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CHEYENNE — It has been two years since planners at the city and Laramie County began looking at how to address long-term traffic impacts on Fox Farm Road.

And now, after numerous open houses and months of public input, planners are starting to put together a picture of what the thoroughfare may look like in coming decades.

The Fox Farm Road Corridor Plan covers Fox Farm Road from Walterscheid Boulevard in the west to College Drive in the east.

The idea behind the plan, said Nancy Olson of the Cheyenne Metropolitan Planning Organization, is to develop ideas for how to prepare the south Cheyenne roadway for the added traffic that is expected over the next 25 years.

“The county planning office was interested in putting this plan in place for the road so when they’re required to do development actions, they can guide it in the direction that the citizens want to see,” Olson said.

Currently the stretch of Fox Farm being looked at is home to a range of medium residential, commercial and light industrial zoning. But as the area grows, planners see residents looking toward mixed-use zoning as well as growth of the industrial base.

“We’ve been talking to three major landowners east of College Drive, and they’ve begun to think about getting the land ready for development in the future,” Olson said.

“We also need to look at the major intersections to see how they may need to handle more traffic as the area develops.”

Gary Kranse with the Laramie County Planning and Development Office said one part of the plan involves meeting competing needs of residents and the local industry.

One concern for residents is the number of trucks that drive on east Fox Farm, particularly those that haul oil and products from the HollyFrontier refinery.

HollyFrontier and other industries, meanwhile, would like better access to the roadway for trucks.

One potential solution, Kranse said, could be to realign the intersection of South Industrial Road and Burlington Trail to make it easier for large trucks to negotiate.

“It’s a hard turn there, and it just doesn’t function well because it’s out of alignment,” he said. “The thought is: If it functions better, it’ll get used more.”

Kranse said trends have shown that residents in areas like Fox Farm are more likely to seek mixed-use zoning over time to include home offices and other such businesses.

He said that is likely to increase traffic on the road as well as on feeder streets like Walterscheid, South Greeley Highway and Avenue C. Interchange improvements are being recommended there.

Residents’ desires have led to recommendations to install roadway and pedestrian street lighting along the corridor as well as sidewalks, landscaping and drainage options.

Kranse said road widening is possible for some parts of Fox Farm. But residents have been quick to express concern about losing part of their own property in the process.

“There are no sidewalks, so we wouldn’t have to take any people’s property to get those in,” he said. “All the road widening would occur within an existing right of way.”

AVI Engineering of Fort Collins, Colo., has been working alongside the city and county to develop ways to meet residents’ and businesses’ interests.

AVI is continuing to collect public comments from open houses, like the most recent one on May 28 as well as from an online survey the city has set up.

“AVI will be putting together all the comments we heard at the last public hearing,” Kranse said. “Based on that, they’ll be making final adjustments to the plan and then it’d be time to take it to public hearings.”

In the meantime, the window for public participation remains open.

Those interested in voicing their thoughts can do so by visiting http://tinyurl.com/m6yudl3. There, they can review the plan as it stands, including what public recommendations already have been included.

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CHEYENNE — It has been two years since planners at the city and Laramie County began looking at how to address long-term traffic impacts on Fox Farm Road.

And now, after numerous open houses and months of public input, planners are starting to put together a picture of what the thoroughfare may look like in coming decades.

The Fox Farm Road Corridor Plan covers Fox Farm Road from Walterscheid Boulevard in the west to College Drive in the east.

The idea behind the plan, said Nancy Olson of the Cheyenne Metropolitan Planning Organization, is to develop ideas for how to prepare the south Cheyenne roadway for the added traffic that is expected over the next 25 years.

“The county planning office was interested in putting this plan in place for the road so when they’re required to do development actions, they can guide it in the direction that the citizens want to see,” Olson said.

Currently the stretch of Fox Farm being looked at is home to a range of medium residential, commercial and light industrial zoning. But as the area grows, planners see residents looking toward mixed-use zoning as well as growth of the industrial base.

“We’ve been talking to three major landowners east of College Drive, and they’ve begun to think about getting the land ready for development in the future,” Olson said.

“We also need to look at the major intersections to see how they may need to handle more traffic as the area develops.”

Gary Kranse with the Laramie County Planning and Development Office said one part of the plan involves meeting competing needs of residents and the local industry.

One concern for residents is the number of trucks that drive on east Fox Farm, particularly those that haul oil and products from the HollyFrontier refinery.

HollyFrontier and other industries, meanwhile, would like better access to the roadway for trucks.

One potential solution, Kranse said, could be to realign the intersection of South Industrial Road and Burlington Trail to make it easier for large trucks to negotiate.

“It’s a hard turn there, and it just doesn’t function well because it’s out of alignment,” he said. “The thought is: If it functions better, it’ll get used more.”

Kranse said trends have shown that residents in areas like Fox Farm are more likely to seek mixed-use zoning over time to include home offices and other such businesses.

He said that is likely to increase traffic on the road as well as on feeder streets like Walterscheid, South Greeley Highway and Avenue C. Interchange improvements are being recommended there.

Residents’ desires have led to recommendations to install roadway and pedestrian street lighting along the corridor as well as sidewalks, landscaping and drainage options.

Kranse said road widening is possible for some parts of Fox Farm. But residents have been quick to express concern about losing part of their own property in the process.

“There are no sidewalks, so we wouldn’t have to take any people’s property to get those in,” he said. “All the road widening would occur within an existing right of way.”

AVI Engineering of Fort Collins, Colo., has been working alongside the city and county to develop ways to meet residents’ and businesses’ interests.

AVI is continuing to collect public comments from open houses, like the most recent one on May 28 as well as from an online survey the city has set up.

“AVI will be putting together all the comments we heard at the last public hearing,” Kranse said. “Based on that, they’ll be making final adjustments to the plan and then it’d be time to take it to public hearings.”

In the meantime, the window for public participation remains open.

Those interested in voicing their thoughts can do so by visiting http://tinyurl.com/m6yudl3. There, they can review the plan as it stands, including what public recommendations already have been included.

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–>

CHEYENNE — It has been two years since planners at the city and Laramie County began looking at how to address long-term traffic impacts on Fox Farm Road.

And now, after numerous open houses and months of public input, planners are starting to put together a picture of what the thoroughfare may look like in coming decades.

The Fox Farm Road Corridor Plan covers Fox Farm Road from Walterscheid Boulevard in the west to College Drive in the east.

The idea behind the plan, said Nancy Olson of the Cheyenne Metropolitan Planning Organization, is to develop ideas for how to prepare the south Cheyenne roadway for the added traffic that is expected over the next 25 years.

“The county planning office was interested in putting this plan in place for the road so when they’re required to do development actions, they can guide it in the direction that the citizens want to see,” Olson said.

Currently the stretch of Fox Farm being looked at is home to a range of medium residential, commercial and light industrial zoning. But as the area grows, planners see residents looking toward mixed-use zoning as well as growth of the industrial base.

“We’ve been talking to three major landowners east of College Drive, and they’ve begun to think about getting the land ready for development in the future,” Olson said.

“We also need to look at the major intersections to see how they may need to handle more traffic as the area develops.”

Gary Kranse with the Laramie County Planning and Development Office said one part of the plan involves meeting competing needs of residents and the local industry.

One concern for residents is the number of trucks that drive on east Fox Farm, particularly those that haul oil and products from the HollyFrontier refinery.

HollyFrontier and other industries, meanwhile, would like better access to the roadway for trucks.

One potential solution, Kranse said, could be to realign the intersection of South Industrial Road and Burlington Trail to make it easier for large trucks to negotiate.

“It’s a hard turn there, and it just doesn’t function well because it’s out of alignment,” he said. “The thought is: If it functions better, it’ll get used more.”

Kranse said trends have shown that residents in areas like Fox Farm are more likely to seek mixed-use zoning over time to include home offices and other such businesses.

He said that is likely to increase traffic on the road as well as on feeder streets like Walterscheid, South Greeley Highway and Avenue C. Interchange improvements are being recommended there.

Residents’ desires have led to recommendations to install roadway and pedestrian street lighting along the corridor as well as sidewalks, landscaping and drainage options.

Kranse said road widening is possible for some parts of Fox Farm. But residents have been quick to express concern about losing part of their own property in the process.

“There are no sidewalks, so we wouldn’t have to take any people’s property to get those in,” he said. “All the road widening would occur within an existing right of way.”

AVI Engineering of Fort Collins, Colo., has been working alongside the city and county to develop ways to meet residents’ and businesses’ interests.

AVI is continuing to collect public comments from open houses, like the most recent one on May 28 as well as from an online survey the city has set up.

“AVI will be putting together all the comments we heard at the last public hearing,” Kranse said. “Based on that, they’ll be making final adjustments to the plan and then it’d be time to take it to public hearings.”

In the meantime, the window for public participation remains open.

Those interested in voicing their thoughts can do so by visiting http://tinyurl.com/m6yudl3. There, they can review the plan as it stands, including what public recommendations already have been included.

The classic children’s book “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett introduces readers to an unhappy child named Mary Lennox whose disposition is much improved after the discovery of a garden hidden behind a locked gate on her uncle’s estate.

Even those of good humor left five local gardens Sunday feeling immeasurably better for having walked their grounds, taken in their beauty, witnessed their explosion of colorful blossoms and breathed in their intoxicating perfume.

The Westport Historical Society’s 22nd annual Hidden Gardens Tour unlocked the magic of three Westport and two Wilton properties for hundreds of appreciative gardeners and flower lovers. It was an opportunity to see formal perennial flower beds, elaborately-designed terraced vegetable gardens, specimen trees, a grove of apricot and quince trees and manicured shrubbery.

“It’s a great event. We come every year,” said Christine Daigle of Fairfield. Her husband Andrew Daigle said it gives them ideas for their own garden.

Susan Wiedl of Oxford said she gets ideas that she hopes to incorporate into her garden but on a smaller scale. “It’s enjoyable. It’s just so beautiful,” she said.

“I like looking at the gardens. It looks so pretty,” said Jaylin Hopkins, 11, of Westport. Jaylin’s mother, Tanya Clemons, called the tour “both humbling and inspiring.”

Landscape designer Jay Petrow, owner of Petrow Gardens Landscape Design in Westport, was impressed with the quality of the gardens on this year’s tour from the botanical park-like atmosphere of a six-acre estate on Prospect Road in Westport to the vibrantly-colored perimeter plantings and garden paths of the former Christmas tree farm on Spruce Meadow Court in Wilton to the formal English and Luxembourg gardens on a property on Meadowbrook Lane in Westport.

The latter property was designed and planted by the home-owner, Paul Liistro, who spent 20 years adding stone walls, perennial plants, a water fountain, a birdcage gazebo and other hard-scaping and landscaping elements. Sunday marked the third time that his property was featured on the tour.

“I love the formalness of this garden with the roses and boxwood. Coming from a professional designer, he did a great job,” said Petrow, who served as a docent at the Meadowbrook Lane property.

“He integrated color well and I like the way he juxtaposed the columbines against the clematis and the peonies,” said Marcy Juran, a professional photographer and marketing expert from Westport.

“The one on Prospect Road was more like a work of art,” Petrow said.

The owner of that property has divided his grounds into multiple gardens of common and unusual botanicals.

“The owner has this taste that is not your typical azaleas and rhododendrons; not every-day plants, not plants common to this area, yet plants that thrive in this area,” said Paul Sztremer, owner of the Stamford-based grounds maintenance company Wildflower, which is responsible for the care of the Prospect Road property.

For Joan Vohra, an owner of the property on Burr Farms Road, there is nothing common about azaleas or rhododendrons, which dot her property, as do roses and hydrangea. “I’m from Canada. You can nurse along one rhododendron if you’re in the right neighborhood,” she said, but for the most part she couldn’t grow them north of the border.

Most who took the tour appreciated the stunning views as well as the practical information.

“You can take a look at shrubs in a nursery but this gives a good idea of what goes together,” said Mousumi Ghosh, who recently moved to Westport. She took the tour with her parents Ira and Sibdas Ghosh, both horticulturists who are visiting from India.

Mousumi Ghosh was especially drawn to an unusual spruce tree that had upward articulated pinecones and the appearance of a white coating on its needles. “It’s almost like someone put Christmas ornaments on this tree and it looks like someone put powdered sugar on it,” she said.

“It’s nice that these people even let us see their properties. It’s their own private sanctuary,” said Linda Ashe of Prospect, who attends the Hidden Garden Tour every year with friend Diane Slater, also of Prospect.

While some took the tour others shopped at the Garden Marketplace set up on Veterans Green next to the historical society headquarters, featuring vendors selling plants, garden tools and other floral-related arts and crafts.

The classic children’s book “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett introduces readers to an unhappy child named Mary Lennox whose disposition is much improved after the discovery of a garden hidden behind a locked gate on her uncle’s estate.

Even those of good humor left five local gardens Sunday feeling immeasurably better for having walked their grounds, taken in their beauty, witnessed their explosion of colorful blossoms and breathed in their intoxicating perfume.

The Westport Historical Society’s 22nd annual Hidden Gardens Tour unlocked the magic of three Westport and two Wilton properties for hundreds of appreciative gardeners and flower lovers. It was an opportunity to see formal perennial flower beds, elaborately-designed terraced vegetable gardens, specimen trees, a grove of apricot and quince trees and manicured shrubbery.

“It’s a great event. We come every year,” said Christine Daigle of Fairfield. Her husband Andrew Daigle said it gives them ideas for their own garden.

Susan Wiedl of Oxford said she gets ideas that she hopes to incorporate into her garden but on a smaller scale. “It’s enjoyable. It’s just so beautiful,” she said.

“I like looking at the gardens. It looks so pretty,” said Jaylin Hopkins, 11, of Westport. Jaylin’s mother, Tanya Clemons, called the tour “both humbling and inspiring.”

Landscape designer Jay Petrow, owner of Petrow Gardens Landscape Design in Westport, was impressed with the quality of the gardens on this year’s tour from the botanical park-like atmosphere of a six-acre estate on Prospect Road in Westport to the vibrantly-colored perimeter plantings and garden paths of the former Christmas tree farm on Spruce Meadow Court in Wilton to the formal English and Luxembourg gardens on a property on Meadowbrook Lane in Westport.

The latter property was designed and planted by the home-owner, Paul Liistro, who spent 20 years adding stone walls, perennial plants, a water fountain, a birdcage gazebo and other hard-scaping and landscaping elements. Sunday marked the third time that his property was featured on the tour.

“I love the formalness of this garden with the roses and boxwood. Coming from a professional designer, he did a great job,” said Petrow, who served as a docent at the Meadowbrook Lane property.

“He integrated color well and I like the way he juxtaposed the columbines against the clematis and the peonies,” said Marcy Juran, a professional photographer and marketing expert from Westport.

“The one on Prospect Road was more like a work of art,” Petrow said.

The owner of that property has divided his grounds into multiple gardens of common and unusual botanicals.

“The owner has this taste that is not your typical azaleas and rhododendrons; not every-day plants, not plants common to this area, yet plants that thrive in this area,” said Paul Sztremer, owner of the Stamford-based grounds maintenance company Wildflower, which is responsible for the care of the Prospect Road property.

For Joan Vohra, an owner of the property on Burr Farms Road, there is nothing common about azaleas or rhododendrons, which dot her property, as do roses and hydrangea. “I’m from Canada. You can nurse along one rhododendron if you’re in the right neighborhood,” she said, but for the most part she couldn’t grow them north of the border.

Most who took the tour appreciated the stunning views as well as the practical information.

“You can take a look at shrubs in a nursery but this gives a good idea of what goes together,” said Mousumi Ghosh, who recently moved to Westport. She took the tour with her parents Ira and Sibdas Ghosh, both horticulturists who are visiting from India.

Mousumi Ghosh was especially drawn to an unusual spruce tree that had upward articulated pinecones and the appearance of a white coating on its needles. “It’s almost like someone put Christmas ornaments on this tree and it looks like someone put powdered sugar on it,” she said.

“It’s nice that these people even let us see their properties. It’s their own private sanctuary,” said Linda Ashe of Prospect, who attends the Hidden Garden Tour every year with friend Diane Slater, also of Prospect.

While some took the tour others shopped at the Garden Marketplace set up on Veterans Green next to the historical society headquarters, featuring vendors selling plants, garden tools and other floral-related arts and crafts.

The classic children’s book “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett introduces readers to an unhappy child named Mary Lennox whose disposition is much improved after the discovery of a garden hidden behind a locked gate on her uncle’s estate.

Even those of good humor left five local gardens Sunday feeling immeasurably better for having walked their grounds, taken in their beauty, witnessed their explosion of colorful blossoms and breathed in their intoxicating perfume.

The Westport Historical Society’s 22nd annual Hidden Gardens Tour unlocked the magic of three Westport and two Wilton properties for hundreds of appreciative gardeners and flower lovers. It was an opportunity to see formal perennial flower beds, elaborately-designed terraced vegetable gardens, specimen trees, a grove of apricot and quince trees and manicured shrubbery.

“It’s a great event. We come every year,” said Christine Daigle of Fairfield. Her husband Andrew Daigle said it gives them ideas for their own garden.

Susan Wiedl of Oxford said she gets ideas that she hopes to incorporate into her garden but on a smaller scale. “It’s enjoyable. It’s just so beautiful,” she said.

“I like looking at the gardens. It looks so pretty,” said Jaylin Hopkins, 11, of Westport. Jaylin’s mother, Tanya Clemons, called the tour “both humbling and inspiring.”

Landscape designer Jay Petrow, owner of Petrow Gardens Landscape Design in Westport, was impressed with the quality of the gardens on this year’s tour from the botanical park-like atmosphere of a six-acre estate on Prospect Road in Westport to the vibrantly-colored perimeter plantings and garden paths of the former Christmas tree farm on Spruce Meadow Court in Wilton to the formal English and Luxembourg gardens on a property on Meadowbrook Lane in Westport.

The latter property was designed and planted by the home-owner, Paul Liistro, who spent 20 years adding stone walls, perennial plants, a water fountain, a birdcage gazebo and other hard-scaping and landscaping elements. Sunday marked the third time that his property was featured on the tour.

“I love the formalness of this garden with the roses and boxwood. Coming from a professional designer, he did a great job,” said Petrow, who served as a docent at the Meadowbrook Lane property.

“He integrated color well and I like the way he juxtaposed the columbines against the clematis and the peonies,” said Marcy Juran, a professional photographer and marketing expert from Westport.

“The one on Prospect Road was more like a work of art,” Petrow said.

The owner of that property has divided his grounds into multiple gardens of common and unusual botanicals.

“The owner has this taste that is not your typical azaleas and rhododendrons; not every-day plants, not plants common to this area, yet plants that thrive in this area,” said Paul Sztremer, owner of the Stamford-based grounds maintenance company Wildflower, which is responsible for the care of the Prospect Road property.

For Joan Vohra, an owner of the property on Burr Farms Road, there is nothing common about azaleas or rhododendrons, which dot her property, as do roses and hydrangea. “I’m from Canada. You can nurse along one rhododendron if you’re in the right neighborhood,” she said, but for the most part she couldn’t grow them north of the border.

Most who took the tour appreciated the stunning views as well as the practical information.

“You can take a look at shrubs in a nursery but this gives a good idea of what goes together,” said Mousumi Ghosh, who recently moved to Westport. She took the tour with her parents Ira and Sibdas Ghosh, both horticulturists who are visiting from India.

Mousumi Ghosh was especially drawn to an unusual spruce tree that had upward articulated pinecones and the appearance of a white coating on its needles. “It’s almost like someone put Christmas ornaments on this tree and it looks like someone put powdered sugar on it,” she said.

“It’s nice that these people even let us see their properties. It’s their own private sanctuary,” said Linda Ashe of Prospect, who attends the Hidden Garden Tour every year with friend Diane Slater, also of Prospect.

While some took the tour others shopped at the Garden Marketplace set up on Veterans Green next to the historical society headquarters, featuring vendors selling plants, garden tools and other floral-related arts and crafts.

The classic children’s book “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett introduces readers to an unhappy child named Mary Lennox whose disposition is much improved after the discovery of a garden hidden behind a locked gate on her uncle’s estate.

Even those of good humor left five local gardens Sunday feeling immeasurably better for having walked their grounds, taken in their beauty, witnessed their explosion of colorful blossoms and breathed in their intoxicating perfume.

The Westport Historical Society’s 22nd annual Hidden Gardens Tour unlocked the magic of three Westport and two Wilton properties for hundreds of appreciative gardeners and flower lovers. It was an opportunity to see formal perennial flower beds, elaborately-designed terraced vegetable gardens, specimen trees, a grove of apricot and quince trees and manicured shrubbery.

“It’s a great event. We come every year,” said Christine Daigle of Fairfield. Her husband Andrew Daigle said it gives them ideas for their own garden.

Susan Wiedl of Oxford said she gets ideas that she hopes to incorporate into her garden but on a smaller scale. “It’s enjoyable. It’s just so beautiful,” she said.

“I like looking at the gardens. It looks so pretty,” said Jaylin Hopkins, 11, of Westport. Jaylin’s mother, Tanya Clemons, called the tour “both humbling and inspiring.”

Landscape designer Jay Petrow, owner of Petrow Gardens Landscape Design in Westport, was impressed with the quality of the gardens on this year’s tour from the botanical park-like atmosphere of a six-acre estate on Prospect Road in Westport to the vibrantly-colored perimeter plantings and garden paths of the former Christmas tree farm on Spruce Meadow Court in Wilton to the formal English and Luxembourg gardens on a property on Meadowbrook Lane in Westport.

The latter property was designed and planted by the home-owner, Paul Liistro, who spent 20 years adding stone walls, perennial plants, a water fountain, a birdcage gazebo and other hard-scaping and landscaping elements. Sunday marked the third time that his property was featured on the tour.

“I love the formalness of this garden with the roses and boxwood. Coming from a professional designer, he did a great job,” said Petrow, who served as a docent at the Meadowbrook Lane property.

“He integrated color well and I like the way he juxtaposed the columbines against the clematis and the peonies,” said Marcy Juran, a professional photographer and marketing expert from Westport.

“The one on Prospect Road was more like a work of art,” Petrow said.

The owner of that property has divided his grounds into multiple gardens of common and unusual botanicals.

“The owner has this taste that is not your typical azaleas and rhododendrons; not every-day plants, not plants common to this area, yet plants that thrive in this area,” said Paul Sztremer, owner of the Stamford-based grounds maintenance company Wildflower, which is responsible for the care of the Prospect Road property.

For Joan Vohra, an owner of the property on Burr Farms Road, there is nothing common about azaleas or rhododendrons, which dot her property, as do roses and hydrangea. “I’m from Canada. You can nurse along one rhododendron if you’re in the right neighborhood,” she said, but for the most part she couldn’t grow them north of the border.

Most who took the tour appreciated the stunning views as well as the practical information.

“You can take a look at shrubs in a nursery but this gives a good idea of what goes together,” said Mousumi Ghosh, who recently moved to Westport. She took the tour with her parents Ira and Sibdas Ghosh, both horticulturists who are visiting from India.

Mousumi Ghosh was especially drawn to an unusual spruce tree that had upward articulated pinecones and the appearance of a white coating on its needles. “It’s almost like someone put Christmas ornaments on this tree and it looks like someone put powdered sugar on it,” she said.

“It’s nice that these people even let us see their properties. It’s their own private sanctuary,” said Linda Ashe of Prospect, who attends the Hidden Garden Tour every year with friend Diane Slater, also of Prospect.

While some took the tour others shopped at the Garden Marketplace set up on Veterans Green next to the historical society headquarters, featuring vendors selling plants, garden tools and other floral-related arts and crafts.

The classic children’s book “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett introduces readers to an unhappy child named Mary Lennox whose disposition is much improved after the discovery of a garden hidden behind a locked gate on her uncle’s estate.

Even those of good humor left five local gardens Sunday feeling immeasurably better for having walked their grounds, taken in their beauty, witnessed their explosion of colorful blossoms and breathed in their intoxicating perfume.

The Westport Historical Society’s 22nd annual Hidden Gardens Tour unlocked the magic of three Westport and two Wilton properties for hundreds of appreciative gardeners and flower lovers. It was an opportunity to see formal perennial flower beds, elaborately-designed terraced vegetable gardens, specimen trees, a grove of apricot and quince trees and manicured shrubbery.

“It’s a great event. We come every year,” said Christine Daigle of Fairfield. Her husband Andrew Daigle said it gives them ideas for their own garden.

Susan Wiedl of Oxford said she gets ideas that she hopes to incorporate into her garden but on a smaller scale. “It’s enjoyable. It’s just so beautiful,” she said.

“I like looking at the gardens. It looks so pretty,” said Jaylin Hopkins, 11, of Westport. Jaylin’s mother, Tanya Clemons, called the tour “both humbling and inspiring.”

Landscape designer Jay Petrow, owner of Petrow Gardens Landscape Design in Westport, was impressed with the quality of the gardens on this year’s tour from the botanical park-like atmosphere of a six-acre estate on Prospect Road in Westport to the vibrantly-colored perimeter plantings and garden paths of the former Christmas tree farm on Spruce Meadow Court in Wilton to the formal English and Luxembourg gardens on a property on Meadowbrook Lane in Westport.

The latter property was designed and planted by the home-owner, Paul Liistro, who spent 20 years adding stone walls, perennial plants, a water fountain, a birdcage gazebo and other hard-scaping and landscaping elements. Sunday marked the third time that his property was featured on the tour.

“I love the formalness of this garden with the roses and boxwood. Coming from a professional designer, he did a great job,” said Petrow, who served as a docent at the Meadowbrook Lane property.

“He integrated color well and I like the way he juxtaposed the columbines against the clematis and the peonies,” said Marcy Juran, a professional photographer and marketing expert from Westport.

“The one on Prospect Road was more like a work of art,” Petrow said.

The owner of that property has divided his grounds into multiple gardens of common and unusual botanicals.

“The owner has this taste that is not your typical azaleas and rhododendrons; not every-day plants, not plants common to this area, yet plants that thrive in this area,” said Paul Sztremer, owner of the Stamford-based grounds maintenance company Wildflower, which is responsible for the care of the Prospect Road property.

For Joan Vohra, an owner of the property on Burr Farms Road, there is nothing common about azaleas or rhododendrons, which dot her property, as do roses and hydrangea. “I’m from Canada. You can nurse along one rhododendron if you’re in the right neighborhood,” she said, but for the most part she couldn’t grow them north of the border.

Most who took the tour appreciated the stunning views as well as the practical information.

“You can take a look at shrubs in a nursery but this gives a good idea of what goes together,” said Mousumi Ghosh, who recently moved to Westport. She took the tour with her parents Ira and Sibdas Ghosh, both horticulturists who are visiting from India.

Mousumi Ghosh was especially drawn to an unusual spruce tree that had upward articulated pinecones and the appearance of a white coating on its needles. “It’s almost like someone put Christmas ornaments on this tree and it looks like someone put powdered sugar on it,” she said.

“It’s nice that these people even let us see their properties. It’s their own private sanctuary,” said Linda Ashe of Prospect, who attends the Hidden Garden Tour every year with friend Diane Slater, also of Prospect.

While some took the tour others shopped at the Garden Marketplace set up on Veterans Green next to the historical society headquarters, featuring vendors selling plants, garden tools and other floral-related arts and crafts.

The classic children’s book “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett introduces readers to an unhappy child named Mary Lennox whose disposition is much improved after the discovery of a garden hidden behind a locked gate on her uncle’s estate.

Even those of good humor left five local gardens Sunday feeling immeasurably better for having walked their grounds, taken in their beauty, witnessed their explosion of colorful blossoms and breathed in their intoxicating perfume.

The Westport Historical Society’s 22nd annual Hidden Gardens Tour unlocked the magic of three Westport and two Wilton properties for hundreds of appreciative gardeners and flower lovers. It was an opportunity to see formal perennial flower beds, elaborately-designed terraced vegetable gardens, specimen trees, a grove of apricot and quince trees and manicured shrubbery.

“It’s a great event. We come every year,” said Christine Daigle of Fairfield. Her husband Andrew Daigle said it gives them ideas for their own garden.

Susan Wiedl of Oxford said she gets ideas that she hopes to incorporate into her garden but on a smaller scale. “It’s enjoyable. It’s just so beautiful,” she said.

“I like looking at the gardens. It looks so pretty,” said Jaylin Hopkins, 11, of Westport. Jaylin’s mother, Tanya Clemons, called the tour “both humbling and inspiring.”

Landscape designer Jay Petrow, owner of Petrow Gardens Landscape Design in Westport, was impressed with the quality of the gardens on this year’s tour from the botanical park-like atmosphere of a six-acre estate on Prospect Road in Westport to the vibrantly-colored perimeter plantings and garden paths of the former Christmas tree farm on Spruce Meadow Court in Wilton to the formal English and Luxembourg gardens on a property on Meadowbrook Lane in Westport.

The latter property was designed and planted by the home-owner, Paul Liistro, who spent 20 years adding stone walls, perennial plants, a water fountain, a birdcage gazebo and other hard-scaping and landscaping elements. Sunday marked the third time that his property was featured on the tour.

“I love the formalness of this garden with the roses and boxwood. Coming from a professional designer, he did a great job,” said Petrow, who served as a docent at the Meadowbrook Lane property.

“He integrated color well and I like the way he juxtaposed the columbines against the clematis and the peonies,” said Marcy Juran, a professional photographer and marketing expert from Westport.

“The one on Prospect Road was more like a work of art,” Petrow said.

The owner of that property has divided his grounds into multiple gardens of common and unusual botanicals.

“The owner has this taste that is not your typical azaleas and rhododendrons; not every-day plants, not plants common to this area, yet plants that thrive in this area,” said Paul Sztremer, owner of the Stamford-based grounds maintenance company Wildflower, which is responsible for the care of the Prospect Road property.

For Joan Vohra, an owner of the property on Burr Farms Road, there is nothing common about azaleas or rhododendrons, which dot her property, as do roses and hydrangea. “I’m from Canada. You can nurse along one rhododendron if you’re in the right neighborhood,” she said, but for the most part she couldn’t grow them north of the border.

Most who took the tour appreciated the stunning views as well as the practical information.

“You can take a look at shrubs in a nursery but this gives a good idea of what goes together,” said Mousumi Ghosh, who recently moved to Westport. She took the tour with her parents Ira and Sibdas Ghosh, both horticulturists who are visiting from India.

Mousumi Ghosh was especially drawn to an unusual spruce tree that had upward articulated pinecones and the appearance of a white coating on its needles. “It’s almost like someone put Christmas ornaments on this tree and it looks like someone put powdered sugar on it,” she said.

“It’s nice that these people even let us see their properties. It’s their own private sanctuary,” said Linda Ashe of Prospect, who attends the Hidden Garden Tour every year with friend Diane Slater, also of Prospect.

While some took the tour others shopped at the Garden Marketplace set up on Veterans Green next to the historical society headquarters, featuring vendors selling plants, garden tools and other floral-related arts and crafts.

ALTON — From flower beds to monuments to backyard chicken coops, this year’s Pride Inc. Garden Tour is truly a celebration of how landscaping beautifies both private and public spaces.

The 25th annual Garden Tour will be held from noon until 5 p.m. Sunday, June 9, showcasing nine home gardens, established gardens at Gordon Moore Park and the newly unveiled Western Military Academy Memorial, along with the second annual Art in the Garden Fair.

“We have a wonderful variety of garden styles this year that are really captivating,” said Debra Kannel, event chair. “I encourage everyone to come out, visit each garden and take some time to ‘smell the roses.’ Whether you are a novice or an experienced gardener, this year’s Garden Tour is sure to inspire our visitors to create some beauty in their own back yards.”

The variety of showcased gardens highlights the wide diversity of horticultural styles, which reflect homeowners’ individual tastes, as well as different growing conditions, ranging from shade to full sun.

One of the featured homes dramatically highlights the transformative effect of landscape design.

Building their home at 925 Rozier St. in 1985, Stephanie and Doug Mendenhall recently renovated their kitchen so it would serve as a more cohesive connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. The expansive windows provide ample views of their backyard oasis, which includes two patio areas edged with hostas, evening primrose, Shasta daisies, daylilies and liriope.

Although the couple enjoy looking out into the garden, they prefer spending time outside, whether it’s planting, weeding, mowing or taking time to savor the view.

“I love gardening, so it just keeps getting bigger and bigger,” said Stephanie Mendenhall, who spends at least an hour a day tending her plants. “That’s how we ended up with the hostas lining our driveway. Our lower garden at the back of our property is nice, because we can take plants from there and put them in other places.”

Mendenhall also uses decorative touches, such as placing pillows in turquoise and lime green to complement their gardenscape. Her love of vibrant color pays homage to her Mediterranean heritage.

However, Mendenhall describes her taste as “eclectic,” mixing contemporary design with vintage pottery, traditional wrought iron furniture, romantic candles and whimsical sculpture.

“We enjoy being out in the garden when the weather permits, and we eat dinner outside on most nights,” she said.

For Doug Mendenhall, “a cup of coffee and a newspaper in the morning” on the patio is a great way to start his day.

The other stops on this year’s tour include:

• Jim and Patricia Belk, 1207 White Oak Trail, Godfrey
• Felicia Breen and Chad Nelson, 2040 Alby St., Alton
• Jean Cousley, 726 Belle St., Alton (Art in the Garden location)
• Kent Hake, 1603 Liberty, Alton
• Hank and Terri Hart, 4746 West Hill Drive, Godfrey
• Christine and Gary Ilewski-Huelsmann, 436 Bluff St., Alton
• Amy Meyer, 423 Bluff St., Alton
• Gene and Sarah Ursprung, 19 Pond Way, Alton
• Gordon Moore Park — Oriental and Rose Gardens and Heartland Prairie
• Western Military Academy Memorial, 2009 Seminary, Alton

For the first time on the Pride Garden Tour, two of the showcased homes, Breen and Nelson’s and the Harts’, have chicken coops. The Breen and Nelson home also will be featured on Sierra Club’s Urban Farm Tour scheduled for the same day from 5 until 7 p.m.

Members of the Rose Society and Alton Park and Recreation Department will be available at Gordon Moore Park to share gardening tips and guide guests through the park’s Oriental and Rose gardens and Heartland Prairie.

“This is a great opportunity to learn more about our community treasures from local professionals,” Kannel said. “In the Rose Garden, rose experts will be on site, and ticket holders may enter into a drawing for a free rose bush.

“Also, at the Western Military Academy Memorial, people can visit the newly dedicated historical site that commemorates our rich history and reminisce to the sounds of the Alton Youth Symphony Chamber Orchestra.”

Complimentary cookies from Duke Bakery will be available for sampling.

For the second year, garden-themed artwork will be on display at the Art in the Garden Fair, located this year at 726 Belle St.

“Art in the Garden will feature at least 10 artists set up in tents throughout in Jeanie Cousley’s garden,” Pride Inc. Executive Director Sarah Ansell said. “Visitors can expect to find unique works by local and regional artists in a variety of mediums: painting, glass work, jewelry, fiber and mixed media.”

A longtime member of the Bucket Brigade committee, Julie Fraser, is a featured artist.

“Julie makes cupcake-style potholders from a variety of fabric designs, which will be specifically garden- and nature-themed for Art in the Garden,” Ansell said. “The proceeds from her sales support ‘Working Towards a Cure’ — a breast cancer charity that helps breast cancer patients with unexpected expenses that occur during treatment.”

Students from Marquette Catholic High School, ceramic students at Jacoby Arts Center and other local artists also will participate.

“It’s going to be a great tour this year. There are so many lovely gardens in our communities,” Pride Inc. President Karen Wilson said. “The Garden Tour is always a great way to kick off the start of summer and get some new ideas for your own garden.”

Tickets for the tour cost $12 and are available at the Alton Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau, Liberty Bank (all locations), Dick’s Flowers, Seasons Garden Center, Karen Wilson State Farm Agency, JMC Design Gallery Co-op, CNB Bank and Trust (Alton), Mississippi Mud Pottery or at the Pride office. A map with directions will be provided.

Tickets also will be available at each of the homes on the day of the tour.

Pride Inc. is a local, nonprofit organization dedicated to community beautification. Proceeds from the Home and Garden Tour will be used to support programs such as the Bucket Brigade, Student Pride, neighborhood improvement, and other beautification and service projects.

For additional information, visit the Pride website at www.prideincorporated.org. If interested in being on the Garden Tour next year, please contact the Pride Office at (618) 467-2375 or email a photo of your garden to pride@prideincorporated.org.

kbassett@thetelegraph.com