African Garden + work

Searching for The Unique Angle

With 50 other people snapping photographs of the same scenes, it has become a challenge to post images from Spring Fling not seen previously on other other blogs. Here is my attempt at a different twist to Spring Fling's Saturday events. Our first stop was Rick Bayless's garden, in Bucktown. It's been a very long time since I used to hang out around there while visiting a friend who was an urban pioneer in Wicker Park. Ah, memories, the chickens in the neighbors' backyard, the gym shoes over the telephone lines in the intersection. But I digress.I know Layanee of Ledge & Gardens posted a similar photo to this one of Frances,

but I just had to post it, as it was so fun. I don't recall seeing any photos of these gorgeous containers, but it wouldn't surprise me if someone else admired them too.

I loved the repurposed plumbing pipes used as legs to support the potting bench.

There might be another photo of the Rodgersia, but this is probably the only chance I'll get to post a photo of one, as I could never grow it in my garden. It is a moisture lover.

Is that Poison Ivy at the top of the wall under the Cotoneaster?

Kudos to Carolyn Gail of Sweet Home & Garden Chicago for arranging such a fantastic lunch at Andie's, my new favorite restaurant in Chicago. I love Mediterranean food, and Andie's does it up deliciously.

Is it just me, or does that little pig washing dishes look a lot like Olivia?After lunch, we all crowded into Carolyn Gail's small, charming urban garden.

I love this idea of hers -

using a rain chain as a fountain. The rain chain hangs along the corner of an inviting little gazebo, where I managed to snap a photo of the elusive Elizabeth of Gardening While Intoxicated and Garden Rant, relaxing with Mary Ann the Idaho Gardener.

With so many people snapping photos, it was hard to get a good shot of anything in Carolyn Gail's garden, but I did manage to get a couple of good shots of her neighbor's blissfully empty garden.

I wanted to take a photo of her cute little dog, Jojo, but he was a little excited by all the people in his garden and wouldn't hold still. I did manage to take a photo of Carolyn Gail's daughter's dog, resting in the shade.

At the community garden in Wrigleyville, I discovered how they protect their copper water faucet from disappearing:

The top photo is from one of the beds there.I wish I had had the energy to visit the Lily Pool, as I haven't seen it since I photographed the black swans there in the 1980s. (Can it really be 20 years?) I must check out the renovations sometime soon. At the Lincoln Park Conservatory, I found myself drawn to the window boxes on the outside.

I wish I could have snapped a couple of photos out of the window of the 151 Sheridan bus I road back to the hotel with Rose of Ramble on Rose. The planters on Michigan Ave. were spectacular. So was the girl with pink hair who looked like she stepped out of a Japanese Anime.Well, that pretty much wraps it up for Spring Fling. I have one more post in the works about the demonstration green roof and raingarden that a few of us visited on Sunday. Part I of Spring Fling is here, Parts II and III are here and here, and Part IV is here.