Kylee Archives | Diana's Designs Austin

Children’s garden a fantastic wonderland…

As if tours of Kylee’s garden (Our Little Acre) and her mom Louise’s garden (Two Girls with a Purpose) weren’t enough – I got an added bonus. After lunch I got to see the amazing Children’s Garden that Louise helped design, create and raised the money for it as well.

I thought – yeah, yeah, I expected a few raised beds and maybe a birdhouse or two. Oh my. Was I in for a treat, and you will be too.

With an entrance like this, I knew big surprises lay ahead.

Louise and Kylee – ready to lead the tour (with proper rain gear).

Welcome – come on in!

Just follow the path.

Something’s not quite right (angled) about this kiddie fun house.

Who doesn’t love running over a bridge?

The bed that runs along the inside of the circular path unfolds with the letters of the alphabet and plants that start with that letter. From asparagus to zinnia – it’s all about learning.

Beautiful plants dot the garden at every turn.

No shortages of places to play and be “hands on.”

This would inspire any child to eat vegetables.

The Enabling Garden, designed for the disabled, includes raised beds and trellises to make it wheelchair accessible.

Animals – friendly and stauesque – fill this garden with adventure.

This rainbow garden, the contribution to the park from Louise and Kylee’s family, was truly one of my favorites. Filled with stunning plants in full bloom, they echoed the rainbow pathway just begging to be walked around.

The creativity factor in this soared through the roof.

And the focal point, as if all the other components weren’t enough, is this sculpture that celebrates inclusion, diversity, peace and harmony and love around the world. (Well, that’s my interpretation of it.)

“Good morning, Mister Sunshine, you brighten up my day.” — Bee Gees

Everyone’s a kid in a children’s garden — even me!

One of the most exciting stops in the garden — the butterfly house. All the plants in the garden around the house were butterfly friendly.

How insightful. And what an amazing lesson for children — to see life unfold before their eyes — through two different perspectives.

Pollinator heaven.

And a little clever art with a seat to go along with it. Perfect for butterfly watching.
Amazing creature.

The inside of the house was covered with chrysalises and butterflies that had just emerged.

They were everywhere – just waiting to join their flying friends.

They paid absolutely no attention to me – leaving my happily snapping away with my camera to capture the moment.

Then we entered the secret garden – ducking in and finding ourselves in a perfect hideaway.

Kitty guards the entrance. It’s a stone sculpture – in case you couldn’t tell!

A peaceful Zen garden is one of the last stops around the park.

And finally, a monument that honors the contributions of local businesses and citizens, like Louise, whose creativity, hard work and financial support made this all possible.

I only wish I lived near the garden, because it’s really not just for children. It’s an amazing park that delights the senses of young and old alike.

What an accomplishment, Louise. My hat’s off to you and all you did to make this a reality.

My special visit to Our Little Acre’s fabulous garden..

The clouds were foreboding as I started on my garden adventure on Monday, but the day brightened the minute I pulled into my friend Kylee’s driveway in northwest Ohio. Of Our Little Acre fame, Kylee and I have been gardening cohorts since she came to Austin for the first Garden Bloggers Fling in April 2008. Earlier this summer, when we were chatting at the Portland Fling, we realized that she lives a short 2-hour drive from Jeff’s family farm in Indiana. We’re here for a visit this week and I took the day to drive over and pay Kylee and her garden blogging mom, Louise, a visit.

Even in what she calls her Zone 6 garden, Kylee is an avid lover of succulents that find a home in the greenhouse during the cold winters.

Beautiful raspberries are getting some protection from netting and a new frame.

The edge of the garden overlooks the farm fields behind them. See those ominous clouds in the background? It drizzled through most of the day, but we didn’t let a little rain put a damper on our visit.

I could spend hours sitting on this lovely bench on this specially-made custom deck that flanks the pond.

Glass globes are suspended in the pond below the colorful garden art.

With the day’s rain, everything in the garden was lush and moist, and the grey skies overhead made for a great photo opportunity.

Beautiful echinaacea, flanked by a color guard yucca, and a big boulder, made me feel right at home.

Kylee welcoming me into the entrance to the back garden where more beautifully designed gardens await.

This may be my favorite view of the garden – a riot of color and texture with the farm fields flowing out behind.

And I had to take time to catch so many of the special details that Kylee incorporated into every part of the garden, like these quaint stepping stones.