The annual Tour of Gardens will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 24.
This year, five local gardens will be showcased in the event presented by Dubuque County Master Gardeners and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, in addition to mini educational workshops.
Tickets are $8 in advance and are available at the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach office until Sunday, June 11. After that date, tickets are $10 and will be available at any Tour of Gardens site, which visitors can begin at any location.
For more information, call 563-583-6496 or visit DbqTourOfGardens.com.
Here is a look at the featured garden stops on the tour:
Woods Edge Garden
By: Bruce and Carleen Rehmke.
Location: 15547 Abbey Circle, Peosta, Iowa.
Located on two acres and surrounding the home on Abbey Circle in rural Dubuque County, it consists of garden “rooms.” There is a raised vegetable garden bed, a sunny flower garden, a shade garden, a hosta garden and smaller areas with a mixture of perennial and annual plants. Fountains, benches and statues add to the serenity of the setting.
Workshop: Master Gardeners 101 (Who, What & Why) — noon-2 p.m.
Country Haven
By: Judy and Steve Selchert.
Location: 8753 Jennifer Court, Dubuque.
Country Haven is a shady garden evolving more than 40 years, with hundreds of hostas and other shade loving perennials. The small pond and feeders attract birds and even turtles. Vegetables are interspersed in sunny areas to supplement the small veggie garden.
Learning as We ‘Grow’
By: Ken and Kathy Legrand.
Location: 11472 Amy Drive, Dubuque.
The garden features fruit trees, including apple, peach, cherry, pear and plum. Ken’s large patch of blackberries produces gallons of berries, in addition to raspberries, grapes, blueberries and strawberries. The garden also has an assortment of perennials, varieties of vegetables in raised beds and a maple tree that is tapped to make syrup.
Workshop: Caring for Brambles & Berries — 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Hydrangea Waterfall Paradise
By: LouAnn and Dan Arensdorf.
Location: 8785 Scenic Hill Lane, Dubuque.
More than 100 bushes are featured, with 25 varieties gracing three acres. A backyard pondless waterfall with four drops cascades under an arched foot bridge. Different perennials such as peonies, agastache, bleeding hearts, black eyed susans, daylilies, coneflowers, roses, hybrid tree and Asiatic lilies, hostas and clematis also can be found. Other native and pollinator perennials create spectacular color from May through October.
Workshop: Hydrangeas — 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
7 Acres of Heaven
By: Karen and Paul Wagner.
Location: 9824 U.S. 52, Dubuque.
Several benches are scattered throughout the seven acres. The property has been in Paul’s family since the late 1940s. Gardens include a large vegetable garden with raspberries, blackberries and fruit trees. With more than 30 flower gardens large and small, there is a variety of hostas, perennials, annuals, shrubs, mature trees and containers of flowers.
