photo credit: E. Bartholomew

The lakes provide a climate that often encourages additional time to the growing zone, depending on where you are located. And the soil is rich.

So, if you are interested in starting your first garden, adding to the garden areas or possibly growing a garden in containers or on a patio area, stop by the Gardener’s Rake and enter the Free Garden seeds contest.

Touring the local Chautauqua gardens or visiting the farmer’s markets or vegetable stand that speckle the roadside in this area make for an enjoyable day and fresh flowers and produce.

Check out the contest at the Gardener’s Rake and start that recession garden or kitchen garden this year.

Community Gardens

Community gardens are becoming popular in many areas, particularly in urban areas. This last year, residents of Chautauqua created a community garden. A small group who lived on the grounds of the Chautauqua Institution organized and submitted a proposal to create a community garden.

With the economy in the shape it is and environmental concerns the addition of community gardens is a welcome and rewarding program to set up. I hope that Chautauqua County, Warren County and areas around the world will take time to organize community garden projects and participate in the “Grow a row for the poor” program.

photo credit: Sue Manus

There are many garden supply centers and the climate, which is affected by Lake Erie and Chautauqua Lake make gardening both beautiful and challenging at times in this area. Those unexpected frosts can create havoc! But the gardens are always eye catching, even in the winter.

From time to time when I visit Chautauqua gardens I will let you know about them.

One area that always has beautiful gardens is the Chautauqua Institution. The Institute has a gardening crew year round but is much larger and busy during the spring and summer season. And the large quantity of gardens, landscaping and garden art tucked in a small community catch your attention.

As you wander the streets grounds of Chautauqua institution you will see small gardens tucked behind houses, on porches, or in hanging baskets on balconies. And for the first time this year Chautauqua had a community garden or victory garden.
photo credit: L-T-L

Many Chautauqua institution homeowners belong to the Bird, Tree and Garden club and gain valuable gardening information. And it shows in the gardening styles and plant varieties you find at the individual homes.

The Bird, Tree and Garden club also attend to gardens at various parks along with offering lectures and speakers on nature, birds and bats and gardening.

The gardening ground crew also maintains the parks, larger buildings and various other locations. Each season different gardens are planned for the front entrance, Athenaeum Hotel and hanging planters for many of the private homes.

I have always enjoyed watching the gardens, particularly in the Bestor Plaza change from spring bulbs to summer annuals. And the hanging baskets on most of the porches add an air of old world charm.

As the gardening season ends in our area, the vibrant colors at Chautauqua are fading, but splashes of fall plants and color are still present. You also enjoy the hardscape and perennial planting more at this time of year. In a few weeks most of the leaves will have fallen from the trees and a palette of browns, orange and grays will take over the landscape but the beauty of the landscape design and buildings will linger.

For gardening information you may want to check out The Bird Tree and Garden Club of Chautauqua. You may also want to check out Backyard Oasis or The Gardener’s Rake.