Lily Fest 2008 and One Opinion

Lily Fest 2008 was held Friday July 11th through Sunday July 13th.
This was my first time to attend the event and was quite eager to see
the 4 acres of gardens and displays. It is well advertised and attended by
thousand's each year. Fixed with camera and newly charged batteries
I was off to snap as many pictures as the memory in my camera would
hold. My purpose for attending was to gain more knowledge
of flowers and flower bed lay outs, to of course look upon the beauty of
the flowers, and to feel the peacefulness that I get while walking
among my own flowers and flowerbeds.
I debated whether or not to even give a review of the fest or just
add the pictures and end it at that because:

I am a country girl and have not an ounce of culture or refinement in my bones.
I am just a small time flower gardener with small flower beds.
I not a horticulturist and do not know one Latin name for even one flower.
I have no artistic ability even with clay or crayons.
And finally who cares about my little opinion.

I tried to dismiss it but the country girl and lover of nature would
not let me keep my opinions to myself and not let er' just fly.
Soooo ! I was disappointed when I first entered the gardens and before
my eyes were all of these artisan vendors blocking everything. Do
not get me wrong, I love crafted and beautiful garden accents,
pottery, jewelry, stained glass, plants, and paintings. I like to
be entertained and variety in music.
What I do not like is that they are all planted within the different
garden venues blocking the view of the flower beds and making it difficult
to see the displays and which way the paths are suppose to go from one
to the next. There are four acres and to tell the truth I could only find the
first half acre. That of course could have been just me and everyone else
found their way just fine, maybe I am the only person who is direction
challenged and cannot see through vendor tents. My ears did detect
from one gentleman who had the same , deer in the head lights look,
which had to be on my own face, saying "where are the *@*#! Lily's?"
After an hour of trying to get pictures of the flower beds
(vendors not included) and the various flowers, art , etc. I threw up my
arms and said, "I am out of here".
Do not get me wrong, Lily Fest had something for everyone and was a
great event.
There were fantastic artisan made iron and clay pottery accents from
some of the most talented artisans. Beautiful flowers, flower beds,
ponds and a cane path. Talented musicians for the music lovers. Many
of the flower beds were sponsored by fellow gardeners so there was a
variety , though I wished more had the names of their flowers and bushes
labeled. The artist iron or pottery work scattered in their flower
beds was beautiful, unique, whimsical and one was even something just
not in my taste. I am not a prude, love all kinds of art including nudes
but to just display a numerous amount of clay butt cheeks in ones
garden bed. Well excuse my ignorance because I just did not get the art
part or even the whimsy, but the artist and rightly so would have the
right to tell me "to just kiss off".
But when it comes down my own preferences I would have liked the
artisan tents to be in an area to themselves and not breaking up the
flow of the flowerbeds and pathways. Do not shot the messenger, hey,
I purchased something, so I do like all of
the aspects of gardening. For my own preferences I throughly enjoyed
the " Hocking House" and their open house much more. Though it was
smaller in area it was much more enjoyable because the artisan vendors
were in a separate area and did not take take away the beauty and
purpose of the flower beds. I was able to walk around an look
at the flowers, beds and art accents to my peaceful heart's content
and soak it all in. Then I went to all of the vendors and looked at all
of their fantastic artistry. One did not
encroach upon another and it in the end served the same purpose.
But for those who do not mind all of the reasons that seemed to disappoint
myself it is a wonderful event.

So enough said, here are the pictures from Lily Fest 2008.


















More Pictures From Lily Fest 2008