About a month ago my friend Amy and I checked out Fabulous Flamingos: A Whimsical Garden Display at Matthaei Botanical Gardens. As you probably recall, I'm crazy about pink flamingos (or maybe just crazy), so this was a delight to see. (For proof, here's Pinky, one of my own flamingos.)
The flamingos were decorated by community members, students, and Matthaei staff. You could vote for your favorite, and this creative dragon was mine. It's made of the handyman's secret weapon (duct tape, holla Lisa!) and I liked its smile. Maybe the red protrusion is a flame, but I like to think of it as a tongue!
There were a lot of flamingos to admire.
In all kinds of decorations.
Yes, I'll be making Pinky ear muffs this winter!
Many creations were well matched to their surroundings.
I love the pink flame. Rawwwwr!
I'm rough and tumble from previous fights. I keel you.
♫ One of these things is not like the others... Does provide a kind of shared context for the dragons, though!
Of course we walked the rest of the grounds, too. I love the Alexandra Hicks Herb Garden.
Such a peaceful setting, and people do sit down there.
Delphinium, ahhhh. A plant that hates my garden, so I'm reduced to stalking it elsewhere.
You just know I'm gonna say it: Noogie! I mean, seriously.
I love Nicotiana, especially 'Lime Green.'
The edges of these stringy-petaled Echinacea pallida almost look like they were cut with tiny pinking shears. (Hands up anyone who is amazed I know what pinking shears are.)
Of course we had to go in the conservatory as well. I just love pitcher plants. I think this will enlarge if you click it.
Loved the sentiment on this t-shirt hanging outside the gift shop (or perhaps that's shoppe), but was of course too cheap to buy it!I hope none of you have suffered stress-related injuries from the shock of my recent frequent updates!
What fun Monica - love the flamingos! Glad you've been inspired to do such a plethora of posts lately - looking forward to catching up!
ReplyDeleteYou forgot to mention that we were strolling around, looking at the flamingoes and the gardens without a care in the world... as the tornado sirens were going off! No mere storm threat is keeping GF away from her flamingoes or gardens. :-)
ReplyDeleteThat strawberry flamingo is just too cool. The herb garden edging is very nice too. I don't blame you for walking the grounds. Love this garden!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun event. Loved the dragon also. Duct tape. Wow!
ReplyDeleteHallo Monica
ReplyDeleteDann kann ich ja auf Deutsch schreiben... fällt mir wesentlich einfacher :o). Was für eine originelle Idee mit den Flamingos!
Wow, der Rittersporn (Delphinum) ist wirklich grandios. Bei mir im Garten würde es ihm schon gefallen, wären da nicht die gefrässigen Mäuler der Schnecken. Ich hab's also auch aufgegeben und bestaune ihn so wie Du in anderen Gärten.
Dein Eintrag auf meinem Blog hat mich riesig gefreut. Kenne leider Buxtehude nicht oder noch nicht :o).
Liebe Grüsse aus der Schweiz
Alex
I never equated Flamingos with Dragons before--but it works! You are a master of the duct-tape. I love his little flames of fire tongue.
ReplyDeleteLove the duct tape dragon!!! Flamingos #2, #6, #7, and #13 are really cute too.
ReplyDeleteGreat display of hen and chicks on the rocks. That would be fun to try.
Marnie
#13 and his shadow! Too good! I love flamingos - unfortunately, husband doesn't. Something about silly.... whatever.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
Those are great looking flamingos. Love the shirt too!
ReplyDeleteLove the dragon's eye. Flamingo #7 is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteThe last one is an imposter - that's a heron! These are all so wonderful, but the dragon is my absolute fav.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun time with the Flamingos! I agree that #35 Duct tape was the winner but also #7 would have to be given top prize in the "What a hoot" Catagory! The shirt is a hoot as well....
ReplyDeleteThe flamingos are delightful, Monica, and just the silly chuckle I needed today. Great post ... keep 'em comin'!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh! The duct tape flamingo dragon is just too cool! Love it! I have a thing for lawn flamingos too!
ReplyDeleteYou had me at the duct tape art: very avant garde! And very Alaskan, too. People have duct tape boat races and duct tape balls with gowns made of...you guessed it!
ReplyDeleteThe seating area in the herb garden looked very relaxing. I wish our local botanical garden had such a nice group of chairs and benches to park.
Christine in Alaska
No stress-related injuries, but I'm short on time lately, so I'll have to come back to Amy's guest post later.
ReplyDeleteYou do go to so many interesting places, Monica! I love blue delphiniums, too, and would give anything to be able to grow them in my garden. And I'll try to get ahold of some gray-headed coneflower seed for next year's seed swap.
You might just make a pink flamingo convert out of me yet:)
Those are some creative looking flamingos, lol. :)
ReplyDeleteMonica what a FUN display and full of humor!Man I love the lavender shade of the herb garden!
ReplyDeleteWhen I move to my NEW home YOU can come visit!!We'll be closer to the states...about 90 minutes!I'll come visit you!smiling anna
Those are pretty crazy looking pink birds! I like the dragon best.
ReplyDeleteOh, those flamingoes are so funny! They made me smile. The garden is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThe flamingos were cool but that herb garden is amazing!
ReplyDeleteThe idea of decorating the flamingos was great. They did that in Buffalo with a Buffalo figure, of course. I think flamingos are cute in the garden and one of my neighbors uses them, but they are atypical, like the ones here. Really fun transformations and so was your duct tape dragon. Clever.
ReplyDeleteYes, indeed, that it a fun photo story. Love the dragon, but would have been hard pressed to pick a favorite. Still, keep going back to the dragon ...
ReplyDelete