Sunny Side Up Garden
Haywood County Garden Tour’s Theme is Pollinate, Propagate, Cultivate
There’s no better time to stop and smell the flowers than on the Haywood County Garden Tour Saturday, June 18. This year’s self-guided tour begins at the Mountain Research Station barn, across from the Haywood County Cooperative Extension Center, 589 Raccoon Road, Suite 118, in Waynesville. It is here that visitors can learn about important research helping people get connected to their food sources. Attendees can also pick up directions to the next five stops, which include three home gardens, one apiary and orchard, and the Giving Garden. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and attendees can move at their own pace.
All locations can be accessed by car, except for two, which will require van transport. Each garden offers something for everyone. At the Profusion of Beds Garden, you’ll find a variety of trees, bushes, and flowers, as well as decorative elements, such as sculptures, antiques, and bird feeders. Another stop is an official monarch waystation established in 1998 and designed to shelter, feed, and protect native species of butterflies, as well as birds and other wildlife. At the orchard and apiary, you’ll find 1,400 apple trees of 60 varieties, as well as peaches, nectarines, raspberries, and chickens. Grafting demonstrations will take place at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m.
Diverse perennial beds, an herb garden, fish pond, and gazebo are just a few of the special qualities at Keep Your Sunny Side Up Garden. Join Master Gardner Joe Smiley for a hands-on demonstration on propagation. The Giving Garden is a joint effort of the Haywood County Public Library and Haywood County Cooperative Extension Service. Here you’ll find seven raised beds, composting facilities, and planting opportunities for children. Vegetables grown here are donated to the Community Kitchen in Canton.
Tickets cost $15 in advance, $20 on the day of the event. Advance tickets can be purchased through the Haywood County Cooperative Extension, BB Barnes in Asheville, the Haywood County Arts Council, Riverview Farm & Garden in Canton, and Grass Root Gardens in Waynesville.
This event is presented by the NC Cooperative Extension Foundation, Haywood County Extension Center, and Haywood County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers. Raffle tickets ($5) for a $500 gift certificate from Mountain View Nursery & Landscaping are also sold at ticket locations. For more information, call the Haywood County Extension Cooperative Service at 828.456.3575 or visit ces.ncsu.edu.
