How often we work in our own gardens and forget how important it is to visit the ones around us. Whenever I visit another garden, I become inspired and see so many different ways that I can make improvements in my own. Different plant combinations, new cultivars, hardscaping all come into play. It just seems to give you another way of looking at it. Sometimes you study the same space day after day and just can't visualize it anymore. Time to stand back, make a trip to another garden, and go get inspired!

So, off we go to Sweden! This excursion will bring us to a botanical garden that is located on Gotland which is an island out in the middle of the Baltic Sea. The garden itself is protected by a medieval limestone wall which totally surrounds the city of Visby. The winters are fairly mild in comparison to ours and I found quite a bit of plant material thriving there which would not tolerate our harsher climate.

This deciduous shrub, Leycesteria formosa, was still blooming profusely in mid October. Hardy to zone 7, this multi stem shrub grows to around 5' high. Its fruit serves as a food source for pheasants and many other game birds. Hence it's common name, Pheasant-eye.

As we strolled thru the gardens, I noticed many of the annuals were still in full bloom. Apparently they did not have a hard frost yet. Osteospermum (cape daisy) and Verbena (vervain) carpeted the ground with swirls of lavender, white and shades of pink.

Fall blooming perennials were in abundance. Cimicifuga, Sedum and Persicaria were all still lush and full. I love this combination! The dark burgundy stems and splotch on the leaves of the Persicaria are very dramatic when planted next to Cimicifuga whose white, fuzzy plumes are a wonderful contrast to the plant's deep purple foliage.

What a fantastic idea this is! How convenient would it be to have a nice looking compost bin within the confines of the garden? Small branches were lashed together to form these bins. Very useful and attractive.

Gotland is referred to as the 'Island of Roses and Ruins' and both were prevalent everywhere you looked. Many rose beds flanked the walkways in the botanical garden.

Along many of the narrow cobblestone streets you would see roses climbing up trellises or planted in small courtyards still in full bloom.

I was very fortunate to be able to visit this gorgeous botanical garden and to come away from it feeling so inspired. I know now that you should take every opportunity to see other gardens throughout the year. It is so rewarding and will greatly influence how you design your own landscape. Take advantage of local garden tours in your area and may I also recommend a book called Open Days Directory published by The Garden Conservancy. As advertised, it is a guide to visiting America's best private gardens.

Botaniska Tradgarden in Visby, Sweden