First PUMC Garden Tour

It Was a Beautiful Day

June 28, 2014 was the scheduled day for the first Peoples UMC Garden Tour. The Lord could not have provided a more beautiful day for this event planned through the Peoples UMC Garden Club. While all members of the club had input it was primarily organized by Ruth Doughty. Kudos to Ruth and all the others who planned and participated in this event.

Beginning at the church garden on Broadway, participants had the opportunity to see and observe up close, the present garden originally planted in memory of Lorraine Hodgkins, the mother of Andrea Hodgkins Harvey and her brother Bryan who both attended Sunday school at Peoples where Lorraine was a teacher and Sunday school Superintendent. Located in the garden area is also a granite bench dedicated to Bob Porter, a long time member of Peoples.

As the group gathered the following were present: Dan and Ruth, Art and Marlene, Keith and Becky, Len and Pam, Doreen, Janice, Rachel, Carol, and Kathy. Once we had been introduced to the church garden it was time to enter our cars and head for Chuck and Joanne’s house and garden. Nestled within a community of older homes, we were treated to a number of small gardens that mixed flowers and vegetables on either side of the driveway and across the front of the house. Our introduction to small family gardens at this first stop was a wonderful example of a small garden with multiple purposes.

After a visit of half an hour we loaded up the cars again and headed for the home of Dan and Ruth in a neighborhood just off Pillsbury Street not far from Willard Square. Set back on the lot, Ruth and Dan’s house was surrounded by lawn and many gardens. Color was obvious everywhere and one could observe that flowers would continue to move from bud to bloom for some time to come. Attractive as the gardens at this location were it was also interesting to observe the use of bricks and stone in walkways and patio. Fascinating also was the tree house that was created when a sizeable tree was cut down and a platform built on what remained. We were all sure that the tree house must be a popular place when the grandchildren come to visit. A restful looking back porch with comfortable seating would provide a wonderfully relaxing place to simply observe grass and plants living in harmony in the back yard. Coffee cake and drinks topped off the visit to this home and gardens.

Motoring to Stop 3 the caravan of vehicles knew when they arrived at the home of Art and Marlene by the colorful pinwheel placed on the front lawn. Each of the stops on the route were identified by a similar many-colored pinwheel. Exiting the vehicles participants were treated to a colorful display of many perennials and annuals located at the front of the house especially on either side of the front walk. As the troupe proceeded to the back yard observers could see a number of window boxes as well as hanging baskets of annuals. The back yard was surrounded by many perennial gardens and shrubs. Holly, Forsythia, Pink Pussy Willow, Rhododendrons and Azaleas are not in bloom but add a variety of green to the yard. Titania, the resident fairy, could be seen as well as other small garden statuary. It is obvious that the yard is “bird friendly” with feeding stations around the yard. Venturing further into the yard folks could take a trip to “Fern Gully” down the stairs to the lower gardens that border on Trout Brook.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back on the road around 11 o’clock everyone headed for the last stop at Carol and Dave’s in a development off Highland Avenue. Everyone was greeted in addition to Carol at this location by Dave, Randi, Rosemary and Chris. The expansive grounds of this home have a variety of gardens that mix flowers, shrubs and vegetables. Tastefully planted and arranged our last stop on this year’s tour provided us with yet another interesting series of gardens that again may have given others on the tour some ideas for their own gardens. As much as the garden tour introduced us to each others’ gardens being together for a great time of fellowship in a beautiful world on a beautiful day both of which has been provided to us by our God for whom we thank for the many blessings this day and other days in our lives are gifted to all of us.