Vol. 1 - Site 9: Dr. Deb Tolman's 2nd Annual Keyhole Garden Tour - If Liz Were Queen

I just returned from Dr. Deb's annual Keyhole Garden Tour today. If you can make the trek to Clifton Texas (only two hours away from Garland) next year, I highly recommend it. I guarantee that you'll never be the same! I met more characters and interesting people today than I normally come across in an entire year. To tell even part of today's adventure will take me at least three more posts.

Today's experience reminded me of visiting Watts Towers in LA--another adventure that leaves one almost gasping for air as new realities and thoughts of what is possible are suddenly redefined without any warning for the viewer.

A bottle sculpture at the Norse Gold Honey Co. The rock house in the background dates from the 1880's.

Keyhole Garden 9 on the tour--the Norse Gold Honey Co.

Keep in mind this is only one of 9 keyhole garden sites on the tour today.

In addition to three beautiful keyhole gardens, Emily Neal and Bob Miller have a collection of historic rock houses they have preserved from the late 1880's. Their property also includes numerous hives, but the honey is reserved for their relatives and is not sold commercially. The apparatus below is used to demonstrate to children how gutters work. It's a piece of corrugated tin on top of an ironing board with drain spouts attached at two corners of one end. A bucket is situated under each drain spout.

Also at Keyhole Garden Site Number 9 on the tour today, there were three lovely keyhole gardens. Below is one made of stones that abound in the area. The inside walls of this Keyhole garden are constructed of 48 double concrete blocks. The stone is attached with mortar to the outside of the concrete blocks.

Here is a another keyhole garden at site 9. This one contains peach trees and its walls are constructed from cedar. The chicken wire around the garden protects the trees from nibbling deer.

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The FarmGirls were there at Keyhole Garden site 9!

Marilyn Simmons poses for me among her plants. I purchased a Tuscan melon graft for Charlie. Marilyn told me that it is believed this particular graft is the same Tuscan melon that Thomas Jefferson brought back with him from one of his trips to Italy.

I met FarmGirls Marilyn and Donnelle Simmons--a mother/daughter duo. Back in July of last year I featured them in an article on another one of my sites. They have a radio show every Friday at 1pm for garden inspiration. Tune in to 770KAAM. You can also visit their website at Garden Inspirations.

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Ray's Rabbit Ranch was also featured at Keyhole Garden Site 9

They were serving rabbit chili and selling rabbit manure. I purchased 50 pounds of rabbit manure for $5--quite a deal. Rabbit manure is a cool manure that will not burn plants and does not have to be composted. It's very rich in nitrogen and plants love it.

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