Mark your calendars! The Girard Garden Tour fundraiser for GACF is happening on Saturday, June 17, 2017, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Tickets are $10 and include six raffle tickets for gardening prizes. They can be purchased at:
- Jenny’s Flower Shoppe, Girard
- Silvercreek Antique Mall, Girard
- In The Garden, Pittsburg
Lunch will be served at the First Christian Church Memory Garden and Park, 108 W. Walnut in Girard. Lunches are $6 and will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Keep reading to learn more!
Table of Contents
A Fundraiser for Who?
Garden Tour ticket proceeds will go to the Girard Area Community Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 2010 by a group of Girard area residents who saw the importance of planning for the future of our proud communities. When folks ask GACF trustees what they do, the quick answer is, “We help people who want to do something good for Girard area communities find a way to do it.” GACF engages people and connects resources while cultivating and inspiring the dreams of our neighbors.
Lunch proceeds will benefit the First Christian Church Building Fund.
The Gardens
Garden 1: Roger & Cheryl Breneman
Roger and Cheryl Breneman began creating a backyard wonderland for their children several years ago. Today, their grandchildren enjoy the playful, inviting space. A glistening pool, a rustic treehouse, a fairy garden, and a small, bubbling pond are among the treasures their backyard holds for kids of all ages!
Meander through the pathways that encircle the pool and take in the numerous spots to stop and play a while. The adult in you will appreciate the relaxing wooden swing, the interesting flea-market treasures, the cutting garden, and the comfy deck that has hosted many Breneman family get-togethers.
Garden 2: Darren & Leanna Doherty (Farlington)
Darren and Leanna Doherty consider the dock their favorite room of the house. Weather permitting, that’s where they will be found, enjoying the view of the lake and their waterfall, surrounded by hanging baskets and potted plants. Their picturesque dock is quite possibly the perfect entertaining spot. Countless hours are spent here with friends and family. Truly an extension of their living space, the Dohertys’ dock boasts a gazebo with climbing bougainvillea, ample seating for guests, a captivating waterfall, and bursts of glorious colors in their many potted plants. It’s inviting to both heir guests and boaters who drift by. You’ll want to stay and enjoy their little piece of heaven on earth.
Garden 3: Wilda Pentola (Farlington)
Take a tranquil walk through the woods at Wilda Pentola’s inviting lakeside home. Wilda has created a peaceful, shady oasis among her many mature trees. Various ground covers and perennials, unique garden art pieces, and a colorful array of blooming annuals add interest along the meanering paths. Benches and other sitting areas entice visitors to stay a while and take in the subtle beauty of Wilda’s gardens.
Because of the very natural surroundings, Wilda incorporates deer-, raccoon-, and rabbit-resistant plants. However, Wilda admits that she plants impatiens despite the fact that the deer view them as dessert–and it seems they invite their friends to enjoy them, too!
Garden 4: Joe Bournonville & Katharine Spigarelli (Farlington)
Planting for the environment, for the pollinators, for the birds, for the conservation of water: these are the reasons that Joe and Katharine choose native plants. Their gardens are admittedly not the manicured perfection that the artistic eye hopes for, but the wildlife they attract do not seem to mind.
As you look around their lovely lakeside yard, you’ll see non-natives mixed with natives–and you’ll even see some weeds. The non-natives came with the house, and the weeds, well, Katharine and Joe don’t mind them. After all, says Katharine, a weed is simply a plant that isn’t where you want it to be.
Their plants are labeled, and catalogs from the Missouri Wildflower Nursery will be available at their home to help you learn more about planting native.
Garden 5: Sharon Starr
You won’t know where to start exploring when you get to Sharon Starr’s home! Her expansive yard has numerous gardens with various themes and focal points. The landscaping around the house features a long waterfall set amidst a gorgeous display of ornamental trees, shrubs, and perennials. A gazebo with an inviting gathering space, a long berm with ornamental grasses and blooming beauties, a tribute garden to lost loved ones, interesting flea-market finds, and a garden shed full of antiques and treasures are among the many features of Sharon’s amazing yard.
Sharon and her sister will also have handmade garden boxes and birdhouses available for purchase, so come prepared to shop! Give yourself time to enjoy this one!
Garden 6: Neil & Becky Willard
Go Wildcats! Avid Kansas State University fans, Neil and Becky Willard’s gardens pay homage to their favorite college. All of their flowering plants have purple blooms! A large pond with a lovely waterfall is surrounded by ornamental grasses and lush foliage, as well as flowering shrubs and potted annuals in every glorious shade of purple. A wide variety of perennials border the large front porch and generous back deck. Purple K-State Wildcats adorn picks that peek out of several spots, grace a decorative stone or two, and create a focal point on the garage.
You will be inspired to create monochromatic gardens when you see the Willards’ beautiful purple paradise!