Kiwanis Club offers Secret Garden Tour
Comet staff report

Ava McGill's "raspberry blast" petunia basket

Flora Kiwanis Club is hosting its firstever Secret Garden Tour on June 23 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

There will be seven gardens on the tour - in the Flora, Bringhurst, and Camden areas. Six are listed now, and the seventh will remain a secret until the day of the event. The mystery garden will be revealed with the purchase of a ticket.

Each garden was selected for its beauty and unique style. The gardens feature a large variety of perennials, annuals, and herbs.

The tours are self-guided, but the gardeners will be on hand to answer questions. The locations can be visited in any order.

Featured gardeners and their addresses are:

Judy Berkshire, 1077W 350N, Camden.

Ava McGill, 303 South Center Street, Flora.

Jeanette Marcum, 1474S 10W, Bringhurst.

Marge Scholl, 303 East Main Street, Flora.

Ruth Voorhees, 2416E 150S, Bringhurst.

Faye Wolf, 1106W 300N, Camden.

Advance tickets are not being sold. Tickets and maps will be available the day of the event at The Flower Shoppe, Gracie's, Jamp Sales, or at any of the gardens.

'Growing God's treasures' When Marge Scholl works outside in her flowers, she is surrounded by beauty. A stone in her garden is inscribed with the words, "Growing God's treasures." Her flowers will be included in the Kiwanis Secret Garden Tour on June 23. Comet photo by Jennifer Archibald

A rain date of June 30 has been set. The event will be postponed if there is constant rain on June 23. If there's a question, call 967-3022.

Proceeds will go to the club's philanthropic endeavors in the community.

The following information on each garden was provided by the gardeners themselves:

Judy Berkshire

"I have been an herb gardener for over 10 years," said Judy Berkshire. "My enthusiasm for herbs has been kindled by good friends and members of the Hoosier Prairie Herb Society as well as from a variety of books and authors, especially Susan Wittig Albert and her China Bales herbal mystery series."

"The Oxford English Dictionary defines herbs as 'plants of which the leaves or stems and leaves are used for medicine or for their scent or flavor.' I grow herbs mostly for their scent and flavor. To me, herbs are truly a sensuous experience because they look beautiful, taste great, smell divine, and offer a variety of textures to touch."

Her 'secret garden' Ava McGill's garden areas are in her back yard. She likes to look at the flowers from her sunroom or kitchen window. Trellises, hanging baskets, gazing globes, wind chimes, and humming bird feeders all add charm to her well-groomed garden. Visitors can see for themselves if they take the Kiwanis Secret Garden Tour on June 23. Comet photo by Jennifer Archibald

"Herbs can be found in all my gardens, both flower and vegetable. I especially enjoy using them as companion plants for vegetables, and I like to plant some near the house as well because of their attraction for butterflies and bees."

"During winter, I move several plants indoors so that I can enjoy their fresh scent and taste all year."

Jeanette Marcum

"Our garden is made up of paths around our flower beds," said Jeanette Marcum. "We enjoy viewing it frequently, so it has an abundance of 'distractions' to view and seating areas to stop and enjoy."

"Many of our flowers were given to us by my mother, so the memories are very special to me."

Ava McGill

Ava McGill has been gardening for 30-plus years. She and her husband, Howard, both enjoy flowers very much.

She said she used to plan things on paper, but hasn't done that for years.

She especially enjoys annuals, but also has a few perennials.

"I like to keep things clean, simple, and uncluttered," she said. "I enjoy pinks, lavenders, and blues, but mix in a few reds here and there."

"My nieces like to come every year to critique my garden."

She has a gardenia plant that she likes to bring in and keep over the winter every year.

"I share the first bloom of the season with my neighbor, Naomi Butcher, because gardenia is her favorite flower," Ava said.

Marge Scholl

"I enjoy arranging and working with flowers, God's beautiful gifts," said Marge Scholl. "Having lived on a farm all of my life, I enjoy working in the soil. My husband, Bob, and I retired from farming and moved to town in the fall of 1991, moving some of my flowers with us. When we removed overgrown shrubs on the west side of our new home, that opened up more room for my flowers."

Marge said she has no particular plan; she just buys what she likes - annuals and perennials - and decides where to put them as she plants.

"Gardening is good physical and mental therapy that I truly enjoy eight or nine months of the year," Marge said. "My flowers are the first thing I look at, and I appreciate their beauty every day."

Ruth Voorhees

Ruth Voorhees has been an avid gardener for about six years.

She said it began with her and her husband's love of flowers. When they moved to the country, she had more space, so she began planting, and over the years, it grew and grew.

She does not map her beds first. She just plants randomly and likes the natural, wildflower look.

Ruth sells her perennials to the public. She pots some things ahead, but for the most part, her customers pick out what they want, and she digs it up for them.

She said it would be hard to pick a favorite flower, but the rose "Champion" is very dear to her.

Faye Wolf

"We have always loved flowers, and when we needed to down-size our vegetable garden, we started to plant perennials, and it grew and grew," said Faye Wolf.

"It is a hobby my husband and I both enjoy and find relaxing."