Myra and Mike Ryan bought a house with a garden in Riverton, and picked up the landscaping where the previous owners left off. For the last 35 years, the couple has tended to their outdoor oasis, which has evolved as new elements were created and plants added or removed.
The result is a private space with a shaded patio, low stone walls, a rose garden, a running fountain and cherub statues. There’s also a wide variety of flowers, trees and shrubs, including the garden’s original rhododendrons.
The private space is one of eight gardens opening to the public Friday and Saturday through a tour hosted by the Porch Club in Riverton. The bi-annual Garden Tour boasts seven homes, including one in neighboring Cinnaminson, and the grounds of the Free Library of Riverton.
The tour runs 4-8 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $15, and can be purchased in advance on Main Street at the Riverton Library and New Leaf Gift Shop; and on Broad Street at Orange Blossom Café and Beneficial Bank.
“It’s a spring garden tour, and it’s all about spring,” said Pat Brunker, co-chair of the tour’s organizing committee with Pat McDermott.
Coinciding with the tour is a public reception 6-9 p.m. Friday, with snacks and beverages at the Porch Club’s headquarters at Fourth and Howard streets, and a luncheon on Saturday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
The club is requesting $10 donations at the door for entry into the Friday reception. A tour with luncheon ticket is $25.
The Porch Club also will have information pertaining to gardens, provided by environmental organizations and tree experts. Garden-related items will be available for sale, including plants and books. Meanwhile, artwork created by Riverton School students in grades K-6 will be on display at the Porch Club and on easels at tour stops.
The education, sale and artwork reflect the event’s theme: Bees.
“We will be emphasizing the importance of bees in our gardens,” said Brunker, whose home also is featured on the tour.
Although none of the event locations feature bee hives, each is unique.
The gardens vary in their landscape design and style, the types of plants and their colors, personal touches and purpose. Some homeowners have created outdoor spaces for entertaining guests, while others sought serenity, such as a classic English garden. One location features an indoor solarium, and there are garden plots for producing vegetables and herbs.
The location structures add to the stops’ diversity. According to the co-chairs, the private homes range from a historic dwelling on the banks of the Delaware River to a modern ranch house. At a home on Lippincott Avenue, a garden shed designed to look like a small house adds a heavy dose of charm.
On Seventh Street, homeowner Jeffrey DiFrancesco is preparing to share his water-inspired landscaping. A grassy path mimics a meandering river on the side of his home, and he has created a rain garden that allows water runoff to drain more easily into the soil and nourish the area.
An outdoor dining area is the focal point of the back yard, where visitors can find evergreen and birch trees, as well as growing herbs and vegetables.
Back at the Ryan’s house on Highway, McDermott noted the crabapple and double bloom cherry trees, ornate potted plants and an oak leaf hydrangea.
She and Brunker also pointed out the colors bursting around the garden. They said Myra Ryan’s work as a professional artist shows in her yard.
“I think the garden reflects her color sensibility. She’ll pick up combinations that are unusual,” said Brunker.
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