Intuitive Value: Springfield, MO Master Gardener Tour 2012

What better way to spend a lovely June day than to visit other gardens and landscapes especially when our own garden and landscape in Hermitage is all caught up? It is the best of times.

"This is the second time Master Gardeners will open our yards as a fundraiser and we are looking forward to a wonderful event," said Barbara St. Clair. president of the non-profit organization which sponsors a hotline and tends the Xeriscape Garden
http://www.ozarksgardens.com/pl/VPobD/u/u/0/xeriscape_garden.html on National Avenue and the Master Gardener Demonstration Gardens at Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park in Springfield, Missouri. "The thirteen featured gardens range in style from family backyard gardens to hosta beds, Japanese maples, herbaceous borders, water features, low-water gardens, and plants galore." All the gardens have one thing in common, St. Clair said: "They all are inspiring."

We began our trip with a plan to see as many places as possible. I was emailed the information and addresses from our local Master Gardener group in Hickory County. The night before, I entered all the addresses in my GPS. With Keith's help as navigator we were ready! We ended up enjoying seven of the thirteen places leaving the ones with water features as the prominent description at the end of the list as we have minimal interest having that feature for ourselves in our yard. We live just above the Pomme de Terri River and have a large lake close by; plenty of natural water features for us!

The first stop was at Wickman Gardens to purchase our passes for $10 each. We then received booklets to guide us even though we already had that information provided online. It was a way that the participants could see that we paid our way, I guess. Everyone was so friendly and inviting. All had provided refreshments. The photos below cannot fully show all that was enjoyed in person. The fragrances, the sounds of birds and insects and wind through the foliage, the variety of textures, temperatures and viewing angles, and especially the camaraderie between fellow gardeners cannot be captured in a photo. I have done my best to bring some of it together here. Enjoy!

1347 S. Airwood Drive - Shirley Luttrull has a small yard but great things come in small packages. All the space is divided into "rooms." She began in 1980. There is a beautiful waterfall just feet away from her back door. Also included are statuary, gazebos, arbors, flowerbeds, and many plants in every possible space.

Front view from street

Window boxes utilizing rain guttering to grow lettuce

View standing at the back door

Gazebo is used as a Reading Room

Arbor with wisteria

Ferns along side the house

Garden of Weeden

Keith and the pelican at the waterfall with the backdoor in view

2839 Covington Circle - Avis Holloway has wonderful specimens around her landscape she began 28 years ago. I first noticed the well-established New Dawn roses on the arbor on the side that leads to paths that meander through beds of flowers and shrubs, under shade trees, out to sun-lovers and ground covers and back around to shade. It is obvious this gardener knows, loves, and collects plants! What caught my eye especially were the giant lily, many hydrangea and the magnificent magnolia trees. The fragrances were exquisite!

Front view from street

Side yard

Many lilies

Pathways meander through sun areas...

...and shaded hosta areas

Lilies are my favorite and with so many varieties, I have no doubt I'm not the only one!

Magnolia trees are the main source of shade

A VERY tall lily and highly scented

One of many showy hydrangea bushes

Overview under the magnolia tree

Sun area next to shade area just off the back patio

741 S. Farm Road 197 - Dennis Westcott has a wonderful working garden because he is one of the regular vendors at the Greater Springfield Farmers Market. There is a wide variety of quality vegetables, beds of perennials, flowers for cutting, and a new area devoted to mushroom production. Keith and I were particularly interested in the production of wine caps, shitaki, and oyster mushrooms. We will be looking at this website for more information: http://www.fieldforest.net/

Front view from street

Vegetable gardens - standard

Vegetable gardens - raised beds

Shitaki mushrooms grown on oak logs ready for harvest

Rows of oak logs 1-3 years old placed along fence in shade area

Oak logs with holes drilled to allow mushroom to grow from starters; they through wax plugs

This hardwood log stack is to grow the oyster mushrooms. Between this stack and the logs along the fence for shitaki mushrooms is some ground mulch used for the wine cap mushrooms.

Here is Dennis talking to Keith standing in front of the wine cap mushroom bed between the shitaki mushroom logs on the left and the oyster mushroom log stack on the right.

1305 Meadowmere - Brent Palmer has 2.5 wooded acres hidden in the heart of Springfield just a block away from National Avenue. It is truly a "secret garden" just waiting to be explored. There are giant trees, shrubs, flower beds, vegetables, statues, and potted plants in a mix of wild areas and "civilized" garden beds. The house is vintage 1956 with a Frank Lloyd Wright design. The largest tree is a pin oak and the center of the huge lawn showcases a magnificent magnolia tree.

Front view from end of long driveway

The long tree-lined driveway

The circle driveway with the house on the right and an outbuilding on the left

A very large lawn closed in from the outside world with large trees and shrubs

Magnolias scent the area

Magnolia trees in the center of the large lawn

That would be me leaning against the largest pin oak on the acreage located just to the rear of the house.

Flower beds off the patio

Variety of hostas line part of the circle driveway

Just one of many evergreen trees around the property that have been here a very long time.

1179 South Jefferson - Diana Duchascherer has always been a gardener. She grew up next to her grandparents who had a commercial greenhouse in Springfield. She has her own greenhouse which enables her to keep her large tropical plants all winter and move them out to the patio in the spring. Awarded Garden of the Month by the Cherry Street Garden Club of Springfield. The location is next to a large cemetery which I noticed allowed a nice breeze to come through the open area. Keith and I liked the greenhouse and it's connection to a porch. There is a large collection of succulents and cactus. The yard has much decking and a raised pool area.

Front view from street

Much decking and rock work entering the backyard

The double-walled greenhouse with a porch to the rear attached to the house

It appears that tomatoes are grown here without any worry about critters getting any. I wonder if the "coop" could also be for chickens at another time. The green lawn area is the cemetery bordering the property.

Overview of the backyard from the raised pool area.

Shade area with many hostas

Water features

Waterfall

Keith inside the greenhouse with the attached porch to the rear

Inside the greenhouse are wonderful cactus and succulent containers

Outside container displays

Shaded area on the side of the house

Meandering pathways created in a general U-shape in the backyard.

626 E. Wayland - Janet Wreath has a backyard highlighted by a large, beautifully constructed pond and waterfall along with lovely trees and perennials. Garden objects like bird houses and statues are sprinkled everywhere and there's even a fairy garden. There are many hostas, ferns, native flowers, and peonies.

Front view from street

Side walkway with hostas

Large water feature includes waterfall and pond with aquatic plants

Wildflowers such as Echinacea (purple cone flower) have large stands

Elephant ear is surrounded with wild jimson weed

Water features stream along with a natural path

Clever arrangement of birdhouses on a metal wheel

This is an area alongside the water features with much detail like a fairy garden.

The detail continues with more characters to enjoy along the pathway.

2610 Alta - Tom and Cathy Lakowske's home was our final visit on the tour saving the best until last! This is a magazine-ready garden in an idyllic retreat of a serious hosta and Japanese maple collector. There were 100 hosta varieties and 25 Japanese maple varieties on 1/4 acre started in 1998. The plants were all so vibrant and healthy-looking! The yard is artfully laid out so that there are multiple garden rooms and seating areas and a sense of space far beyond its size. Every inch is planned with hostas, maples, heucheras, Solomon's Seal, inpatients, and lovely shade plants and clematis grow up everywhere. Fountains, statues, planters, and Tom's collection of bird feeders ensure there are lots to see and enjoy. The sweet sounds of birds is everywhere now and then. Keith and I especially noticed the soft sounds the wind made through the leaves and the natural flow that brings this place alive and allows you to feel like you are part of something wondrous. After talking with Tom, I knew I met the maestro. For so much more about this paradise: http://www.swmogardens.com/