Glorious area gardens await BCGA tour visitors

Sunday, July 17, garden fanciers will have the opportunity to visit some of the areas loveliest works of love during the Bonner County Gardeners Association garden tour.

Gaea Swinford, co-chair of the tour committee with Pat Congleton, said the popular tour will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and boasts “a diverse group of offerings, including some with spectacular lake views” with garden ideas for full sun to full shade and “everything in between”.

Eight locations will be open to visitors, including gardens in the Ponderay area, Sandpoint, and four which begin south of Long Bridge in the Sagle area.

Here’s the lineup:

• “Homestead Farm” — 123B Providence Road, home of Jack and Janelle, is a 1913 homestead which supports three generations. The property has been lovingly reclaimed and flourishes with raised bed vegetable gardens, an inviting chicken house framed with picket fence, and flower gardens using repurposed vintage materials.

Visitors will be greeted when they arrive at the property by miniature donkeys and a horse in the pasture, illustrating the harmonious relationship between gardens and lifestyles of owners and their farm animals.

• “Gourmet Greenery” — 511 Ponder Point, home of Valerie and Jiwan Ripley, is a multi-functional landscape on a lush neighborhood corner lot.

Using edible as well as ornamental plantings, the garden is both nourishing and beautiful. With 20 medicinal/culinary herbs and 12 types of fruiting shrubs, vegetable gardens are mixed in with traditional landscape plants.

A greenhouse, filled with color, provides the space for working as well as allowing an early and late season.

• “Le Petit Jardin” — 211 S. Fourth Ave., Sandpoint, showcases the new home of Cary and Mona Kelly.

A delightful small and lush flower garden, framed by a graceful pagoda, used color and texture to create a spacious feeling with pathways and plantings meandering into the alley behind.

With annuals and perennials, shrubs and trees, and window boxes surrounding a patio, you will want to stay, relax and feast your eyes.

• “My Happy Place” — 431 Lakeview Blvd., Sandpoint, is the 40-some-year-old creation/love-work of Rose Chaney.

“Crocus popping up as soon as the snow leaves and hellebore blossoms so eager they don’t wait for the snow to leave” are the harbingers of nature’s rebirth that bring joy to Rose’s heart from February to November.

The summer blooms of rhododendrons, columbines, lilies, roses, honeysuckle, anemones and stately evergreens in the background will greet visitors to this truly lovely garden.

• “Blue Heron” — 207 Birch Banks Rd., Sagle, is Joyce Dillon’s garden of vignettes.

Each displays a treasure trove of unusual specimen plants such as Japanese contorted filbert, contorted black pine, Goat’s beard, tamarisk and umbrella trees and a collection of mini-hostas.

Sounds from the four waterfalls are the ideal background for the floral symphony, sparked with sprays of rich peach roses and other surprise specimens that vie for your attention as you pass by.

• “Garden on Glengary Bay” — 165 McLean Drive, Sagle, is the pride and joy of Pat and George Congelton.

Upon entering through an artistic steel and copper gate, one views generous islands of large boulders filled with shrubs, flowers and trees lining the driveway.

Wander up the hillside path where you will see a variety of trees, perennials and ground covers; continue strolling across the front lawn to a path that leads to the lake side of the property across a log bridge.

This side of the garden is dedicated to shade loving plants such as hostas, ferns, hellebores, native bunchberry and much more.

• “Peaceful Retreat” — 1084 Glengary Bay Road, Sagle, Pam and Chuck Hulbert.

The Hulberts, new owners of the lovely garden spot created by previous owners Hal and Ruth Hargraves, take pleasure and pride in maintaining the beautiful setting, while adding their own touch. Beyond the terrace patio you will discover the pond and fountain, with richly planted grasses, lavender and shrubs providing a backdrop.

Through a gate, visitors will find the expansive vegetable and berry garden’s new raised beds which provide produce for fresh summer meals and putting by for winter use.

• “Gemini Gardens” — 822 Garfield Bay Road, created by Becky and Jerry Luther, are nestled at the base of Grouse Mountain.

This park-like garden has provided 32 years of delight, with pathways leading to seven large and unique growing areas from cottage-style, cutting gardens, vegetables, fruit trees and berries, shrubs and masses of growth for a delightful bird habitat, to driftwood and rock walls providing sanctuary for a family of chipmunks.

Note: At this (southern) end of the garden tour, ticket holders may receive a free scoop of ice cream on a plain cone at Odie’s general Store in Garfield Bay.

Tickets are $10 per adult, and may be purchased the day of the event at any of the gardens, or online at http://bcgardeners.org/garden-tours.

It is requested that attendees do not bring small children or pets. Each garden site listed will have tickets available so visitors may start the tour at any point most convenient for them. Tickets will include a map with addresses and a brief description of all the sites. Tours are self-guided, so wander to your heart’s content.

The garden tour is a fundraiser for the Bonner County Gardeners Association, which sponsors numerous educational events for home gardeners throughout the year. The group also provides support for school garden programs throughout the county.

Don’t miss this dazzling event. Get a carload together and make an enjoyable day of it.

Valle Novak writes the Country Chef and Weekend Gardener columns for the Daily Bee. She can be reached at bcdailybee@bonnercountydailybee.com or by phone at 208-265-4688.