The eighth annual “Summer Gardens” self-guided tour will be July 10-11. Eleven privately-owned gardens are featured in the tour, which is open from from 10 a.m.-5p.m. Saturday, July 10, and from 12 noon-5 p.m. Sunday, July 11. Seven of the gardens are in St. Cloud; the final four are located in Clearwater, Rice, Sartell and Sauk Rapids. A brilliant array of plants and flowers, unique landscape designs, and imaginative garden ornaments characterize the tour. Gardeners will notice more than 450 varieties of hostas, a 400-foot border of brilliant annuals, and more than 200 varieties of daylilies. Of interest to landscapers are whimsical garden art, an outdoor fireplace, a pergola and a 10-foot arbor flanked by a handmade picket fence. Tickets are $10 each; children 12 and under may attend for free when accompanied by an adult. Tickets are available for purchase at Al’s Music, Byerly’s, Herbergers, the Wild Bird Center and Thomsen Greenhouses. The tour is a collaboration between the United Arts of Central Minnesota and Thomsen Greenhouses. For more information, call United Arts at (320) 257-3116, or Thomsen Greenhouses at (320) 363-7375. oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Country garden This garden in the country provides the perfect setting for more than 450 varieties of hostas and more than 200 varieties of daylilies. Mature oaks provide the canopy for the paths that lead from one garden to another. The gardens are filled with many varieties of perennials accented with some unusual types of annuals. Birds, butterflies and other wildlife are frequent visitors. Summertime cottage garden More than 20 years of gardening has produced this sprawling cottage garden containing an eclectic combination of plants. Carefully trimmed “Candy Kiss” arborvitae greet you as you approach the gated entrance. Pass through a 10-foot arbor, flanked by a handmade picket fence, and find a winding, 400-foot border of brilliant annuals that keep the perennials from spilling out onto the vast green lawn. Shaded garden pockets filled with hostas, pachysandra and impatiens dot the landscape that also includes arborvitae, ash, spruce, weigela, bridal wreath, alpine currant hedges, maples, birch and nine varieties of lilacs. Heavenly scent Stroll beneath an arbor anchored by two youthful, fragrant honeysuckles. Enjoy an expanse of lush grass and beautiful flower beds skirted by rocks and boulders. Meander through the unique blend of shade, semi-shade, and full-sun flower beds. Linger a while on the pergola and notice the children’s flower beds (master gardeners in training!), and perhaps get a glimpse of the deer that frequent the feeder across the field. These gardens are home to many flowering shrubs and perennials such as Russian sage, daisies, roses, phlox, campanula, sedum, daylilies, asters and a variety of others. There are even a few annuals here and there. Hillside paradise There are lots of attractions in this little hillside paradise during every season of the year. Birds nesting, bees and butterflies pollinating, gateways, pathways, arbors, trellises and a variety of garden art. Trees and shrubs keep company with a colorful mixture of well-known and more unusual annuals and perennials. Art in the garden An ever-changing mix of annuals, perennials and shrubs – many from the original owners years ago, exist alongside new varieties. The front yard focuses on sun-loving plants, many that have reseeded themselves, while the back yard is a cool shaded sanctuary, complete with a water feature and numerous marble and alabaster sculptures and replicas, all created by the owners. While enjoying the adventures of reviving an old garden, is has been a delight to live next door to a yard where “the flowers are always beautiful on the other side of the fence!” Colorful class beauty (next door to “Art in the garden”) Colorful planters and hanging baskets filled with eye-catching annual geraniums and impatiens surround this classic home in north St. Cloud. Blooming all summer, they create a stunning, head-turning show of non-stop color. The back yard border is filled with sun-loving iris, phlox and daylilies for summer bloom. Hardy garden mums take over for fall color. Together with the neighbor’s garden, these two yards are sure to make for a pleasant stop on this year’s tour. Back yard summer retreat A fenced-in back yard retreat complete with swing, outdoor fireplace and babbling pond overlooking the flower borders and urns is the perfect spot to unwind after a busy summer day. Outside the fenced-in back yard, those passing by enjoy the colorful front and side beds and pots. Riverside-by-side gardens Delicious and highly productive vegetable gardens, berry patches, and gardens of colorful annuals and perennials teeming with hostas, ferns, lily of the valley, peonies, azaleas, choke cherry, weigela and ash leaf spirea meander across two beautifully landscaped yards. Under the canopies of towering trees, the neighboring gardens swirl through lush, green lawns. Visitors can stroll from one yard to the next, through a pergola and past terraced gardens as sounds of nesting birds and the playful Mississippi River fill the air. Split personality garden What do you get when you combine a husband’s straightforward and organized plot planning with the abstract, random, fanciful ideas of his wife? An eclectic and whimsical garden that will speak to all of the senses. Enjoy the surprises of the garden art that mixes fun with function. This husband and wife gardening team let the garden take its own course every year, so it is always in transition – but it remains a reflection of two unique personalities. Peaceful river haven Stroll through a sprawling, park-like back yard overlooking the Mississippi River. From full sun to full shade, the gardens are home to more than 60 varieties of daylilies, ornamental grasses, more than 50 varieties of hostas, several hydrangeas and fern. There are also numerous other perennials, all expertly marked for easy identification, that flourish under the towering pine trees. Red, white and river birch with their beautiful exfoliating bark create a peaceful and relaxing setting. Tickets are $10 each; children 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Tickets are available at Al’s Music, Byerly’s, Herbergers, the Wild Bird Center, and Thomsen Greenhouses.
