this year's selections do as well as these. In the spring we will divide the begonia, which has really taken over its space.
We enjoyed the day at the Great Divide. It's a wonderful opportunity to gather with neighbors and friends. We learned a great deal about plants that do well here in the mountains.
Oh, and did I mention they had wonderful refreshments?

9 comments:

Twisted Fencepost said...

Wish I could have gone. I enjoy learning about different plants. Especially from the older people. They have so much knowledge and are so willing to share.

Heaven Scent said...

What a great thing to be a part of! Everyone gains from this and it is fun to share plants and learn from others. Your plants from last year look great!

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Carolyn: That was a wonderful time to share with us. I liked the close-up of the pidgeon.

100 Thoughts of Love said...

I love begonias..my mom always has grown them..I wish i had a little shade here.

Dog_geek said...

What a great idea! I wish that we had something like that around here. I usually get a few plants here and there from my parents or in-laws when they divide theirs - I actually have a very similar begonia that I got from my mother several years ago.

Jayne said...

Glad you all got to get out Carolyn, and I hope you didn't have to use too much gas. :c) What a great name for the event!

NCmountainwoman said...

Thanks, everyone. The Great Divide was a lot of fun. I had no idea we had so many Master Gardeners in our midst. They were delighted to share their knowledge as well as their plants.

Cicero Sings said...

I love the idea of "The Great Divide"! What a wonderful way to get rid of an overabundance of plants, expand ones diversity of plants (without costing a fortune), share and have fun!

LIFE as it is........ said...

Carolyn, next year I will place myself in a pot and grow flowers and leaves on my head. Let me there, at least for a short blissful moment. How I wish, I was a plant among the rest.