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.2 Photo (the photos will need to match each garden section)Behind the garden gate ñ John and Rebecca ThompsonRebecca 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. ìYou have to enjoy it when youíre out here,î Thompson said. ìItís really therapeutic for me.îThe Thompsons moved from Michigan to Colorado nine years ago and said it has been an adjustment getting used to the arid climate. ìWhen I came, there were a few things already put in the garden,î Thompson said. ìI 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.îNot your typical greenhouse ñ Sharon StoneSharon Stoneís first greenhouse attempt couldnít 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.Stoneís outside garden houses several raised beds, fruit trees, a fire pit and a small water feature . Stone attributed much of the gardenís success to the utilization of her sprinklers. ìI built raised beds or put pots wherever the sprinklers hit outside the fence so I could use that water,î she said.Taming the West ñ Bruce and Julie EngHailing from the Midwest, Bruce and Julie Eng said the three years of time and effort theyíve put into their garden was plenty of trial and error. ìWe had to let go of the Midwest mentality that things will grow easily,î Bruce Eng said. ìOur 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).îThe 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.Natureís getaway ñ Steve and Rose KlimaSteve 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! ñ Kathy MarceauKathy Marceau has worked on her garden for seven years. The dry area of Meridian Hills, where she lives, isnít 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, Marceauís 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.ìDakota farm revisitedî ñ Doug and Dagmar BurrerInnovation is the name of the game at the Burrerís 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. ìThey emit a sonic beep, which scares them away,î Burrer said. ìThey only work if you put them in right away.îWith the voles gone, the only creatures left on the Burrerís 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.
