The 29th annual Secret Garden Tour, hosted by Soroptimist International of Saratoga County, will feature 11 diverse gardens, ranging from compact city lots to sprawling backyards, on Sunday, July 14. (Photo provided)
SARATOGA COUNTY, N.Y. — Eleven diverse gardens, ranging from compact city lots to sprawling backyards, will be featured on Sunday, July 14, during the 29th annual Secret Garden Tour hosted by Soroptimist International of Saratoga County.
Self-guided tours run from 10am to 4pm.
Advance tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at https://soroptimistsaratoga.org/secret-gardens-tour-2024/ , at Cudney's Launderers and Dry Cleaning, Adirondack Trust Co. branches, Northshire Bookstore and Faddegon's Nursery. Tickets will be available on July 14 online and outside the Saratoga Heritage Area Visitor Center from 9:30 a.m. to noon, while supplies last.
The tour brings together hundreds of gardening enthusiasts from around the region to raise funds for programs and individuals that improve the lives of women, girls and local communities, in keeping with Soroptimist's mission.
Founded in 1979, the local club's flagship program is Project Hope and Strength, a partnership with Wellspring to help victims of domestic violence in Saratoga County achieve financial and legal independence. The club also provides scholarships to women and girls seeking further education and recently introduced a program to help area high school girls build skills and self-confidence.
Last year, the event raised about $40,000 in ticket sales and sponsorships. “The success of the tour is due first and foremost to the generosity of people who share their gardens,” said event co-chair Joette Delaney Drumm.
One of the big “secrets” this year is Carla Austin and Pamela Perry's spacious, park-like garden, located just a mile from Saratoga Springs' busy Broadway yet feeling like a world away. Behind their stunning home is a rolling lawn with terraced upper and lower gardens, a kidney-shaped pool, ornamental trees, shrubs, perennials and a vegetable patch surrounded by a picket fence.
Elegance and relaxed luxury are apparent throughout.
A short drive takes you through densely populated neighborhoods and the organic gardens of Susan Wendelgus and Mary Withington, featuring a wide variety of hostas and native plants shaded by pine and maple trees and dotted with outdoor art.
A few blocks away, across the street and also on the tour, Maureen Nest and her two neighbors' gardens are a testament to what can be done on urban land, and how the joys of gardening (and plants) can be shared between neighbors. Maureen loves flowers that attract bees and butterflies, plants that remind her of her childhood, and tomato seedlings in unexpected spots among her perennials.
On the other side of town, Niki Rowe and Michael Amo's home offers an entirely organic garden, home to insects, birds and chipmunks, while Patty Lane and her husband Eric Tepper have created an impressive 'urban edible' garden and vibrant floral garden despite limited space.
In Ballston Spa, Jean and Peter Relyea's garden, and the neighboring gardens of Buddy Grastetter and Kathy Siffert, reflect the owners' special touches with daisies and dahlias: Jean chose pink and purple flowers that thrive in direct sunlight and complement the colors of their Victorian home.
Next to me, Cathy is choosing from statues placed around the grounds.
Opposite the Lelias lives Bradley and Michael Raga Barone, who do all of their own gardening: Visitors will find potted olive trees, antique urns, and weeping cherry trees, as well as a mix of vintage perennials and contemporary plants.
Between Ballston Spa and Saratoga Springs, Sharon Finch and her husband, Jack Chapman, have a lovely garden that gets new features every year. Their transformation began about six years ago, when Sharon looked out the window of her home office and said to Jack, “I want to see a garden and a waterfall.”
When the waterfall garden was complete, Jack realized this was just the beginning. Evidence of his imagination and expertise is visible everywhere: a trellis that leads to a koi pond, a stone bench where visitors can sit and enjoy the sound of the waterfall; a small seating area that overlooks a shady garden, a bird feeder; and a patio, deck and fire pit that invite more time to spend in the backyard.
Sharon said she feels “lucky. Blessed,” before adding with a laugh, “Spoiled.”
The Secret Gardens Tour will be held on Sunday, July 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $25 online at https://soroptimistsaratoga.org/secret-gardens-tour-2024/ and at Cudney's Launderers and Dry Cleaning, Adirondack Trust Co. branches, Northshire Bookstore and Faddegon's Nursery. Tickets will be available the day of the tour, online and outside the Saratoga Heritage Area Visitor Center from 9:30 a.m. to noon, while supplies last. The tour program includes a map with a description of the gardens and a suggested driving route.
For more information, visit soroptimistsaratoga.org , and for questions, email secretgardensinfo@gmail.com
Between Ballston Spa and Saratoga Springs, Sharon Finch and her husband, Jack Chapman, have a delightful garden where they plant a new one each year and get to see the results. (Courtesy photo)
The tour brings together hundreds of gardening enthusiasts from around the region to raise funds for programs and individuals that improve the lives of women, girls and communities, in keeping with Soroptimist's mission. (Photo provided)
Advance tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at https://soroptimistsaratoga.org/secret-gardens-tour-2024/ , at Cudney's Launderers and Dry Cleaning, Adirondack Trust Co. branches, Northshire Bookstore and Faddegon's Nursery. (Photo provided)
