Garden and Pond Tour 2013 - Part 3

One of the beautiful things we saw on this part of the tour.  The statue sits on a wooden bridge, and he is holding a glass jar with fire flies. 

Part 3 of the Merritt Island Ace Hardware Pond  Tour

The last garden we saw on the tour was Kim Raney's on Merritt Island.  I don't know how this woman finds the time to garden because she works full time for Ace Hardware as their garden/pond consultant in addition to working part time at a pet store.  The gardens cover about six acres, and has been a work in progress over the past thirty-five years. 

Kim's home is a lovely stone cottage surrounded by oaks trees.

Beside the house, approaching the gardens....

The back porch looks out over a beautiful natural pond, filled with fish 

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This garden is done in shades of purple

Can you see the ceramic peacock among the ferns?

This swing is covered by a "red" passion flower.  I'd never seen that color before.  The white and purple plant grows wild in our area. 

This the cottage garden.  The archway is covered by Confederate jasmine, in full bloom, and smelling heavenly!

More of the cottage garden.  This was my favorite garden of all.

I love this combination of pink and blue

Isn't it lovely to turn a corner and see French doors leading you to another garden?

Kim uses so many elements in her garden spaces.  I love the bird cage.

One of the many places to stop, rest and enjoy the beauty of G-d's creation.  You won't believe what is behind that seating area....

Meet Kim's donkey!  A very friendly pet!

Do you see the "face" on the tree?

Another garden room to enjoy the entertainment provided by the birds ad butterflies.

The entrance to this area is covered by an archway with this unusual plant.  Kim told us it is called Dutchman's Purse.  Very interesting - feels like velvet, but filled with air.

There was much more to Kim's garden, but sadly, my camera battery gave out.  We went on to see an amazing  3,000 sq. ft. enclosed koi pond filled with beautiful orchids, tropical plants and pottery.  There was a very nice shaded seating area, where we rested and enjoyed the koi, that were about a foot long. 

Next was the 5,000 gallon "hippo" pond filled with water lillies and statues of hippos frolicking in the water.

Kim has a beautiful pool with a Hawaiian lanai for parties, surrounded by a tropical garden with small ponds, and paths that lead through bamboo and flowering tropical plants.  

We missed the vegetable gardens because the rains came.  I am sure it is as outstanding and awe-inspiring as the rest of the gardens.  

It was very educational to see the types of plants and flowers that will thrive in this Florida climate.  My husband is the gardener of the family, and he has a long to-do list for our garden.  He said maybe our yard will be on the tour next year.  Here's a picture of The Golden's Pond...

I love my pond, and my sweet husband who built it for me because I love sitting by the water.

Our pond has lights, and is really beautiful at night. 

This is our first night-blooming cereus flower.  We planted it about two years ago. 

You can read more about this amazing plant in this blog post I wrote a couple of years ago.  HERE

Next year, I will be prepared with my "real" camera, an umbrella, and will get an earlier start.  The tour included nineteen gardens, and we only saw five before the rains came. We look forward to the next tour in 2014.


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Spiritual Sundays
Let's Get Social Sunday
Make Your Home Sing
The Modest Mom
The Better Mom
An Original Belle

SharingHis Beauty

Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

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Titus 2 Tuesday 

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Encourage One Another Wednesdays

Winsome Wednesday

A Wise Woman Builds
A Hope in Every Season Homemaking Link-Up 
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The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home
Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life
Thought Provoking Thursday
Jill's Home Remedies
Little Natural Cottage
Hearts for Home
Favorite Things
Faith Filled Friday

Weekend Bloggy Reading at   Serenity Now