for everyone who wants to know what Gail and Abby are doing all summer and fall
(and why we often do not answer emails right away!) ............
this page has a LOT of photos so may take awhile to load

The GIBBON'S
FAMILY GARDENS

The front garden in midsummer.
Still a little weedy but beautiful all the same!

Coming up the front walk to the house . . .

late summer

and in early summer.
The garden changes with the seasons.
We have two in-ground water ponds . . . . . . . . .


the large pond has many plants and is stocked with gold fish.
It attracts s number of wild creatures - frogs and salamanders live
here all year. They hibernate in the mud around the plants. We also
get herons and egrets and small mammals and needed to build an underwater cage with doors to protect the fish. We run
a stock tank heater in the cold winter.


Water Lotus
and it's beautiful flowers
 

The Koi Pond as you come down the front steps. This was our first pond.
It became the "Koi Pond" when the koi became so large they dug up all
the water plants and needed a home alone.
The koi will come up and eat out of your hand and allow you to pet
them. We have five koi, the three large ones you can see and two
smaller ones that are younger by about 5 years.

Abby created her own above ground water garden
this spring. Like Grandma she had to have garden statues to finish the look.
Water Gardens are fun and can be kept in any
container that will hold water, just remember to
put a comple little fish in to control mosquitoes.
The gardens are full of statues that we have collected over the years . . . . . . . . .
Angels . . . .

The IMAGINE FOUNTAIN
found as you walk up the front walk.
and animals . . .
and the flowers just go on and on . . . . . . . . .

This summer's project was creating space for the gliding swing
by the front walk way. It looks at the lotus pond and is a wonderful
place to spend time just enjoying life!

Abby's Hosta bed off the back deck.
This is in her play yard and she loves this
garden. Notice she has placed garden
statues in it as well.
 
 


The birdbath attracts a wide
selection of wildlife including
butterflies and birds.
We have found that Bluebirds
and the Orioles love to bathe
the most. This summer they were
often joined by Scarlet Tanagers,


One of Chuck's apple trees. We planted four when
we bought the house and now have more apples
then we can use!

The photo on the left shows the garden from
the backside partly under by this apple tree. The
Bee Balm (red flower) is great for buterflys.

We have a Harrelson apple, a Jonathon apple,
a Sweet 16 (a U of M development) apple
and a Honey Crisp.apple.

Gail's favorite - the Lilies

Great Grandma's favorite
deep red Lilies

Notice the unusual lily with petals
of different colors. I just think
this flower is so interesting!
and the vegetable garden . . . . . . . . .
Looking in over the garden gate in early summer.
Beans in the foreground then the tomatoes and corn
fills the back section of the garden.

The side by the shed offers shade
with the help of a young ash tree
that is now about 10 years old to
the raspberries and Brussels sports.