By BILL BERRY
of The Gazette
There are many kinds of gardens. Garden Parade 2000 will highlight eight types on Friday and Saturday, July 14-15.
Tours at the gardens run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
In addition to providing a wealth of information about gardening, the tour benefits several local groups.
Tickets cost $10 in advance or $12 at the gardens.
Signs and the map provided with the ticket will lead to this year's gardens, located in Stevens Point and Plover.
Each garden features perennials and annuals, but with a different emphasis. Master Gardeners will be at each site to answer questions.
Here's a list of the stops on this year's tour:
Michelle and Randy Deer, 1025 Matilda St., Stevens Point: The focus here is on utilization of limited space in the middle of a city block. A large butterfly and hummingbird garden is featured.
Nancy and Jim Canales, 1804 April Lane, Stevens Point: A low maintenance approach is highlighted. Their work earned a 1991 Audubon Society Backyard Habitat Award.
Lenore and James Haferman, 2600 La Naeh Lane, Plover: Gardens here have water features with herb and vegetable plots.
Carry and Sharon Knopf, 2421 Magnolia Drive, Plover: A natural array of woodland and shade plants is featured, as is an extensive hosta collection.
Ann and Rick Whipp, 2016 Main St., Stevens Point: See garden art and container gardens here.
Vivian Weber-Pagel and David Pagel, 3521 Evergreen Court, Plover: There are shade and prairie gardens and decks at this stop.
Marianne and Tony Kastner; 1801 Blueberry Drive, Plover: Curvilinear beds of perennials and annuals are among the features, along with a pond with woodland plants.
Keith and Evelyn Lea, 1821 Green Tree Drive, Plover: Features include a limited lawn, ground covers and stone walkways.
Other facts about this year's tour:
Benefits: Family Resource Center - offering educational and social opportunities and support to parents and children in Portage County at sites in Stevens Point, Amherst, and Junction City; Children's Service Society of Wisconsin - providing child and family counseling, treatment foster care placements, adoption services, pregnancy and birth parent counseling;
UW-Extension Master Gardeners - supporting plant education through reference books, biology scholarships at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and grants for speakers and teacher inservices, as well as establishing plantings at Habitat for Humanity homes.
Ticket sites include Copps Food Centers, Glacier Hollow, Jung's Floral, Sweet Briar, Wild Birds Unlimited and UW-Extension in Stevens Point; A Growing Desire and Copps Food Center in Plover; The Amherst Coffee Co. in Amherst; Altenburg's Country Market in Wisconsin Rapids; Turner's Farm Market and Cottage Garden Farm in Waupaca' and Krueger Floral in Schofield.