Redbuds and Wrens: Spring Folly

Folly is the direct pursuit of happiness and beauty. - George Bernard Shaw

After returning home from our road trip south my sister-in-laws, Lenora and Janice, and I decided we would take in the Dayton Philharmonic Designer Show House and Garden after seeing it advertised many times on t.v.

Located in beautiful Oakwood, this French Eclectic home with Colonial Revival nuance was built in 1920 and was spaciously beautiful.

We went when the tour began to beat any hot humid heat that may occur as well as a crowd that might form at such events as this.

It actually turned out to be a fairly cool day with intermittent light sprinkles of spring rain. Everything was lush, green and well manicured. Today was the final day of the tour and I think the crowd has already seen it. Looking across the way a Spanish style home can be seen.

We enjoyed browsing the home with it's many light and airy rooms decorated by some of our very own home town designers such as, Sharon Bledsoe Designs, David Fair Interiors, J. Stuart Parker Interiors and Luken Interiors. One of my favorite spaces was this great screened in patio just off the breakfast room. What a great place to come to. I could imagine having my morning coffee from a place such as this and relax while watching the birds, butterflies, squirrels and garden. Just beyond the screen was a water feature with a bubbling fountain coming out of an old brass horn and koi fish swimming about.

There were two sky lights in this space. The lighting was subdued and calm. A beige curtain was shirred on tension rods to cover the skylights which rendered an etherial feel to the space.

A wooden deck beyond the screened porch with an inset long narrow water feature.

The neighborhood is beautiful with a mixture of styles to add uniqueness to the area. This home is an English Tudor style. Today you travel through a neighborhood of homes you may see a few styles with a variation, but basically looking very cookie cutter similar.

Deeds Carillon Park

After taking in the home we were close by the Deeds Carillon Park and were curious to take a drive to it to see how it had changed over time. We found a little cafe on the premises to have lunch. Deeds Carillon Park is a great place to come for some of Dayton's history. It's a museum with buildings housing things like, the Wright Brother's plane, a grist mill, early transportation such as a Ford Model T, trolley car, a locomotive, a coach car, caboose, printer's press, cabin, tavern and much more.

It happened to strike on the hour when we arrived and the bells were playing John Phillip Sousa's Stars and Stripes Forever or maybe it was George M. Cohan's, Your A Grand Old Flag regardless, we were enjoying it's chime and tune.

We completed our day with a stop at Wegerzen Gardens on the north side of Dayton. A few more sprinkles, but nothing to ruin our time together. It felt as though we had just extended our recent vacation. We enjoyed the flowers in bloom at the time.

A fun wooden structure reminiscent of a wigwam.

This is a great fun maze made for children to enjoy playing in and through. It was built by Patrick Dougherty of native laurel and willow twigs. Pretty amazing feature. Quite sculptural. In fact, here are some of his other creations elsewhere in other parks in the U.S., out west in particular.

Here we are walking inside and you can tell kids would love playing in this gnarly mess of organized twigs. It's roomy and spacious and there are many ways to see your way around and get out.

I love this child size table and chairs.

Can this be considered a Folly? A place that has no special purpose other than the fact that it can be built and it can be placed as an element of interest in the garden. I found a few other Follies that can be enjoyed and have been enjoyed by their original creators to enhance their gardens from the past.