Annual garden tour returns June 15
The Southern Butler County Garden Club is gearing up for its annual garden tour that comes into full bloom June 15 and will feature what its members consider some of the loveliest gardens in the area.
The tour's proceeds will benefit Victim Outreach Intervention Center (VOICe) of Butler County, as well as the horticultural therapy program at Glade Run.
“We always make donations to all of our local libraries as well,” said Rose Romboski, club president.
One of the stops on the tour is the Cranberry Township garden of Romboski and her husband, Larry.
“Our garden features 18 varieties of trees, 21 varieties of shrubs and over 30 different types of perennials,” said Romboski.
She said perennials are her favorite plants to work with.
“They give you a lot of bang for the buck. Coming back every year allows you to divide them and move them around in the landscape. Also, they are hardy and a little more care free,” she explained.
While their house was being built, the Romboskis envisioned and planned the garden space. They put the garden before the dwelling so to speak.
“We carved out the landscape beds, trucked in compost by the truckloads and seeded our own lawn. Then our builder Wayne Henchar built the 5-foot-tall stone wall that runs the length of the property … and we hadn't even moved in yet,” she said. Their garden also features a 25-foot waterfall.
Romboski became obsessed with gardening after the couple purchased their first home 20 years ago.
“Taking an uninspired lawn and turning it into a garden is so exciting! I became a Penn State master gardener in 2000,” said Romboski.
She finds gardening a calming activity.
“Every spring is like a new beginning seeing the garden come to life. It's also about connecting with nature and the beauty that surrounds us every day,” she said.
Romboski's garden was featured five years ago on the garden club's first tour. It was a very new garden then, only one season old. So for the tour goers this year it will be a huge change.“The landscape has exploded in color, shape and texture,” Romboski said.The Romboskis' neighbors, Bill and Dorotea Breedlove, are also on the tour.Their garden features large rocks that accent the terraced garden, but it is the carving that is most eye-catching.“The unique feature of the garden is the bear cub carvings in a tree that had died. Rather than cut the dead tree down and grind the stump, we found a unique solution that would enhance the garden. We contacted a local wood-carving husband and wife duo (J&S Wood Carvers), and had them turn a dead tree into a unique garden feature,” explained Bill Breedlove.The Breedloves bought the property in 2007 and transformed the steep grassy hill into a terraced garden more out of necessity for safety reasons, but found it aesthetically pleasing and relaxing as well.Breedlove believes he caught the gardening bug from his father.“My dad loved to work in the yard. He made sure all six of his children were proficient at the work end of a shovel,” he said.Breedlove finds gardening an escape.“Working in the garden is an escape for me. When I am planting or splitting perennials it puts me in a peaceful place and my mind wanders,” said Breedlove.
<B>WHAT: </B>Southern Butler County Garden Club's annual Garden Tour<B>WHEN: </B>10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 15<B>WHERE: </B>Beginning at the Cranberry Township Municipal Building, 4525 Rochester Road, Cranberry Township<B>TICKETS:</B> $20 at the municipal building or order by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope with a check for $20 made payable to the Southern Butler County Garden Club to Belinda Studelberg, 143 Pinehurst Drive, Cranberry Township PA, 16066.
