The Bedford Flower and Garden Club will host its 28th annual garden tour on Saturday, July 12, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The cost is $10 and tickets can be purchased the day of the event at the Bedford Branch Library, 8575 Jackman Road, Temperance, Michigan.
Featured Gardens
•Purchased three years ago, the suburban yard of Cindy and Greg Yingling was nearly devoid of backyard plants, trees and shrubs. With full sun exposure in the backyard, Ms. Yingling set about creating 24 raised beds housing native and pollinator plants. She deliberately chose raised beds to prevent pets and critters from damaging her plants. Native and pollinator plant choices sprang from her interest in raising monarch and black swallowtail butterflies. The native plants include hyssop, Culvers Root, swamp milkweed, Indian Pinks, chocolate root, white turtleheads and Golden Alexander to name a few.
The latest addition to the backyard is an eight and one-half-foot by 16-foot green house, so she can move her seed-starting operation from the basement to the greenhouse. Her garden is organic and pest free, with compost stations at strategic points. She’s seeing many more birds visiting as a result of her plant choices. The variety of plants in her garden will be an inspiration to visitors.
•Fran Uhrman describes her yard as a serene oasis that she and husband John enjoy. Ms. Uhrman has always had a love of gardening and, for the past five years, has been putting her own personal touches in her yard. The street view of their yard has a dogwood tree and neatly groomed shrubs that accent the front of the house. A vintage 100year-old peony bush handed down from John’s great grandmother faithfully blooms year after year, while the potted hibiscus commemorates the couple’s wedding five years ago. Privacy in the backyard is enhanced by towering arborvitae and a solid line of carefully trimmed vines which obscure the fence line. Two raised beds contain a small vegetable garden and colorful annuals dot the perimeter of the yard. She recently designed a small triangular seating area visible as you enter the backyard.
•The five-acre property that Cathy and Randy Beville bought 13 years ago was a mix of tall trees and meadows. After noticing an area that routinely floods, Ms. Beville contacted Oak Openings and had the property registered as part of that ecosystem. Grasses, milkweed, ferns, joe pye weed, coneflowers and black-eyed Susans intermingle in this prairie habitat. She does not disturb the plants that grow there and only mows a pathway through the area for greater access. By contrast, the shady front yard hosts a variety of shade plants, fire pit and seating area. The backyard, meanwhile, is being transformed from a play area for grandchildren to a native plant area. Mr. Beville installed the frog pond in response to the sump pump drainage. Smokebush, serviceberry, catmint, coral bells, hydrangeas, and black-eyed Susans all combine beautifully in the backyard. Walking to the back of the property, several patches of berry bushes give them a small harvest unless the deer and birds eat them first. Rounding out the property is a vegetable garden. To keep the critters away, a motion- activated sprinkler system has been installed.
•The Demario property is a corner property built in 1992 and has seen a number of renovations since then. Marie is responsible for implementing the landscape design while David takes care of the grass. Visitors will notice that water plays a prominent role in her yard. She has four water features of various sizes–one in the front yard island, two fountains in the backyard and one larger pond with a waterfall in the backyard. There are some fish in the pond; however, recently a heron landed in the pond and made off with one of the koi. The patio with several bistro tables overlooks the pond and is company-ready with decorative place settings.
In fact, Marie often hosts neighborhood get-togethers at her house. A Japanese maple, spiderwort, hostas, peonies and hanging baskets adorn the front yard. Her color pallet includes purple, pink and white flowers in the front and orange and purple flowers, like iris and lilies, in the back. Shade loving plants like hostas, ferns and pulmonaria surround the pond. An American bittersweet vine can also be seen around the pond and a fragrant clematis grows in a sunny location nearby. Despite the fact that her property backs up to the woods, and there have been some close encounters with deer, Marie has not had a problem with deer and rabbits nibbling on her plants.
•Fifteen years ago, Donna Dulbs purchased a run-down, abandoned house on a five acre lot with overgrown bushes and trees. Since then, the property’s transformation has been nothing short of spectacular. The clearing of the overgrowth, making the house habitable and the eventual addition of a 1,000 square foot addition, completely changed the property’s appearance. The mood evoked is tranquil. Donna describes her yard as having an English garden feel.
The variety of flowers, trees and shrubs provide continuous color throughout the seasons. Along the entry walkway notice rhododendron, hydrangeas, daisies, day lilies, oriental lilies, delphinium and calla lilies. Highlighting the front is a bloodgood maple. Rounding out the fall color is a Montauk daisy which is the final bloomer of the year. Plant and shrub repetition continues around the property with several additional plants including rose bushes, Rose of Sharon, lilac, clematis, wisteria, trumpet vine and weigela. Several vegetable plants are interspersed among the flowers and shrubs. A beautiful tri-color beech and another bloodgood maple provide structure to the back. A small raspberry patch is a short walk in the back yard. It yields enough berries for a raspberry pie. A weeping red bud tree welcomes visitors to the side entrance of the house while a row of arborvitae, buckthorn, hollies and hydrangeas line the driveway. The calm and restful atmosphere will be apparent by all who visit.
This year, ticket-holders will see a variety of landscape ideas and plant choices.
In addition, the library gardens, Monarch way station, vendors, a book sale, backyard boutique, food and ice cream trucks, music and raffle items will be at the library, so allow yourself enough time to see the yards and the library.
–Submitted by the Bedford Flower and Garden Club
