Hidden Garden Tour

Glen and I love garden tours.  We try to find one each year to attend.  This year, for the first time, we enjoyed the Hidden Garden Tour in Utah.  We took our visitors with us hoping that they would enjoy it, too.  They did even though they were the youngest tour participants we encountered

This tour was sponsored by master gardeners and this year took place in southeast Salt Lake County mostly in Draper and Sandy.  Next year it will move to Utah County.

All the gardens were lovely.  The first we visited was near or on land once owned by Glen's grandfather in Draper.

The second was a short walk from Relation Street where Glen vacationed each and every summer as a California boy.

Great gardens are all about texture. . .

Beautiful garden rooms . . .

Great vistas . . .

Garden art . . .

And hidden places.

Many of these homes were in the foothills of the mountains with great views.

It was interesting to see how vegetable gardens were integrated into the overall design.

Another outdoor room.

Unexpected treasure.

Glen stands at the entrance to the "clematis garden."  Roses bloom profusely in June in Utah.  Real eye candy!

Ah, a peony!

Different varieties throughout the garden.  So colorful with big blooms.

We found these monkeys in the green house at La Caille.

La Caille is a magical place at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon.

They had a hydroponic garden in the greenhouse.  La Caille is a restaurant/events center.  They were growing these herbs for the use of their chefs.

They also had a large vineyard, orchard, and vegetable garden.  The goal, food grown on location.

Beautiful events structure.

There is just something about glass houses.

Loved the chandelier.

We ate lunch on the patio by the fish pond.

The grounds are lovely.

Little Cottonwood Creek.

Man made waterways.

The front of the chateau inspired restaurant.

With a bench for the girls.

Glen loved this garden, a definite grandpa garden.

The backyard had three tiers.

The middle tier had a train layout.

Grand kid magic.

Garden gates.

Zen spots next to the vegetable gardens.

White picket fences and bird houses.

There was even a guest house.

Behind the guest house on the most upper tier was an in ground pool and a play court for basketball and tennis.  The first tier next to the house had a beautiful grape vine covered patio with a green lawn just perfect for garden parties.

Our last stop was a cabin in the city.

It had its own waterwheel

with charming cottage and fish pond.

There was a large brick patio

with views of the valley.

Years ago the owners had gone to Montana to harvest logs from a large wildfire.  They and their now grown children then built this home as a family on acreage at the end of a long lane.

Just look at that fireplace.  This was one spot where I would like to have been on a home tour, too.

This was my favorite stop.  I loved these climbing roses called "Fireworks."  We didn't make it to every home garden.  Glen had also promised the girls Park City and the Alpine Slide.

2nd Annual Father's Day Fishing

 
Early Saturday morning the troops headed south to Spring Lake for "grandpa style" fishing.

This was Oscar's first fishing trip.

He and grandpa caught a good one.

Oscar's comment, "The fish is all wet."

 

"The girls" also joined us.  They have been hanging with us waiting for EFY at BYU to start on June 17. Alma was a pro having fished many times with her dad.

Heather joined us last year as well.  She knows the best spot.

She has been a part of "the girls" this trip.  She went to a writing camp at BYU last week.

We were so happy to have our son, Dave, and his family join us in Utah this year.

They were checking out the fish on the opposite side of the pond.

I love this picture with all their reflections.

Little Mae was very interested in the whole process.

Sadie was a great first time fisherman.

Great fish Sadie!

Dave's wife, Sally, learns how to cast.

One of "the girls," Samantha.

The Ranes family joined us for a second time, although it was baby Opal's first time.

Oscar thinks that cousin Henry is the best.

Henry quickly caught his first fish.

Good looking fish Henry.

Soon brother Raymond had a bite.

Grandpa helped to pull it in.

Good job Ray!

Our toddlers who are now three and soon to be three. They grow up so fast!

Sweet Ruby was patient.

And soon had a fish to show.

There was also cousin talk on the creek bank.

The best thing about fishing at the trout farm is that they clean and fillet the fish for you.

This year this little crowd caught 32 fish!  I fried them up like my mother use to and served them the next day for our Father's Day dinner along with corn on the cob, roasted red potatoes with rosemary, and watermelon.  We also had BYU Creamery ice cream with cookies and brownies. Some of the fish are now in the freezer although our crowd of 18 did their best to eat up all 8 pounds of fish.  Actually, they may have eaten up all the fish but I quit frying so I could join in on the visiting.

My granddaughters are now taking their own photographs.  I loved how stylistic and carefully framed their photos are.  Seriously, how many times do we do this before it becomes a tradition?