MARYSVILLE, Ohio - The diversity of Union County gardens will be the focus of the sixth annual Tour of Gardens to be held July 14.
The event, titled "A Patchwork of County Gardens," will take place from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The tour is sponsored by Ohio State University Extension Union County Master Gardeners. Tickets are $5 per person and proceeds will go towards continuing garden and community projects throughout the county.
Highlights of the tour will include landscapes, waterscapes, herb gardens, daylilies and perennial gardens. Master gardeners and tour homeowners will be available at each tour stop to answer questions and conduct gardening demonstrations.
Gardens featured at this year's Tour of Gardens include:
* McCloud garden: Located at the intersection of West Fifth and West Fourth streets in Marysville. This garden is the showcase garden for the Union County master gardeners. Designed, constructed, and maintained by local master gardeners, it is filled with many varieties of perennials, annuals, shrubs and trees.
* Oberst garden: At her home just east of Marysville at 18170 Pine Lane,. Keli Oberst has created a tranquil shade garden of her front lawn. Lush perennials, walkways, a water garden and quaint sitting areas adorned with benches and birdhouses complement this serene sanctuary.
* Bushdorf garden: Patsy Bushdorf has maintained her gardens at 10100 St. Rt. 736, Plain City, for over 30 years. This lovely and inviting mature garden has grown to include a vegetable garden, perennial beds, wisteria-strewn pergola, grape arbor and over 100 varieties of daylilies.
* Legacy garden: Established at the Union County Extension office, 246 West Fifth St., Marysville, this "pass-along plant" garden began two years ago as a project of the 2001 Class of Master Gardeners. The Union County Junior Master Gardener 4-H Club will be on hand to guide you through this garden.
* Rausch garden: Just south of the Bushdorf garden is the garden of Steve Rausch. Located at 9411 Ketch Road, Plain City, this garden features the variety of uses a gardener can create with a larger property. A wall of roses and perennials welcomes you and leads you to a fishing pond. A rustic setting waits beyond the pond with mown paths to allow for viewing of wildlife in this natural environment.
* Rockenbaugh garden: A wildlife sanctuary located on Northwest Parkway just west of Marysville, John Rockenbaugh will be opening up his family land from which he has created a wonderfully diverse grouping of habitats, scattered with wetlands. Union County Soil and Water Conservation will be on hand to provide information on establishing wetlands and maintaining natural habitats.
For more information on the Tour of Gardens, log on to http://mastergardener.osu.edu/union. Tickets are available at the Union County Extension office at 246 West Fifth St., Marysville, Ohio. On the day of the tour, tickets will be available at the Extension office at 12:30 p.m. and at McCloud Park at the intersection of West Fifth and West Fourth streets in Marysville.