Down the Garden Path
Penny Morrow and Rose Romboski have pulled together a lovely slate of gardens for the Eighth Annual Southern Butler County Garden Club Tour running from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 16.
“Each garden will once again feature a surprise vendor selling their wares, so it's a fun way to tour and shop in the gardens also,” said Romboski.
There are seven gardens on the tour this year, four of which are at private homes.
“It's a great way to 'get behind the gates' to stroll through gardens you'd never get a chance to see,” said Romboski. “We also have two gardens in Zelie and one business in Harmony: the Stohr Haus Bakery.”
She said the owners take care of the garden in the back of the bakery which boasts quaint outdoor seating.
“With regard to the Zelienople Historical Society's 'Zelie's Garden,' we have a unique relationship with this group. Several of our members are part of ZHS Garden Committee,” said Karen Faust, the SBCGC president.
Just off busy Main Street in Zelienople are two oases of tranquility, the gardens of the Zelienople Historical Society which are featured in this year's garden tour.
The gardens were in need of a makeover.
“This was dramatically true of the Passavant House Garden a few years back with the necessary cutting down — for safety reasons — of two ancient black walnut trees,” said Mary Anne Campbell, a member of both the historical society and the garden club. This garden, also known as Zelie's Garden, is at 243 S. Main St., Zelienople.
The project began with the flower beds.
“Our first task was to enhance the established beds surrounding the house with reliable old favorites such as day lilies, lavender, pinks, rose of Sharon, cone flowers and black-eyed Susans. Annuals add texture and color throughout the season,” Campbell said.
“Our 19th-century herb garden was completed in 2014. It was designed by one of our master gardener volunteers from SBCGC, Nancy Bergman,” she added.
“Last summer to improve our aim of environmentally friendly gardening, we installed a wonderful three-bin composter,” Campbell said.
The group has shifted the focus this summer on the serviceberry garden.
“The serviceberry bed is located at the back of the garden. Here we are taking up the twin challenges of black walnut tree compatibility and our commitment to plant some originals mentioned in Zelie's letters,” Campbell offered.
“Buhl House Garden, while much smaller than 'Zelie's Garden,' is just as tranquil and lovely with its rose and lavender bed, its charming fish pond and brick patio covered with a delightful arbor built as an Eagle Scout project,” said Campbell. The society's goal with this garden, at 221 S. Main St., will be to focus on a cottage garden feel.
“We are planting old cottage garden favorites such as hollyhocks, sunflowers, morning glory, bee balm, zinnias, nasturtiums and bachelor buttons,” she added.
Gardeners from both clubs work at researching what Zelie Passavant grew in her garden about 200 years ago. They have many historical records including her letters to gather this information, according to Faust.The SBCGC has donated funds for a gazebo the Zelienople Historical Society Garden Committee is erecting.“We also had two members research the holiday decorations used in that period and our member, Belinda Stuetelberg, went there with greens, fruit etc. and decorated for the ZHS Christmas House Tour,” explained Faust of the partnership with in the groups.“I am really excited at this opportunity for both groups to continue their very fruitful working relationship,” Campbell said noting both historical society gardens are featured on this year's tour.Paul Vardzel of Lancaster Township is not a member of the garden club but has a passion for gardening.“My two-acre property is landscaped with a combination of annuals, perennials and hostas,” he explained. “It's been a work in progress of about 20 years.”His garden has never been on a tour before and that wasn't his intent when he started gardening.“I was looking for something to do when I retired, started small and it just grew from there,” he said.Because there is a lot of work involved with certain plants and types of gardening, his words of advice include knowing your species.“Take in consideration the amount of work involved and decide from there,” he said.His garden has dozens of species of plants, both perennials and annuals. While he doesn't have any favorites specifically, there are plants he does use often.“I'm always looking for fabulous gardens for our tour. A lot of times people have great gardens, we just don't know about them because they are in the backyard not visible from the street,” said Romboski.
