Quilts keep you warm at night. Many quilts tell life stories. My grandmothers and mother were quilters. I did not inherit that skill but am the proud owner of several quilts, as are my children and grandchildren.

One of the newest trends the past couple of years is taking the designs of our grandmothers and turning them into horticultural masterpieces. There are tons of ideas, large and small.

If you have never seen a blooming quilt flower garden, you have missed a treat. These provide a spectacular display of beautiful flowers arranged in creative ways that mimic a quilt. It seems ironic that these flower “beds” are made of quilt squares for another type of bedding (blankets).

Most quilt flower gardens have been developed by the Amish. I believe there are a few quilt square gardens in Holmes County. However, northeastern Indiana is the premier spot for visit to marvel at these gardens.

Most gardens are created using annual flowers. There is a 90-mile Heritage Trail Driving Tour that includes murals that winds through the countryside from Memorial Day until late September.

My sister lives in Goshen, Elkhart County, Ind. This is in the heart of Indiana Amish country and the home of many outstanding quilt gardens. I have visited some of these gardens and would like to visit more. These gardens are breathtaking, complex, intricate, designs made of flowers. What is not to love?

I understand that Elkhart County Master Gardener volunteers get involved with creating some of the gardens, help with planting and care, and conduct tours among the gardens. What an experience that must be. They have even developed a guidebook with recipes to create your own quilt garden.

There are gardening challenges in a quilt garden just as in our gardens. Watering is a major chore during dry summers. Too much rain has harmed gardens also. Then there are insects, weeds and critters to contend with. Some gardens have had to be replanted three times. Each garden may need upwards of 5,000 plants to create the right picture. Just trying to imagine the colors of the flowers (grasses and mulches also are used) is indeed mind-boggling.

North Carolina Arboretum, outside of Asheville, has a quilt garden that blooms through several seasons. I have not visited that garden, but it just went on my bucket list.

Now here is a challenge for you: Create your own quilt garden. Maybe it could be a project to teach young gardeners about quilts and to teach them about the handiwork of their ancestors. You could recreate a block from a family heirloom. It could be as simple or as complex as you can image. How about a quilt made of flowers and vegetables? I would assume it would take a very creative, rich, dedicated and hard-working gardener to achieve this.

As for me, I will stop by to visit your masterpiece!

To download recipes for a quilt block to grow a quilt garden in your yard, go to http://go.osu.edu/quiltgardens.