APGA Day 3

Long day today!  After arriving at the Hamilton Convention Centre for the American Public Garden Association conference, my first task was going through registration.  At this point in time I ran in to many folks I knew and the networking began in earnest.  I then departed on a bus tour with 50 others to see “The Gardens of Buffalo”.  We headed back over the border (passports in hand) and had a great day of seeing gardens, plants, architecture and much more in Buffalo, NY which was a beautiful city of 260,000 residents (over 1 million in the metro area).  We started at the Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens which included an historic conservatory and lots of plants and color.  We also enjoyed the surrounding gardens and park and had lunch there as well.  We then headed out to see about 10 or so private gardens in Buffalo and stopped by the annual trials at the Erie Basin Marina Gardens.  We then ate dinner on the deck of a decommissioned U.S. Naval destroyer and took a tour of this ship which is a museum as well.  Lots of fun but a long day.

Black Lace™ elderberry (Sambucus nigra ‘Eva’) looking sharp – woody shrub

the architecture around town was exceptional including in residential areas

this photo and many below feature just a small few of the plants and personal elements in each garden space

We then headed to the lake front where we enjoyed the view of Lake Erie as well as the neat trial garden (mentioned above) was filling in nicely.  Further below are some images of the staff getting ready for more visitors.  We then ate dinner on an old U.S. Naval destroyer which was very cool.