Thursday, July 17, 2014

Wyoming/Irish Garden revisited

Arriving at the Sullivans!
 I have been enormously privileged to have befriended the former Governor of Wyoming (Mike Sullivan) and his extraordinary First Lady (Jane) over the years. A few weeks ago they hosted nine of us from the Denver area at their lovely home in Casper, which I have featured before on Prairie Break (by FAR my most popular post, by the way--14,800 page views in case you were interested!). The Sullivans have a heck of a lot of good friends. I hope some of them come back to compare that post taken in September with their garden at its late spring height!

Acer tataricum HotwingsTM
 What a treat to see such a lovely specimen of our champion Plant Select maple outside their front door! Jane and Mike are up on the very best plants.

Wonderful containers everywhere...


Governor Mike along the creative pathway with Tamara Winters of Boulder
 The brick pathway includes some granite pieces discarded from the state Capitol--and very appropriately embedded here!

Did I mention containers everywhere?

And more containers? Aren't these fun with the ceramic spheres?
I really like the combo of spheres and the wonderful red of petunias here..

I love the pergola, draped with vines...

MORE containers, and elegant borders...

Clematis cv. everywhere!
 I should have counted the clematis--there are no end of them in this garden!

Another view of pergola--with Coyote fence roof
And yes, more Clematis!

Sweet peas in bondage! And still fresh in hot Wyoming summer (nights are cool)

Isn't THIS a lovely combo?

You can almost smell the rose...

Golden leaved feverfew

Yes folks--we are in Wyoming!

Hylotelephium in a pot...

And a superabundance of roses...

And more clematis

Sorbaria sorbifolia
I am always amazed that this midsummer wonder--that is so tough and adaptable--is so rarely seen in gardens. But here it is at the Sullivans'!

And yet more clematis

Heliopsis coming on...

There is something incongruous about Fuchsia in central Wyoming--but there you are!

And MORE clematis

Another view

My favorite Governor ever and his incomparable First Lady!

Table decoration...

What a party!

Finishing up with this view of some garden art--the Sullivans RULE!


Wyoming is fortunate to have had the service of the Sullivans for many years, and our country was served nobly when they were Ambassadors to Ireland during the Clinton Administration. One of my favorite things about Colorado is having Wyoming nearby--and the Sullivans at its very heart.

6 comments:

  1. This is a very nice garden. I like the Clematis. Clematis texensis bloomed in my garden for the first time this year. I am hoping the hummingbirds use it.

    On another note, you also have one of one of my state's former governors nearby, but I doubt that is one of your favorite things. :)

    James

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would not mention my friends in Wyoming in the same sentence as Rod Blagojevich, James! We have a real rogues gallery in our Canyon City prisons, along with the Unabomber and Manson and all sorts of low life. Not something I'm particularly proud of. Now Sweden closing their last prison this year--THAT'S something to be proud of. It's hard to believe that so many of your governors have had prison sentences!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I often joke that prison is our state's retirement plan for governors. What is really hard to believe is how high taxes are to pay for all the crooked stuff that happened. I didn't even vote for the guy and I'm still paying for his "pay to play" politics. The people I feel the most for over this entire ordeal is his wife and little girls. They are the ones who lost the most over their father’s character flaws.

    James

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sounds like nice people can't help having a beautiful garden! The details are great and I like the special touches like the coyote arbor and brick/concrete/granite paving.... and I love the house. It all looks so well cared for.
    Frank

    ReplyDelete
  5. This place is amazing, the imagination of everything is priceless. Great job I so love so much of it there is no one thing to pick out above the others. My mom is 83 and she does things like this in Kentucky she is also creative with her yard. Love this place.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a beautiful garden. I know this is an older post and I'm hopeful that you have the name of the ceramic artist that made the amazing rain chain shown in your first post about this garden. If so please share - it is awesome! Thanks so much, Ann

    ReplyDelete

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