Cindy Fillingame’s glowing, rainy-day garden

August 09, 2022

Let’s pedal on into another lovely Wisconsin garden from the Madison Fling in June, this one belonging to Cindy Fillingame. An old, three-wheeled bicycle greets you out front, a tub of yellow pansies glowing behind the seat, pink penstemon popping up through the spokes.

While Austin continues to sizzle under the merciless Death Star, it’s a visual relief for me to go through my photos of Madison’s green, moist gardens.

The day we toured Cindy’s garden, it drizzled off and on, and the garden was glowing in that rainy-day way.

Hello, kitty!

A pretty pot of succulents

Star of Bethlehem, aka Ornithogalum ponticum ‘Sochi’ (thanks for the ID, Janet)

I’m not sure if this mossy bench is even accessible among those gigantic hostas, but it’s a charming scene beneath drooping conifer needles.

Globe flower, aka Trollius hondoensis, on bendy stems

Nodding lilies add rich color.

Pretty garden art amid frothy flowers

A beautiful blue allium

I wish alliums grew more easily in Central Texas gardens, but garlic chives is about it for Austin. Or is anyone here having success with other varieties?

Not sure what this is — another allium? Drumstick allium? — but it’s charming.

Ahh, clematis and lilies — a beautiful, flowery mass of them.

Let’s enjoy another view.

And another

A reddish, organically molded birdbath harmonizes with a chocolate-colored shrub behind it. What an interesting focal point.

But back to those dewy lilies

More

And more!

Up next: A ramble through the event garden, herb garden, and English-style meadow at Olbrich Botanical Gardens. For a look back at Ann Munson’s woodland garden with found-object art, click here.

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Digging Deeper

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All material © 2024 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

6 responses to “Cindy Fillingame’s glowing, rainy-day garden”

  1. Very nice, Pam. Cindy’s garden seemed so warm and welcoming. And her lily collection was beautiful and impressive!

  2. I loved this garden. It’s where we had the lively discussion about jumping worms, complete with Margaret’s example of how they move. That’s going in her permanent file, for sure!

    Although it’s not nearly as showy as those cooler region alliums, I grow Greg Grant’s grandmother’s wild garlic. Easy to grow and it produces pale pink globes with those papery party hats each year.

    • Pam/Digging says:

      Margaret’s jumping worms are forever etched in my memory too. 🙂 And I’m glad to know about Greg Grant’s grandmother’s wild garlic. Now how do we all get some?

  3. Lisa Bowman says:

    What a lush colorful garden.