July 2019 Garden Tour at Kelly’s

On July 3, Carroll Garden Club’s intrepid tour group met at Kelly Bollinger’s place in the balmy evening. Kelly had hosted a tour more than ten years ago, but yours truly had not attended so I was not about to miss this one!  Frankly, I and other attendees were blown away by Kelly’s masterful design skills from the driveway to the woods to the pool side plantings.  Kelly has also been a Master Gardener in Carroll County and is currently a member of the Rhododendron-Azalea Society.  She has a great love for evergreens, especially those with unusual features and of Japanese maples–she has many! In addition to this, she also has a vegetable garden and being close to the woods has to wage battle with critters like raccoons.  Kelly said that over the years she has built up her gardens taking inspiration fro gardening books and magazines, from other people and the groups she has been part of. We absolutely enjoyed the July tour and ended with watermelon, candies and drinks provided by Barb Childs.

We arrive and greet one another amidst large clumps of coneflowers, hosta and bear’s breeches along one side of the drive and bright red daylilies and sedum on the other.  There were bright clumps of red crocosmia and a lovely large white hydrangea.

We admired the varied beds using shrubs, trees and perennials. Garden structures drew interest around points in the yard.

There’s wonderful areas of sun, dappled and deeper shade so that Kelly can grow all kinds of plants successfully. The lucky duck also has a greenhouse.

Of course, Japanese maples imply Japanese garden style and there is a little duo pond with overhanging maple and the lovely tinkling water sounds.

This little clematis makes me think of a woodland plant.

Kelly had a nice stand of corn in the back yard and I know she grows tomatoes some years (hello, Yellow Brandywine Platfoot!). Here property goes down a fairly steep slope in a woodland with shed/workshops at the yard edge. We heard some most peculiar bird sounds during the visit!
Looking down into the woods from the yard.

There is lots to look at in the back

Finally, we gathered up by the pool which is landscaped to die for. There is something either colorful or soothing to feast the eyes in every direction.

We conclude our visit with refreshments, gathering under the umbrella and enjoying the scenery.