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.

Every spot was chock full of plants – and surprisingly, so many of them were plants we can grow in Austin, too.

A closer view of the back garden vignette with its own special garden art.

Oh, look, another inspirational spot to rest in the garden.

I love what she did with the winding line of grass interspersed with with colorful caladiums.

Her husband built this wonderful chicken coop, where her hens live in luxury.

 She wasn’t too sure about me!

 And the girls’ coop is adorned with this giant chicken statue.

 I loved every inch of her garden – and she was so gracious to share it with me.  Thanks, Kylee!