We were hopeful, that’s certain.
The day was slipping away while we were on our driving tour of Elkhart County, Indiana’s Quilt Gardens on the Heritage Trail last summer (2023), but we were hopeful that we’d manage to view them all before the sun set.
With four more gardens to visit, we located Linton’s Enchanted Gardens’ Wings of Hope quilt-designed plot of flowers located at 315 C.R. 17 in Elkhart.
A wooden bridge structure enabling viewers to overlook and/or photograph the garden proved to be a nice feature we found and took advantage of at this huge garden center.
Linton’s Enchanted Gardens partners with the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer and features Vera Bradley products, made in Indiana, in their retail store. Each year, the garden center incorporates a Breast Cancer Awareness pattern into their quilt garden theme.
The Wings of Hope garden featured Sun Storm Purple Vinca, Sun Storm Bright Red Vinca, Diana Loving White Dianthus, and Jamie Yellow Marigolds but wasn’t yet at its full maturity.
However, it was large with six plots of flowers. I didn’t have a wide-angle lens to capture the garden in its entirety, so the collage below taken with three different shots of the flowers had to suffice.
The garden’s size fit right in with Linton’s, which is Indiana’s largest home and garden center. We didn’t take time to check out the rest of the center which features several family-themed activities as well as the retail gardening shop and nursery.
Not only can customers find all their plants, trees, and shrub needs in the nursery which also offers unusual and rare plants, but gardening supplies of all kinds including those for water gardens, interior and outdoor décor, and landscaping items and design help are available.
So why is Linton’s called the “enchanted gardens?” Because not only was the quilt designed garden on display on the north side of the main building, but families can enjoy train rides, pedal go-karts, hand-pedaled trains, gemstone mining, family quad cycle riding, paddleboats, a shooting gallery game, and climb into water orbs to float on a pond, all for a fee. Free opportunities include visiting the petting zoo, playing on a treehouse, and feeding Japanese Koi fish for a few cents worth of food.
And if you get hungry yourself, you can stop into the Garden Café for lunch. The menu offers various sandwiches, salads, beverages, and snacks. According to the center’s website, birthday parties, weddings, and other events can be booked at Linton’s Enchanted Gardens as well.
It seemed like a place full of hope for an entertaining time along with a chance to bring some plants home in hopes of a bountiful and beautiful result.
“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” ~ Audrey Hepburn
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Mama's Empty Nest 
I like this garden’s bridge as much as the garden itself. For some reason it reminds me of the bridge in Monet’s garden in Arles. I’d never heard of Vera Bradley; I had to look her up to see what she was about. Speaking of flowers — my goodness! Some of her designs are gorgeous. I could have been tempted by the oversized hobo bag, but then I looked at the price tag. It’s not horrid, but it’s more than I’d want to pay. Still, I’m glad to know about her products; there might be a small Christmas gift or two among them.
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I liked the bridge too. Of course, the garden wasn’t in full maturity yet because they aren’t planted until May 30 and we were there in mid June. Aren’t Vera Bradley’s designs lovely. but they are a bit pricey. One year for Christmas my oldest daughter gave me a Vera Bradley umbrella and sunglass case. I love them.
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