CLEAR LAKE — Central Gardens of North Iowa’s 12th annual Tour of Gardens and Homes will be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 23.
Seven Clear Lake sites will be featured, ranging from more formal designs to small whimsical sites.
Advance tickets are $10, and include a coupon for an ice cream cone at half price at Lake Meat Cheese Spices. Tickets on the day of the tour are $12, available at Central Gardens.
Advance tickets are at Central Gardens of North Iowa office, Clear Lake Arts Center, Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce, Larson’s Mercantile and Red Geranium, and HyVee West in Mason City.
For information, call 641-357-0700, email centralgardens@netins.net, visit www.central-gardens.org or find them on Facebook.
Here is a brief description of each of the tour sites:
• Alan and Donna Monson garden, 2512 S. Shore Drive — A pond, designed by Al Monson in 2009, is 17 feet deep when full, with a gradual incline to a beach at the west end and a gate system to raise and lower the water level. It is stocked with largemouth bass, catfish and bluegill. To the east are fruiting blueberries and raspberries.
A lush hosta garden is north of the house, with grapevines east of the house, and apricot, peach, cherry, pear, apple and plum trees grace the pond drive to the west. Raised beds of strawberry, horseradish, asparagus, rhubarb and wild onions are found throughout the property. There are also beds of annuals and perennials, lilac bushes, and ferns, and a vegetable garden west of the house.
• David and Jeanne Burgart garden, 202 N. 35th St. — The Burgart’s current project is a 10-foot by 24-foot planting space to the north of their house, which serves as a windbreak and plot to grow vegetables, as well as a place of beauty with lilacs and cotoneasters. On the south side of the garage are lily of the valley, snow on the mountains, and ferns, transplanted from Dave’s family’s century farm near the Wapsipinicon River.
Showy colors range from the cotoneasters’ pinkish blooms to old favorites like daylilies, hostas, dianthus and weigela. There is a vegetable garden, and pots of herbs adorn the deck. Several plants, including grasses, hollyhocks, and irises, were bought at Central Gardens’s spring plant sale. A new annual bed sports vibrant multicolored blooms.
• Eric and Courtney Klaehn garden, 9 S. 15th St. — A large perennial and shrub garden is located behind a native Iowa limestone retaining wall, with several varieties of stone crop sedum tucked in the crevices. A more traditional raised limestone planter is home for many shrubs and perennials. Another raised planter contains a vegetable and herb garden. Additional landscaping includes a new deck, brick paver driveway and brick paver walks. Eric is the landscape designer for Northern Stone Landscape Co. and owner/product developer for Northern Stone Landscape Products. Photos of their home can be viewed at www.facebook.com/ NorthernStoneLandscapeCo
• Michael and Pamela Hanna garden and home, 220 S. 14th St. — New this year in the Hanna’s garden are eight raised beds of varied sizes, built by Dave. The controlled spaces and raised height adds to the ease of plant care, as does liberal use of mulch around each plant. Various “artwork” in the yard includes relics from Iowa’s farming heritage — like a chicken feeder hosting begonias, an aged cream separator filled with impatiens, and a small wagon sporting petunias. In tribute to her son’s 22 years in the U.S. Air Force, Pam has placed red, white, and blue gazing balls around the south area of her lawn. Tiger lilies and Asiatic lilies, a rose bush hedge, coneflowers and the contrasting chartreuse-green of wild cucumber add color.
The first-floor living quarters of this 1890s home includes an artfully remodeled kitchen, with a stained glass window above the built-in hutch, both original to the home.
• Clear Creek School Outdoor Classroom, 901 S. 14th St. Ron and Martha Andrews, hosts — The outdoor classroom was established in 1986 as a cooperative venture between the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Clear Lake Community School District. In 1992, Ron Andrews was chosen to head the trumpeter swan restoration project. The goal of having 15 free flying nesting pair in Iowa was reached by 2004; 50 wild nesting pair were documented across Iowa in 2012. Several of them make their home on the Clear Creek pond.
An observation deck on the east side of the pond offers a perfect site to view many types of waterfowl. Hike along the well-groomed path encircling the pond. Pass over a bridge and try to identify various trees, shrubs, and native forbs.
Ron and Martha Andrews will be available throughout the day to talk about the Outdoor Classroom and the trumpeter swan restoration project.
• Todd and Barb Wendel garden, 712 Second Ave. N. — The front of the Wendel’s home has a bordered walkway that leads to a pebbled walk on either side. A raised, tiered bed is located in the front yard, with annuals in primary colors for balance. On the east side of the house are perennials in a tiered, raised bed, with scatterings of annuals for color. A variety of hostas and coral bells are also along this side of the house.
This season Barb added a water feature to her rock collection, framed with Boston ferns hanging from a tree branch. More ferns hang from the deck and garage. The biggest color splash is on the deck steps with petunias, New Guinea impatiens, and begonias. Perennial salvia is in the east corner of the yard and menarda and a peony are on the west corner of the drive.
• Central Gardens of North Iowa, North Eighth Street and Second Ave. North — See the new Mother Earth Workshop, take in the view of the whole garden from the Nature Education Pavilion, and enjoy free refreshments.
Tour through the distinctive individual gardens, many of which are at their most dazzling during tour. Stroll along the brick walkways, and enjoy the special features: the waterfall, pond and stream, the spray of the corner fountain, the peaceful courtyard, the Moongate, the statues, and comfortable seating, and take advantage of the chance to purchase one-of-a-kind artwork on display by a variety of artisans.
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