Garden tour is ready to bloom
South Butler County will be a 'blooming soon as some of its finest blossoms will be on display during the South Butler County Garden Club's Summer Garden Tour June 28.
“Six beautiful gardens will be on the self-guided tour,” said Karen Faust, club treasurer and co-chairman of this year's tour.
The garden tour is the club's only fundraiser and is crucial in enabling it to aid a variety of local organizations.
“We have several organizations we will continue to support, among them are the Glade Run Therapeutic Horticulture Program, five area community libraries and VOICe women's shelter,” said Faust of Penn Township.
“Additionally, we have a new beneficiary, the Zelienople Historical Foundation's new project at their Passavant House, 'Zelie's Garden,'” she added.
“This is an amazing collaboration with the Zelienople Historical Society to recreate historically accurate community gardens,” explained Rose Romboski, president and garden tour co-chairman. In 1978 the historical society purchased and restored the Passavant House in Zelienople, creating a museum featuring artifacts and memorabilia of the Passavant family and the town's past.
“The mission of the 'Zelie Garden' is to provide a historically accurate community garden which will provide both beauty and educational opportunities for residents of Zelienople, as well as visitors to the area,” Romboski said.
The goal is to plant as many species as possible that Zelie Passavant and her family actually grew in their gardens.
“The ZHS has hundreds of Zelie's letters from throughout the 1800s which describe what she planted, how she gardened and how plants held up in the climate,” said Romboski.
“As far as interesting features of the tour, this year we are going 'behind the gates' of Sherwood Oaks to peek at two private gardens in the gated retirement community,” she added.
One of the feature gardens located in Adams Township is that of Jill and Tim McVaugh.Flora and fauna flank a lovely gazebo. “The swing was custom built by Jill's brother Tim Barger,” Romboski said.The large koi pond features an ornamental fountain. The McVaughs' back yard also boasts an arbor and bridge garden.The McVaughs' garden will feature red rhododendrons in bloom with the contrast of bluebells blooming nearby.“I strive for continuous bloom in the garden from March through November, making it pollinator friendly,” explained Jill McVaugh.The club will offer a door prize and basket raffles to tour participants.“We have a lovely garden wind chime on a stand,” said Gina Bianchi of Cranberry Township, who is vice president of the club and a garden tour co-chairman.She put together seven themed baskets for the raffles that feature prizes from golf at the Cranberry Highlands to gardening supplies, signed sports memorabilia and event tickets.A limited number of tickets are available. At registration, ticket holders will receive a tour booklet with garden descriptions and driving directions or tickets can be purchased in advance by mail.
<B>WHAT: </B>South Butler County Garden Club Summer Garden Tour<B>WHEN: </B>10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 28<B>WHERE: </B>Six gardens in Cranberry Township and the surrounding areas<B>INFO:</B> Registration from 9 to 10 a.m. June 28 at the Cranberry Township Municipal Center lobby, 2525 Rochester Road. To buy a ticket, send a $20 check and self-addressed stamped envelope to Nancy Bergman 1112 Seneca Drive, Harmony, PA 16037-7606 Tickets are also available during registration in the municipal center lobby.
