A weekend of wonder

Hosts of the 2023 Findlay Garden Tour will tell you that a garden is many things — a peaceful refuge, tons of work, an outdoor classroom, flowers and vegetables to share, a delight for the senses, a chance to play in the dirt and always a work in progress. Sponsored by the Findlay Garden Club, twelve gardens on this free annual tour will be open to the community July 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and July 16 from noon-5 p.m. Emily Hinderliter's garden, located at 455 Fox Run Road, involves her children in what she calls her "mini haven for flowers, chickens and whimsy," a space that is also home to Bruno, the potbellied pig, who does his part contributing to the compost pile. Here a chemical free approach invites pollinators to enjoy a milkweed, lisianthus, eucalyptus, lilies, gladioli, zinnias, cosmos and sunflowers. A small orchard of cherry and peach trees shows what can be grown in suburban gardens. The Junior Garden Club, partnered with Findlay Garden Club and newspaper staffers, are bringing new life to the circular plot in the front of The Courier, located at 701 W. Sandusky St. After a diseased tree was removed from the circle, the juniors planted spring bulbs, added perennials and sewed annual flower seeds. Weeds have been replaced by perennials, a serviceberry tree, shrubs and spring bulbs at the entrance to the parking area. Betsy and Doug DeFrancesco at 3103 St. Andrews Drive have created an in-ground fairy garden with neighbor boys, a dwarf conifer garden, an edible garden and six small water features, including a fountain from Betsy's late mother's gold fish pond. Guests will find many pollinator-friendly perennials, flowering shrubs and container gardens. New this year is Doug's Bonsai maple tree forest. Lighthearted sculptures by George Carruth add a whimsical feel. Jeff Hingson, a horticulturist at 221 Rector Ave., will display his talent for small space gardening. Growing up in Jenera, Hingson started his love of gardening at a young age and believes gardening is for "anyone, young or old and at any skill level." Also featured is a striped maple tree that while known for its bark will also show a beautiful red bud color in the fall. A paperbark maple, lacebark pine and a Japanese stewartia are some of his favorites. Jan and Rob Young, located at 235 Frazer St., will open their award-winning garden again for the tour. This no-mow garden has old-world charm — a quiet oasis surrounded by the University of Findlay's campus. Statuary, rocks collected during 35 years of travel and art accents add ambiance to more than 800 annuals, perennials, tropical plants, a fountain and two small ponds with fish and frogs. A pergola covered in some of the 35 grapevines on the property provides shade and shelter. Shannon Lussier and Randy Woerner at 258 Prospect Ave. pack a lot into a small space. A work in progress for the last eight years, the majority of the garden's plants are edible and are grown from seeds indoors. Shannon tends to the plants while Randy creates infrastructure and metal artwork for the garden. New this year is an E-shaped raised bed with two arched cattle panel trellises surrounded by a concrete pathway. Also new is a large stone wall feature complete with a wooden door to separate garden and pond areas. Nicki and Brian Strunk at 15640 Brookview Trail have many "leafed friends" that have moved with them from home to home. This garden incorporates starts of plants from a grandmother, family, friends and neighbors. Favorites of Nicki's are pink diamond hydrangeas, sum and substance hostas, purple bearded iris and many varieties of coral bells. Be sure to notice the color and shape of foliage within the garden. Nicki says "flowers come and go but foliage provides the base" in her garden. Jamie and Mitchell Powers, located at 1325 Woodworth Drive, refer to their garden as "cottage style." Mostly perennials and native plants such as prairie pussytoes, golden alexander's, several varieties of coneflowers and milkweed, plus spice bush, cardinal flower, downy sunflower, wild petunia and geranium and smooth oxeye can be found here. Look for a new hidden garden path and a "she shed" built from mostly recycled and up-cycled resources. This garden has received recognition as a Certified Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. Valerie and Steve Mahler at 313 6th St. have distinctly different types of plantings to accommodate a shady front yard and sunny backyard. Approaching the home, guests will find a variety of hostas and old-fashioned roses sharing space with a fountain, while the sunny backyard features four lace leaf Japanese maple trees, dahlias, coneflowers, roses, evening primrose, lilies, phlox and hollyhocks. Clematis drapes the fence around the pool. Valerie got her love of gardening at a young age from a grandmother who kept formal, cutting and rock gardens. Efraim Bilgili at 980 Twp. Rd. 229 has been a State Gardener of the Year, which probably tells you all you need to know. In addition to towering sunflowers, lilies, zinnias and marigolds, you will find 100 hanging baskets, a banana tree and tomatoes and garlic. He says his poppies attract thousands of honey bees. New this year is a greenhouse he built complete with a wood-burning stove to warm plant starts he will share with others. Becky and Bill Dawson, 832 5th St., are on a street under construction but can be easily reached via Sixth Street to Graceland to Fifth. Nestled beside Firestine Park, this third of an acre has three large horse water troughs filled with English peas, tomatoes and peppers and many pieces of lawn art. Becky loves attracting hummingbirds and butterflies and is fond of her hens, chicks and oak leaf hydrangeas. Kristen and John Hunter, located at 723 Center St., also have a backyard that was designated as a Wildlife Habitat by the National Federation of Wildlife. This award-winning garden has water features, a raised bed, ornamental trees, and more than 100 beautiful perennials and annuals for both sunny and shady areas of the yard. Kristen and John's garden has undergone a redesign to accommodate an addition on the back of the home.