The Fairfield Art Association to host a "Dorothy Bell Memorial Garden Tour"
The Fairfield Art Association is hosting a "Dorothy Bell Memorial Garden Tour" on SATURDAY JUNE 20, from 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM. The inspiring Garden event honors a founding member and creator of the Original Garden Tour in this 60th FAA anniversary year.
This fundraiser features 5 gardens listed below and 2 BONUS Garden Center Stops - "Oakwood Nursery" at 1000 Oakwood Blvd. in Fairfield and
"Wolf Creek Farm" 3100 226th St. Lockridge - only open After 1PM.
You can sign up for a door prize at both locations, get more inspiration and see plants available for purchase.
Gardens will have a few plein air artists at work to watch, and some musicians playing music for your enjoyment. Gardens could be displaying a few art related works.
Bob & Jan Bork -802 South 3rd St. "I describe my garden as a fifteen-year-long discovery of what grows and what doesn't; adding plants every spring and deleting some in the fall. I particularly enjoy the contest of wills between me and the purple coneflower, as it struggles to invade the whole yard while I struggle to keep it in check. The Fothergilla coming back to life every spring is a particular joy to me. The yearly blooming of the Harison Yellow Rose is especially meaningful to me because it came from a cutting that my father gave me some 30 years ago. My parents were both gardeners, but I never really had time for it until I retired. Now in the spring and summer I keep quite busy with gardening and woodworking."
Bob is well known for his handmade wooden boxes that he sells at area trade fairs. His wife Jan is a talented artist and has been adding her touches to the lids of Bob's boxes and other special made holiday creations. Jan is also known for her gorgeous and oftentimes funny greeting cards and mail art. You might get a peek at a display of some of these items on the garden tour.
Bork Backyard Hidden Garden
Glenn & Diana Watt 800 South 3rd Street
We moved into our home in October 1989. My spark for gardening came from my father, who was an organic fertilizer salesman, and from our previous neighbor's eclectic colorful potted plants surrounding her house. Also from Duncan McMaster, a landscape architect and woodworker, with a sedate and beautiful structured garden. Our yard has many bricks and rocks, as well as geode and crystal, integrated with the plants. Our garden is a repository of history, both personal and community. I remember going through the bricks when the St. Mary’s church was torn down. With our daughter Sessily, and her wagon we loaded 100’s of bricks. Our front garden is outlined by the rocks we got in Eldon when they would dredge the river. Memories include paying $5 for a trunk load of garden rocks and outings to creeks finding geodes, a chunk of Petosky coral and other rocks. When Barhydt Chapel was demolished, we were fortunate to get several limestone blocks. A trip to Stone City with my in-laws where they bought a large stone bird bath that now sits in the center of our back garden as well as flagstones for a winding path through the front yard. Our ex-mailman Paul brought us rocks that we made into a stone garden next to that pathway. I’ve found that the landscape of rocks and bricks gives a structure to the garden that I like as much as the variety of plants that we have in our garden for the last 36 years. Some of our plant favorites – a Chinese Dogwood at the northeast corner of the house next to two large azalea bushes which flank a burning bush; a very large climbing hydrangea at the corner of the pergola in back; a buckthorn between grape vines along the alley (which were both here in ’89 when we moved in;) and of course all the native flowers we have been able to gradually incorporate. Diana is well known for her beautiful, pressed flower greeting cards and pictures - made from her garden.
Watt Garden - Garden Path
Jim & Joan Salts - 2223 185th St. "Before we moved to our new home northeast of Fairfield in April,1986, we planted over 150 pine trees in 1984-85, which now surround the east and west sides of the home. You will see a birdbath that Joan’s mother and father had on their property painted red, white and blue, and some large rocks that came from
The family barn foundation to make a garden with a large scotch pine tree in the center and flowers around it. The country gardens have plenty of sunshine in front and plenty of shade trees in the back. There are various gardens around the home displaying peonies, iris, lilies, money (lunaria) plants, snow-on-the-mountain (euphorbia), hosta, mums, burning bushes, boxwoods, various decorative garden art, and some special "themed areas".
Sit around the fire pit and hear frogs croaking in the backyard pond. Check out the small apple orchard and the oak trees which were started by planting acorns that are on the east side of the home. A lovely “fall” clematis winds around the west side of the front deck, AND don’t forget to check out “Jim’s” fenced in gourd/pumpkin patch.
Get your walking shoes in shape to explore the gardens in various areas all around the home"
Salts Garden- Rural Front Entrance
Pete and Kathy Tollenaere 2439 Peach Ave. "We moved to our home off Glasgow Road in October 1992. It was the very next Spring that a huge dump truck (rock truck) delivered a large load of nice soil on their driveway. With some extra help, the soil was wheelbarrowed throughout the backyard – and the “race” was on! You now can meander around all sides of the home, discovering areas such as “The Sunny Corner Bed,” “The Often-Overlooked Garden,” “The Raised Bed Gardens,” “The Woodland Walk,” “The Small Shed Bed,” “The Big Backyard Bed,” “The Pond Garden,” “The Way-Back Garden,” and “The Big Shed Bed.” Also, a backyard arbor marks the beginning of “The Little Prairie Area.” There are three walkways in the backyard – you may want to use them all, for viewing the gardens from different perspectives for your enjoyment. Artistic pieces include “Mr. H.C.” (Half-cup) by Mike Pech (an Art Association installation for around the town square a few years ago), Please enjoy. Kathy Tollenaere will have a few cards for sale, (well known for her realistic bird drawings) as well as five small “paint a concrete owl” projects. All proceeds will go to help fund the Fairfield Art Association.
Tollenaere Woodland garden
Patrick & Suzan Kessel Garden: 412 Heatherwood Circle. The Kessel’s built their home 43 years ago in a totally wooded area. Over the years it has seen many changes. A large portion retains the original woods, but the rest has garden areas coming and going. Perennials and shrubs stay put and multiply if they like it there or are replaced if they don't. Things also depend on shade or sun changes. We have lost some very large Oak trees well over 100 years old. A waterfall and garden pond were added that has waterlilies & frogs and did have Koi fish. Hosta, lilies, and many other plants don't survive as they used to in our garden with the current deer population. (Over 40 deer counted one day last winter.) Spraying deer repellant helps some but is a never-ending chore. A collection of over 50 flowerpots are placed throughout the yard and on deck and porch where usually safer from deer. As an artist I like to think of planting as I do painting, balancing warm and cool colors and different shapes. Then nature adds its magic. You will find numerous FAA Art Installations (all 16 yrs worth) by Suzan and other artists hiding in our yard somewhere
Kessel's Garden Pond & Waterfall
Suzan Kessel
Volunteer Director
Fairfield Art Association
641-919-2121
