Summer is the time to enjoy garden related activities to the fullest. Whether you are working in your own landscape, relaxing on a friend’s patio or checking out a new site on the Internet, there are lots of ways to make the most of the garden this month.

GARDEN TOURS
Spend a day with a gardening friend or relative and attend one of the several garden tours that take place in our area during the summer months. Recent tours have been sponsored by the Johnson County Master Gardeners, the Roanoke Neighborhood Association and the Wornall Garden Club. Upcoming tours to mark on your calendar include the Professional Pond Tour on June 24 and 25. The Pro Pond Tour is self-conducted and attendees can choose from over 60 residential locations to visit, according to the location and the type of water garden they are interested in. The work of many contractors and area landscape designers will be featured, offering something for every water garden lover. Tickets are available at several area locations including Earl May Nursery, Waldo Pets, Family Tree Nursery, Gabler’s Nursery, and Water’s Edge in Lawrence. Ticket information and a program map is available from Precision Installations at 913-371-1104. Water gardens on this tour are all professional installations and the technical aspects of different sites, orientation, entertaining needs and family lifestyle are well represented. From small front entry gardens to large backyard systems with streams connecting several ponds, this tour is unique. Tickets are $10 for as many sites as you can visit. All proceeds benefit Gillis for Children and Families.

The Greater Kansas City Water Garden Tour will be held on July 8 and 9 and features 50 sites. This annual tour is full of ideas for all types of water gardens, with resident gardeners in attendance to answer questions. Tickets are $10 and are available at Rosehill Gardens, Earl May Nurseries, and Longview Gardens. For complete list of ticket locations or further information contact the Water Garden Society at 913-599-9718 or visit their website at www.kcnet.com~wgskc/tours.

INTERNET GARDEN SITES
Once the garden tours have passed and the real heat of summer sets in, explore garden related sites on the Internet to keep cool. Just about any kind of garden information or products can be found in cyberspace. Here are a few places that you may want to check out.

Gardening on the Net
www.almanac.com/edpicks/gardenonnet.html
This garden clearinghouse is a gateway to loads of good garden stuff. It is one of several large sites that have taken root on the Internet that provide solid information on plants, pests, and other gardening topics. Click on GardenWeb, with an on-line magazine, a calendar of garden events, a seed and plant exchange, and a virtual tour of botanical gardens around the world. This month’s Feature Article is on Drip Irrigation. Drip irrigation delivers water to plants in a controlled application at soil level, rather than overhead sprinkling systems, which lose about 60 percent of the water they deliver to evaporation or wind.

From there, head to The Gardening Launch Pad at www.io.com/neighbor/. Find links to over 1,600 gardening sites in 58 categories, from African Violets to the USDA Growing Zone Finder, including unique gems such as the Carnivorous Plants Page.

When the kids begin looking for new summer entertainment, send them to the Kid’s Valley Garden Page at www.arnprior.com/kidsgarden/index.HTM
This easy to navigate site gives kids a guide to flowers, vegetables, herbs, shrubs, planting and garden planning. The site is provided by the Arnprior, Ontario Chamber of Commerce.

GARDEN CIRCUIT
All gardeners know others nearby who are interested in the season-long progress of neighborhood gardens, but sometimes it seems that the summer flies by so fast that we don’t follow each other’s progress as much as we would like. One excellent way to enhance garden enjoyment and fellowship is to form a Garden Circuit. Unlike a Garden Club, with meetings, bylaws, entertaining and housecleaning, a garden circuit is a very informal gathering, normally on a cool weekday evening, to view the changes in our gardens throughout the season and exchange plants, seeds and information.The garden doesn’t have to be “cleaned up” since working gardens are always in development. Our group meets each week for about an hour at a different garden throughout the season. It’s a great way to get together with others who love to dig in the dirt.

Robin Milliken is a Landscape Specialist and Master Gardener
The Master Gardener appears monthly in The Olathe Daily News.
© H&R Lawn and Landscape

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