 The Falcon Garden Club held its 11th Secret Garden Tour July 21. Six local gardens were open to the public throughout the day at no charge.
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Behind the garden gate – John and Rebecca Thompson
Rebecca Thompson said she is a beginning gardener, but who would know? In addition to a lawn and fire pit, her garden features flowers of different varieties. “You have to enjoy it when you’re out here,” Thompson said. “It’s really therapeutic for me.”
The Thompsons moved from Michigan to Colorado nine years ago and said it has been an adjustment getting used to the arid climate. “When I came, there were a few things already put in the garden,” Thompson said. “I keep trying to do other things. My mom is British and she had a cottage garden that was in the Better Homes and Gardens magazine.”
Not your typical greenhouse – Sharon Stone
Sharon Stone’s first greenhouse attempt couldn’t withstand the strong Falcon winds so her husband custom built one. Inside it, she has a myriad of plants, including herbs and veggies like dill, cabbage, peppers, tomatoes, carrots and strawberries.
Stone’s outside garden houses several raised beds, fruit trees, a fire pit and a small water feature . Stone attributed much of the garden’s success to the utilization of her sprinklers. “I built raised beds or put pots wherever the sprinklers hit outside the fence so I could use that water,” she said.
Taming the West – Bruce and Julie Eng
Hailing from the Midwest, Bruce and Julie Eng said the three years of time and effort they’ve put into their garden was plenty of trial and error. “We had to let go of the Midwest mentality that things will grow easily,” Bruce Eng said. “Our goal is to have continuous color year round, so we use plants native to the area, heavy mulch, and maximize water using dishes (saucer-like areas around the plants that help gather the water).”
The area in the front of their house contains mainly colorful flowering plants; the rear of the house features a large garden and a plethora of fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, cabbage, asparagus, raspberries, onions, corn, apricots, cherries, cauliflower and eggplant.
Nature’s getaway – Steve and Rose Klima
Steve and Rose Klima have worked on their garden for 11 years. Rose Klima said she credited her husband with most of the work. He built a bridge that runs over river rock, allowing the water from heavy rains to run through the rocks. Across the bridge and up the walkway, the Klimas have a horseshoe pit and a fire pit that provides an area for entertaining.
The Klima garden also features several bird feeders and houses, and the variety of birds that visit mirrors the variety of plants and flowers in the beds throughout the yard. The most notable bird visitor to make an appearance at her garden is a barn owl who has been seen several times, Klima said.
Rocks, trees, and plants, oh my! – Kathy Marceau
Kathy Marceau has worked on her garden for seven years. The dry area of Meridian Hills, where she lives, isn’t conducive to lots of flowers or a lawn, she said. However, she and her husband designed a means to continually water their lawn by threading a hose underneath the sod so the water reaches the roots, Marceau said.
Along with the lawn areas, Marceau’s garden features many different formations of rocks and garden decorations, interspersed with hearty flowers and plants that can withstand the dry climate and heat. Both the front and back yards are a haven for hidden creatures like a statue of a troll picking his nose or a stone dragon sleeping in the shade of a rock.
“Dakota farm revisited” – Doug and Dagmar Burrer
Innovation is the name of the game at the Burrer’s garden. Doug Burrer had to find a way to battle the voles (small rodents resembling a mouse, only sturdier) that were eating the roots out from under his garden, so he installed solar-powered mole and gopher chasers, he said. “They emit a sonic beep, which scares them away,” Burrer said. “They only work if you put them in right away.”
With the voles gone, the only creatures left on the Burrer’s property are their chickens, which produce up to eight eggs each per day, he said. His garden contains corn, beans, watermelon, lettuce and carrots. A chicken run surrounds the garden to allow the birds easy access to their own space but still preventing them from getting to the garden for a snack. In the back corner, Burrer has also installed a beehive, which provides natural pollination for his plants, he said.
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Rebecca Thompson's Columbine flowers were in full bloom during the Secret Garden tour.
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The Thompsons have a peaceful sitting area among their flowers.
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Sharon Stone said her greenhouse will be more fully utilized next year.
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Behind her swing, Sharon Stone has placed several planted pots to maximize the reach of the sprinkler water outside her garden fence.
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Bruce and Julie Eng's corn is already as tall as the owners themselves.
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The front garden space of the Eng's yard features plants that provide color in every season.
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Splashes of color appear throughout Steve and Rose Klima's garden.
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Birds find a tasty treat at this end of the Klima garden.
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Decorations and flowers give this garden a unique style.
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The green lawn in the Marceau's backyard required some forward thinking.
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The chickens enjoyed a little lunch under the shade of a tree in the Burrer’s garden.
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Doug Burrer added some innovative features to maximize his growing potential.
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