Since its inception in 2011, the Colorado Springs Garden Tour has showcased private gardens in neighborhoods such as Patty Jewett, Village Seven, University Park, The Broadmoor and more. Every year, the tour receives high acclaim from attendees and garden owners alike.
In conjunction with the city’s sesquicentennial celebration, this year’s tour, July 17-18, incorporates beautiful gardens at historical homes in the Old North End.
On July 31, 1871, during remarks before driving the first stake of the new town, Gen. Robert Alexander Cameron envisioned a city that would “blossom into gardens of beauty.” This year’s featured gardens demonstrate how that vision has been fulfilled.
Nine dedicated homeowners have worked for two years (the 2020 tour was canceled due to COVID-19) perfecting their gardens in order to open them to the public for this event. These gardeners also accepted the additional challenge of researching and sharing the history of their homes, which were built from the 1890s to the 1970s.
Plan to attend the tour and not only glean ideas for your own garden, but learn interesting facts about the city’s history. Colorado Master Gardeners and other accomplished gardeners will be on hand to answer questions about plants and gardening practices while local plein air garden artists will be painting various aspects of the gardens.
Attendees should wear comfortable shoes, a hat and sunscreen. Bring water and a camera. Friends Of eXtension (FOX), which organizes the event, will provide a colorful and historic guide to record the plants and ideas you want to remember.
Please be aware that private gardens might not be able to accommodate strollers, walkers or wheelchairs due to narrow pathways and steps. Also, no bicycles will be allowed in private gardens and only working service dogs are permitted. Attendees are asked to respect the homeowners’ wishes and wear masks if they are not vaccinated.
Tour tickets are $25; children 12 and younger are free. Tickets are valid for both days of the tour and are available at local garden centers (cash/check only) or on eventbrite.com (search for Colorado Springs Garden Tour).
FOX is a nonprofit whose mission is to raise money for agriculture, food/nutrition, horticulture and youth development programs in El Paso County to include, but not be limited to, El Paso County Extension. Learn more at extensionfriends.org.
Submit gardening questions to csumg2@elpasoco.com or call 719-520-7684. The in-person help desk is open 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at 17 N. Spruce St. Facebook: Colorado Master Gardeners — El Paso County.
This content was originally published here.
