Kay Lantow
A few years ago after attending several Garden Exchange presentations and while struggling to imitate in Arizona my gardening successes from when I lived in California, I inquired to several attendees of these informative meetings whether anyone was interested in sharing their own experiences in their adopted desert home. I suggested this include touring other residents’ gardens. Not surprisingly many were interested in ‘touring,’ but far fewer volunteered their own gardens.
With a bit of luck and some arm-twisting, six garden owners and about two dozen tourists from SaddleBrooke Ranch and SaddleBrooke spent a Saturday morning in late May 2015 traveling through each garden, discussing the pros and cons of plants, trees, vegetables, fruits and landscaping. It was a successful event for the limited few who participated.
A few months later a few SBR residents inquired if there would be another garden tour. I really had not considered it since there appeared to be only a limited interest with my first endeavor. However, with some encouragement I sent out emails, spoke with the previous gardener volunteers and addressed the Garden Exchange meetings. Most of the previous garden owners stepped up plus a couple newbies.
On May 21, 2016 a warm, clear Saturday morning, seven owners opened their gardens to SaddleBrooke Ranch residents and members of the Garden Exchange for a second annual Garden Tour. To our great surprise we estimate that at least 200 people attended.
Thus these volunteers assembled to form the (informal) SBR Garden Tour Committee: Carol Andrews, Lisa Brown, Jamie Calhoun, Jan Christensen, Sue Drengler, Kay Lantow, Karen Rasmussen and Zann Wilson. To date we have received the enthusiastic commitment of seven new volunteer owners. Our upcoming third garden tour will display the talents and experience of seven new gardeners. Garden types include fruits and vegetables, cacti and various hardscapes. We hope you will join us for our third annual SaddleBrooke Ranch Garden Tour on Saturday, April 29, 2017, from 9:00 a.m. until noon.