Happy Friday GPODers!

We’ve made it to the finale of Cherry’s fall trip to Heronswood Garden. She’s shown us so many amazing scenes from the botanic garden, but she’s saved a special treat for the final submission. (Be sure to circle back if you’ve missed any of the previous parts of this series: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3)

Best part of my visit was spending time with Riz Reyes (Assistant Director at Heronswood since 2022)!

I was quite inspired watching Riz create this extraordinarily beautiful edible mushroom centerpiece for their Heronswood in-person class: “A Foray for Fungi, with David Biek.” I also had the pleasure of watching him cook some of the mushrooms before they were served to the class participants. Yummy vegan sauce! Thank you very much Riz! It as a truly fun day for me.

Foraged greens from the garden for the centerpiece. Here’s a video on how he created the centerpiece: Video of Riz from Cherry’s Instagram

A wonderful alternative to the usual floral and pumpkin Thanksgiving centerpiece don’t you think? Note the “featured plants”board in the background.

Specimens at the class. I’m not sure if these were brought in by the participants.

Riz cooking various mushrooms with a yummy vegan sauce. They were served over toasted baguettes.

I went gaga over these the moment we arrived! Riz grew these gorgeous Japanese chrysanthemums from cuttings! 👏👏 I believe they’re spider chrysanthemums, possibly Tarantula series. When I posted about these on my social media, there were several who commented how difficult it is to find spider chrysanthemums. 🥲

Riz has a truly enviable collection, spider chrysanthemums in so many vibrant colors.

There is so much to admire about these curly, unusual flowers.

Though, you still can’t go wrong with the more commonplace mum (Dendranthema grandiflora, Zones 7–9 or as an annual) either.

‘Elegant Sound Pavilion’ rough-leaved hydrangea (Hydrangea aspera ‘Elegant Sound Pavilion’, Zones 7–10). Heronswood has the most beautifully unique hydrangeas I’ve ever seen.

Check out that foliage!

I was all over this compact tongue fern (Pyrrosia lingua ‘Compacta’, Zones 7–10) hanging planter. It’s one of many pyrrosias from Riz’ private collection.

Thank you for yet another amazing trip to a stunning botanical garden, Cherry! I’m sure I’m not the only one that gets endless travel inspiration from the gardens you visit and graciously share with us.

If you’re sitting on a stock pile of great photos from a public garden you visited this year, consider sending some into the GPOD! Follow the directions below to submit.

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