Tulsa Master Gardeners' Showcase Tour June 26 & 27

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Tulsa Master Gardeners Showcase Garden Tour
Self-guided tours:
Saturday June 26 from 9 to 5 and Sunday June 27 from 11 to 5
Contact: Sheryl Chadd, Garden Tour Chair, 918.742.7662 or mg@tulsamastergardeners.org and www.tulsamastergardeners.org,
Tickets $7.50 includes tour and garden talks at the OSU Extension Center

Saturday talks: 11:00 Safe Sex in the Garden by Sandie Bailey, 12 noon The Buzz About Bees by Helen Hickey, 1:00 Dealing With Tomato Problems by Lew Melone, 2:00 Gardening for Butterflies by Jim Thayer

Sunday talks: 12 noon Safe Sex, 1:00 Butterflies, 2 Tomato Problems, 3:00 Bees

Next weekend the Tulsa Master Gardeners Showcase Garden Tour will attract hundreds of plant lovers. Sheryl Chadd, tour chairwoman, said that 140-volunteers have been involved in putting on the tour this year.

There will be Master Gardeners at each home answering gardening questions, Chadd said. And, we will have cold water at all of the homes.

According to Chadd, the variety of gardens range from sunny to shady, from huge to small and from basic to elaborate.

The Master Gardener program was started in Washington in 1972. When the extension agents were overwhelmed by calls for information about gardening, plants, soil, etc., Dr. David Gibby decided to train local gardeners in exchange for their staffing the telephone. The first 300 volunteers helped 7,000 gardeners that year See http://bit.ly/cG7lGa.

Today, 60,000 Master Gardeners across the country staff horticulture hotlines, coordinate planting projects, run demonstration gardens, manage public gardens, work with groups, publish newsletters, and broadcast radio and television programs. For example, OK Gardening from OSU and the Rogers State University Master Gardeners programs are on public television weekly.

David Hillock, state coordinator for the OK Master Gardener Program said there are currently 1500 active Master Gardeners in OK. The Tulsa group has a new program called Tulsa Blooms, placing planters in business districts.

Annual conferences are available for graduates. The Oklahoma MG conference is June 18 in Norman and OK Master Gardeners attended the Texas MG Conference in Dallas last month.

Muskogee Master Gardeners Oyana Wilson, Anita Whitaker and Leah Cawvey staff an information table at the Muskogee Farmer's Market to answer questions and distribute OSU Fact Sheets. Look for them June 26th at Grill Crazy.

Many garden answers can be found on Master Gardening websites. A 5-page list of links called Websites for Oklahoma Master Gardeners - Problem Solving is at http://bit.ly/aixwpJ with links to Extension service offices around the country as well as dozens of other resources.

GARDENS ON THE TOUR

1) Colonial Revival Garden, 2417 South Owasso AV near South Peoria and E 61st is an 80 year old home in Maple Ridge; Colonial Williamsburg inspired garden, formal beds, roses, lavender, and redwood pergola. Flowers, herbs, perennials and recycled plants.
2) Tropical Paradise, 7926 South Hudson AV off East 81st ST, pool, cabana, meditation garden, greenhouse and water features. A 3-year old garden with western sun.
3) Get Away Garden, 7340 South 69th East Place near 71st and Sheridan, koi pond, arbor, rustic implements, greenhouse, succulents.
4) The Patio Garden, 3120 South Florence Court near South Harvard AV and East 31st ST, 20 by 60 foot duplex garden with 90 plant species. A shade garden was destroyed by the 2007 ice storm, making room for all new sun-loving plants.
5) Victorian Tea Garden, 6302 East 77th Place near 81st and Sheridan, bright yellow and brick house with romantic gardens and pink flamingoes. Victorian inspired furniture, poolside gardens, herbs, shade.
6) OSU Extension Office gardens, 4116 East 15th ST near Tulsa Fairgrounds, 11,000 plants put in and cared for by Master Gardeners, Wall Garden of heat tolerant plants, Confetti hanging baskets, Rainbow Kitchen Garden, Container Kitchen Garden, Italian Cuisine Garden.

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