MERLEBLEU - a Canadian Iris Display Garden
We thought 2012 was over ----- but not officially!  On November 6, 2012, Merlebleu received a letter from the Manitoba Good Roads Association.  We were notified that we were the winners of the Brian & Janet Nedohin Shield for the Best Country Non-Farm Home Grounds in the Manitoba Good Roads Association 2012 Competition!  


This is a great honor, and we are very excited first, to have been nominated by our municipality, and then to be notified of the prize.


The award was presented at the MGRA Banquet at the Royal Oak Inn in Brandon on Tuesday April 9, 2013,  and we were also recognized at the St. Andrews Municipality Volunteer Appreciate dinner.e


Hello Friends!
Your Hosts:  Sandra (Sandy) Eggertson and Claude Carrière

Welcome you to "Merlebleu", St. Andrews, Manitoba

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New for 2013:  The Meditation Labyrinth project was completed this year with some interesting plantings, theme gardens, and..... obelisks!  Most of the theme gardens took on their personalities this fall as  many of the iris from the nursery beds are now in their new homes.  

For those of you who have toured and know that the "hill" can be intimidating, Claude has been busy building benches!   All shapes, sizes, and colors that will be placed throughout the property!   And our hill was well used this winter for tobogganing!


Another winter project - Claude is learning to play the Native American Flute, stay tuned for some awesome music to be uploaded on the site.


The bluebirds returned on May 23rd, and have set up their nest.


And we have some new sightings - for the first time, a Rose Breasted Grosbeak.  We have researched their nesting habits, and they apparently like to nest in bluebird boxes!   Well, we have plenty of those !








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FACT  - Did you know that the Iris is the flower gift for a 25th wedding anniversary?    Or that the Iris is the February birth flower? Think about giving a continuing gift of an iris for these special occasions!




In 2011 I was very pleased and honoured to be granted status as an official Canadian Iris Display Garden by the Median Iris Society (a section of the American Iris Society).  

This year (2012) I have receive confirmation that the gardens now qualify as official display gardens for  the Historic Iris Preservation Society (HIPS) and the Dwarf Iris Society (DIS).  In addition, the Canadian Iris Society (CIS) will be listing the property as an "open garden".  
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Besides iris, you will find many other interesting plants at the property, including a vast collection of lilies (asiatics, trumpets, aurelians, martagons, and various hybrids including longiflorum asiatics, asiapets,  and orienpets); daylilies, hosta and numerous other perennials.  In 2012 Merlebleu was been chosen as one of the properties of "Friends of Manitoba Gardeners" Tour; and was an official open garden for the North American Lily Society show, which took place in July 2012. 



Please browse through the pages, and enjoy the information and photos!  If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please email us, or fill in the contact form.

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