by Jody Spear and Kelly Meyer –
CLEAR LAKE – The 12th Annual Tour of Gardens and Homes in Clear Lake took place Saturday, June 23.
The tour started by paying admission at the front gate of Central Gardens of North Iowa. Mother Earth Workshop was new this year, where you could peruse or purchase beautiful garden art.
Along with Central Gardens, the other homes on the tour were from Dave and Jeanne Burgart, Eric and Courtney Klaehn, Todd and Barb Wendel, Michael and Pam Hanna, Alan and Donna Monson and Clear Creek School Outdoor Classroom, hosted by Ron and Martha Andrews. All homes were marked with a large colorful banner for easy identification, courtesy of Larry Day of Anchor Realty.
The Tour cost $12 at the gate of Central Gardens, $10 in advance. The Gardens opened at 9:00 a.m. and went until 3:00 p.m. Visitors could start at any location if they had purchased tickets in advance.
The mission of Central Gardens is to create an inter-generational environment for the 21st century that is beautiful, safe and secure, calm and reflective, educational and recreational – a setting that tells the story of our changing seasons, our pride in our past, the uniqueness of our present, and the hope of our future.
Attend a garden event, have lunch with a friend, or simply enjoy some quiet time in the garden’s splendor; it is free admission and handicapped accessible.
Set on the site of a former school, this expertly designed space was planted and is maintained by volunteers. Stroll along winding pathways and explore the beauty of nearly three acres of themed flower beds, ponds, and stream beds.
The Garden depends upon the support of our generous community of friends, neighbors, and visitors to help us grow. The proceeds of The Tour of Gardens and Homes fundraiser go for the maintenance and upkeep of the garden.
“The people that work on the garden are all volunteers,” said Deb Mitchell of Clear Lake. She was one of the ladies selling tickets and welcoming visitors into Central Gardens. “I think the sprinkles are keeping people away for now, but I believe it’s supposed to stop early this afternoon, and were open until 3:00.”
A Central Gardens brochure says, “Thank you for spending the day with us and please come back soon. Clear Lake has many fine restaurants and unique shops to visit, so if you have time, browse around a bit and grab a bite to eat! We would also like to thank our sponsors for their support of this event: CL Tel, Hearing Associates, Farmers State Bank and Lake Meat, Cheese and Spices.”
The next event, that will be coming up soon, is “Garden Party.” It is scheduled for Sunday, July 8 at 6:00 p.m.
Watch video:
httpv://youtu.be/9bGgmcw-VaI
