Annual garden tour of six beautiful Hinesburg gardens

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Friends of Carpenter-Carse Library is holding its second annual Garden tour of six beautiful Hinesburg gardens on Sunday, June 13 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  Whether you are new to gardening, a master gardener, interested in environmental preservation, or just curious about what your neighbors are doing in their gardens; the Hinesburg Garden Tour offers a great opportunity to be outdoors and in community, to savor and to learn!

Anne Donegan, a member of the Friends of the Carpenter-Carse library who spearheads the effort, said, “Gardeners love to share their plants, growing tips, and in the case of the Garden Tour, their gardens! Let us know if you or someone you know would like to be on a future tour! ”

This year the tour features one of the largest and most diverse collections of azaleas and rhododendron in the state; two Lake Iroquois gardens using landscaping to protect the lake; garden bridges, stone walls, paths; vintage perennial gardens; tree plantings, and use of local plants.  The gardeners who were selected and willing to generously show their gardens include:

• Chris Sears, the owner of Fox Run Flowers on Falls Road.  She raises gorgeous cut flowers.  Her gardens are well established and constantly changing.
• Lisa and Chris Thompson—one of our Lake Iroquois gardens.  They purchased Betty and Doug Lantman’s home and have built stone walls, planted many trees, fruits and perennials beds.
• Meg Handler and David Kaminsky live beyond the Thompsons on Lake Iroquois.  Do you remember playing in the pine plantation that covered the West side of the lake over 50 years ago?  Meg and David have replaced those pines with native trees and shrubs to support wildlife and control runoff.
• Paul Wieczoreck and Mary Crane’s garden is up on Lincoln Hill.  Paul, a Vermont trained professional horticulturist, is turning the nursery property into an arboretum.  They have an amazing collection of rhododendrons and azaleas as well as perennials.
• DeeDee and Peter Erb’s garden is on Fox Meadows near Lewis Creek.  Enjoy their established perennial beds, vegetable garden, berry patches and fruit trees. DeeDee will give a peony preservation demonstration (if they are in bud!).
• Laura Carlsmith and Rob Bast live off Silver Street.  Their property features a bridge over a small gorge and a view from the porch overlooking a pond.  Rob is an architect, and his sugarhouse is a unique version of this Vermont tradition.

Committee member Ginny Roberts says, “This volunteer effort is especially welcome as we emerge from our COVID seclusion!  We hope you will join us outdoors and be inspired, as we remain vigilant and in compliance with State of Vermont and CDC COVID guidelines while on the tour.”

Tickets will be on sale for $20 at the Carpenter-Carse Library and Red Wagon Plants.   Please visit Carpenter-Carse Library for online ticket purchase information.  With the purchase of a ticket you will receive a map of the garden locations and a booklet with a description of each one.  You may start the tour at any of the gardens and travel at your own pace within the five-hour window.  Tickets are limited!   Volunteers are needed to help for half a day of the tour, and will get a free ticket to tour for the other half of the day! To volunteer or for more information, please contact Anne Donegan at (802) 363-6471.

The Hinesburg Garden Tour in Hinesburg, Vermont, is an annual event which is sponsored by the Friends of the Carpenter-Carse Library with proceeds benefiting the library’s special programs.  The Tour was started in 2019, was not held in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic, and is happily back in 2021, continuing what the founders hope to be a growing tradition in Hinesburg.  For more information about the Garden Tour or membership in the Friends of the Carpenter-Carse Library, please contact Anne Donegan.

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