June 7, 2014

This year the Master Gardeners of Greene County have teamed up with the Springfield Watergarden Society in offering one of the finest garden tours that will be found in this area. The Spring Garden Tour will have 11 garden stops as well as one bonus stop.

When arranging this tour, two criteria were used. First, as always, was the quality of the experience at each garden. Second, was location of the garden to make best use of our guest’s time and gas.

Tour guests can go to any garden on the tour at any time, in any order, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 7. But, there will be a suggested route. This route has been carefully driven and studied from many angles to make the most efficient use of time and miles.

The tour will begin in the central Springfield area with an incredible formal English garden designed with brick walkways, boxwood hedges and far more. Then on to southeast Springfield for a magnificent conifer garden. Next stop will be in the Hwy 65/Evans Road area with a very large garden featuring daylilies, hostas and more. On to an amazing shade garden with towering trees, hostas and Japanese maples in the Fremont Hills area. From there go to Nixa for a fabulous lakeside home featuring watergardens and more formal landscaping. While in this area, take a few minutes out for our bonus stop at the Gardens at Woodfield. Drive by for a quick look or get out and walk the almost ½ mile track and see the planted berms up close.

From there head on west to the Clever area for a five acre home featuring over a hundred varieties of trees plus another 70 or so shrubs, all with identification. Go another few miles into the Billings area for a three acre garden featuring very large watergardens as well as many plants, trees and shrubs of all kind. Go back to Republic to view another watergarden with lots of unusual garden art to make you think about what you might do with that old wagon or bike. From there, back to the south side of Springfield for a perfectly manicured garden featuring native plants. Next stop is a large garden which includes vegetables and just about everything else you can think of. Last stop is a small, intimate garden with an incredible raised rock pond surrounded by shrubs, trees and highlighted with loads of annuals. Plan to visit every garden. Each one is a very unique and exceptional garden.

If you want to follow the recommended tour route, you can start wherever you like. Directions are given garden to garden in a large loop so the last garden gives directions back to the first garden.

This is a full day of fun for the hardcore gardener as well as those who just like to get out and see a pretty garden. There are collector gardens and gardens for the do-it-your-self’s as well. Everyone will enjoy this tour and beg for more. And, because of that, we are planning a Fall Garden Tour as well. It will be on Saturday, September 20.

Tickets are available now for only $5 per person in advance. On the day of the tour tickets will be $7. They can be purchased from Garden Adventures in Nixa, Maschino’s, Wickman Gardens, Schaffitzel’s Greenhouse and from the Master Gardener Hotline Room at the Botanical Center, 2400 S. Scenic.