Must See Gardens Tours

Jason Graves, Horticulture Extension Agent Central Kansas District

Come on a Garden Tour

There is nothing more summerlike than an inviting garden filled with beautiful flowers.  Come and enjoy summer with us on the 2022 CKD Extension Master Gardener Garden Tour in Salina on Saturday, July 9th from 9am to 4pm.

The 2022 Garden Tour consists of five wonderful private gardens and the CKD Master Gardener Demonstration Garden.  Tickets for the tour are $15 and children 10 and under are free.  Tickets are available on July 9th at any of the gardens on the tour or can be purchased before the tour online at Eventbrite, at Waters Hardware & Garden Store, or the K-State Extension office.

Here are the five private gardens that have graciously allowed us to visit this year.

The Christensen Garden (2317 Belmont Boulevard):  This Whimsical Garden of Eden will have you in awe with the mixture of plants, art, and repurposed/upcycling garden décor that are all placed in the landscape with a purpose.  Look for a wonderful variety of beautiful plants including celosia, coreopsis, lantana, yarrow and much more. This garden has something for everyone to enjoy.

The Bishop Garden (1724 Eaglecrest Road):  We call this garden The Succulent Paradise for good reason.  You will find many unique succulents and lots of wonderful layers and textures throughout this amazing landscape.  The beautiful arrangement of plants, containers, wood, and art all make this a true back yard paradise that simply must be experienced.

The Handlin Garden (512 Country Club Road):  We call this garden The Passionate Gardener and the beauty speaks for itself.  The challenges of a tough planting site have been turned into an amazing array of beautiful plants and flowers that maximize the beauty in this continuously evolving garden.  Come celebrate a garden that truly reflects the passion and hard work that has been put into it.

The Higgins Garden (1975 North Halstead Road):  This garden is called The Gardener’s Dream.  This landscape was built from scratch and from the beautiful water feature pond to the native plants and pollinator sanctuary, this garden has it all.  You will not want to miss seeing and experiencing this relaxing ecosystem where bees, butterflies, and birds all play a role in the beauty that forms this landscaping oasis.

The Hemmer Garden (22 Crestview Drive):  We call this garden The Garden Retreat and with its many outdoor rooms and beautifully designed spaces, you are sure to be inspired and amazed.  The outdoor rooms include a putting green, entertaining space, vegetable growing area, water features and much more.  Don’t miss this truly unique and inviting one of a kind garden.

The Demonstration Garden (across from Kenwood Cove):  The Master Gardener Demonstration Garden is a public garden maintained by Master Gardeners and contains a wide variety of plants in each of the themed garden areas which have similar water, light, and maintenance requirements related to each gardening style.  Don’t miss the chance to walk through this beautiful public garden for ideas and inspiration for your own landscape.

We will have vendors at each garden with unique items for sale.  Vendors include:  The Clay Studio @ Bison Brae, The Wild Pencil by Bonnie Neubrand, Don & Sue Creations, Prairie Song Lotions & Soaps, Lloyd Davidson’s Creations of Stained Glass, Pipe Creek Creations, Findings by Deon, and 2nd Chance Designs.

Money raised by this tour goes toward expansion and maintenance of the Master Gardeners Public Demonstration Garden in Salina and other Master Gardener community projects including Children’s Gardens, horticulture awards at the Tri-Rivers Fair, Master Gardener outreach events, and more. Thank you for your support.

For more information about the 2022 Garden Tour visit www.ckdgardens.com/garden-tour, contact the Extension office in Salina at 785-309-5850 or email jlgraves@ksu.edu.