May and June are some of my favorite months in the garden . The weather is normally delightful , there is much in bloom and even more to anticipate . It is also a good time to do a little “ garden research .” Public gardening spaces near where you live will help you learn about what is working well in your own little corner of the world .

So , grab a notebook and your camera ( phone ) and we will do some local research of the public garden spaces in Enid .

There are a couple of places right here in Enid that will offer just that . The Garfield County Master Gardeners Demonstration Garden was created to show the community what will grow in Enid . Being able to see mature plants will help you imagine what your own garden can look like . Created and maintained by volunteer Master Gardeners , it contains several areas that can be incorporated into most backyard gardens .

Of particular fun is the Children ’ s Garden . Butterfly and heart shaped beds in addition to a fairy garden are designed to intrigue young gardeners . They might also enjoy learning about and experiencing the labyrinth .

Adjacent to the Children ’ s Garden you will find a gazebo surrounded by demonstration flower

beds planted with “ Oklahoma Proven ” plants . These are perennial and annual plants that have been tested and proven to be reliable choices for our area . A dry riverbed runs between the two areas .

Perhaps one of the most unique features is the “ keyhole garden .” A 6-foot-tall raised bed with a “ keyhole ” opening used for adding water and compost to the bed is patterned after keyhole gardens in Africa . The tall height was developed to prevent animals from running through their gardens .

Soon they will be adding a sensory garden created to heighten all of our senses . Something to look forward to . The Demonstration Gardens are open year-round from dawn to dusk with no entry fee and are located at 316 E Oxford .

Dillingham Garden was built

in 1920 when it was named the Sunken Garden . This century-old garden has gone through many iterations . The flood in 1973 destroyed the garden that then lay idle until 1993 when the Dillingham Family Foundation spearheaded its re-invention into the garden you will find today in Government Spring Park at 509 E . Oklahoma .

Here are flowering shrubs , including Crepe Myrtle and Mock Orange , on the perimeter of the garden . Inside the sections are a selection of perennials and self-seeding annuals . Walking the paths during the growing season will show you what will bloom month by month . Most years in late summer it will be covered in zinnias which will attract migrating Monarch butterflies .

Located across the street south of St Mary ’ s Hospital patients and their families find it a place of

respite during hospital stays .

As you travel through town you can also observe what ’ s blooming around the the square and in your neighbor ’ s yard . In my own yard I ’ ll be enjoying the Roses and Peonies as they peak around Mother ’ s Day followed by self-seeding annuals Larkspur and Poppies . Hydrangea will start their summers long blooming in early June with sun-loving perennials Gloriosa Daisy , Purple Coneflowers and Verbena Bonariensis coming on later in the month . There are many more flowering plants that can brighten your garden during these two glorious months .

Visiting the public gardens in Enid is a great way to research the season-long orchestration of blooms in your own garden . Locally owned greenhouses are also a good source for plants that will do well in our area .

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