Ready for Arts and Crafters

We've been working overtime to ready the garden for visitors this weekend, and the effort has truly paid off. We have beds outlined in bottles, mushroom compost and mulch covering layers of loose soil, paths marked by thick layers of rust-colored pine straw, and borders of fragrant garlic chives, society garlic, and hearty lariope. Which raises the question: What next? After the arts and crafts festival, when the garden is again quiet, what will we be waiting for?

What about a class on growing your own medicinal herbs taking root in the bed the follows the bottle wall? Or one on companion planting filling in the crescent moon? Or what about a trial butterfly bed along the main path, practice for the next garden that will go on the north side of the property? Might the mosaic class venture into stepping stones, and will some of those stones adorn our humble footpaths? Is there a handbuiling or found-object sculpture class in the future? What better gallery than the garden to showcase such art. Does anyone know how to do topiary? Espaliers?

We'll keep the ideas stewing this winter, and won't be discouraged when things cool off and slow down. We are like Echinacea seeds: sometimes we need a hard freeze to make us remember to wake up and share our splendor with the world when the time is right.