120 photos were taken today (ALL PHOTOS COPYRIGHT KARLA BORGLUM SANTORO), and I only deleted about 6, so I'll try to use some self-control when posting. :roll: :shock: It's very very windy today, so I had to be patient and wait for blooms to stop moving. :D I'll mix up gardens with close ups for your viewing pleasure. Dad can be contacted at
http://www.borglumsiris.com/ His email isn't on every page, but if you look on the bottom of a few there's a mailbox with his email; his phone number is on several pages.

Very few of these are taken of the same garden. I'll post in order as one would get out of the car parked along the road--and walk all around to the other side. It's a giant loop around the house.

Here's what you'd see from the road. When I left there were 15 cars parked along side the road--customers. He allows "dig-your-own" in many specific places, but others are growing beds and for Dad only to dig.

I used a new setting on my camera and I'm pleased with the results.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0142.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0143.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0144.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0146.jpg
This is the dwarf iris bed--past bloom, but someone PMd me about them. I thought you'd like to see how many he has.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0147.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0150.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0151.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0152.jpg
I've always loved this one--Dad knows all, and I do mean ALL the names. :wink:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0153.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0149.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0148.jpg
I'd call this the third tier of gardens from the road, and if you look in the distance, you can see there are MANY more growing beds beyond.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0156.jpg
Everything is in nice neat rows, so any massively full shots like this are taken across rows.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0157.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0154.jpg
The sign reads "No Dig Area." These are Lupines.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0159.jpg
One of my favorite shots :!: :!: :!:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0161.jpg
Going up a hill to more gardens.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0160.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0162.jpg
Back farther....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0163.jpg
Siberian Iris.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0164.jpg
Out back (not all the way back) turning left to walk up a hill--there are many peony beds out this way.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0165.jpg
Looking back down the hill from where we just came. :D
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0166.jpg
Wind blurred the photos, but you get the idea. I LOVE this peony.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0170.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0172.jpg
Out back even farther--all growing beds. Looking right....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0173.jpg
And left....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0174.jpg
Circling around, but not all the way back.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0176.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0181.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0182.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0184.jpg
We're working on circling around--this is about 2/3 of the way around.
Siberian growing bed.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0188.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0194.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0195.jpg
Now we're beside the house--kind of--opposite side we were on when we came in. But--it's a big circle. :wink: This is Dad's Hosta bed... (I used to pole bend my horse around these trees. :D )
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0192.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0197.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0198.jpg
Various gardens on the opposite side of the house from where we started. But these are to the right of the driveway if you pulled in.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0199.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0200.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0202.jpg
If you pulled in the driveway--you'd see this on your left.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0206.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0207.jpg
And this on your right.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0209.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0208.jpg
If we walked in front of the house, over to almost where we started... you'd see these gardens on the way.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0210.jpg
This was my mom's memorial garden, but the sign wasn't up, so I'm not sure if that's what it's still called.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0212.jpg
And this is where we started--looking out to the road. See your vehicle? :wink:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0213.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0216.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0218.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0219.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0225.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0221.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0223.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0227.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0229.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0230.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0238.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0237.jpg
Peony blossom
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0243.jpg
I've never seen this color Columbine!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0245.jpg
Or these!! Wow! Funky! :D
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0255.jpg
I couldn't resist a close up.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0257.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0261.jpg
Dad's front and side yard.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/IMG_0262.jpg

Thanks for coming!! :D

*drools* I loved every inch of it :)

Wow!! Your dad's place is AWESOME :D :D :D I could spend days there wandering around!!! I love your mom's memorial garden, too :D :D :D Thanks for sharing!!!

I could get so lost there!
It's beautiful!
Your dad just knows how to make some beautiful flowers, doesn't he?
Thanks for the tour and thanks to your dad for the wonderful colors!

OMG..I'm in love..Iris are my favorite, peony not far behind. Your Dad must be a remarkable man. I could work in fields like that all day long :D After five years of combat with thistle (I ripped out the previous owner's very old shrubs and I think every bird in the universe nested in them and deposited years worth of seeds!!), I am ready to start some planting and landscaping. I think his website is definately a destination. I miss the lavender color flags my mom had and the current owners ripped them out and trashed them :evil: :evil: Thank you for the gorgeous pictures, I needed a little grin in my heart today.

Mary

Karla, these are wonderful! Thanks for posting them. I saw many colors that I have never seen before....even at the botanical gardens...

WOW! I loved every minute of my personal tour :wink:

It makes me wish I had such a vision...what a wonderful spot.

The iris is my favorite flower, so I loved looking at all the pictures. Do people order from you dad online?

Yup, Ducky! I checked with him today. :wink:

Truly amazing.........flowers, pictures and story. Enjoyed them all. I have a dear friend who would never leave your Dad's garden. She loves Iris'. Thanks for sharing your day and your talent.