Marietta Garden Tour

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July 11th, 2010 - July 11th, 2010

Marietta Garden Tour

The 2010 Marietta Garden Tour will be held on Sunday, July 11, rain or shine.  Sponsored by the First Unitarian Universalist Church, Third and Putnam Streets, the gardens will be open from 3-6 p.m.  A plant sale and free refreshments will be held at the church yard.  Tickets are $5.00 in advance and may be purchased at Twisted Sisters, Greenleaf Landscaping, and Thomson's Landscaping.  Tickets will be $8.00 the day of the tour at the church or any garden.

The Gothic Revival house and the garden entrance at 211 Gilman Avenue takes you back to quieter times, but give no hint of Linda and Joe Veraldo's extensive gardens behind the eight foot dog-eared wooden fence.  To the left of the house a carriage drive is centered by a bed of corkscrew willow surrounded by Russian sage, columbine, Stella d'oro daylilies, and hydrangea and backed by a spacious parking area of stamped concrete.  Exuberant gardens spring from the river deposited soil.  In a shady area by Joe's workshop, a tropical hibiscus - surrounded waterfall and free form pond, edged by a river rock, is enhanced by ornamental grasses and cannas, while a garden flag calls attention to a small frog sculpture.  Goldfish, shubunkins, koi, a large grass carp, water iris, and parrots feather claim ownership of the pond.  Chinaberry, grandmother's peonies and hydrangeas edge the workshop. 

The shady terraced garden of Ann and Sylvain Riendeau at 313 Fifth Street offers a quiet retreat almost in the center of Marietta.  Tucked in a corner of the first terrace is a statue of St. Joseph which offers serenity to an area of bird feeders, hummingbird windchimes, and an antique watering trough bird bath.  A ceramin duck and ducklings add to the scene.  Interesting sculptures and unique bird feeders highlight several other hidden nooks.  THe Piendeau Garden is an interesting melding of descending terraces and four stories of growth.  The towering deciduous trees allow light for the first understory of dogwood, serviceberry, redbud, and ornamental pear.  This, in turn allows light for the laurels, azaleas, rhododendrons, and hydrangeas.  With careful pruning and lawn placement the Riendeaus have a forth zone for varieties such as impatients cone flowers, and astilbe.

From curb side to the front porch of the 1884 Victorian home of Susan and Dick Feil, the garden hints at the unique interests of its gardeners.  A brick-edged formal herb garden contains several varieties of sage, boxwood, lamb's ear, liriope, water peeny, and speedwell.  In the secluded back garden a bottle tree is a real eye-catcher.  An antique fireplace serves as a waterfall into a rectangular pond containing balls originally attached to fishing nets and goldfish.  A fish weather stands in front of the privacy row of hemlocks.  Take a moment to follow the path left of the garage to a bed of coneflowers, blueberries, and grasses.  Across the parking area is a redbud with variegated euonymus as understory and bird houses on posts.  These gardens add life to the alley entrance and demonstrate creative use of space.

Three Greek inspired sculptures, one a goddess of fruit, stand by the gate to welcome you to Teresa and Michael Haught's serene Statuary Garden at 708 Quarry Street.  Mimosa, wave petunias, hisbiscus, and mandeville encircle the trio.  Small octagonal pavers define a pebbled area containing large concrete containers of lotus and several frogs which are watched over by a statue of an angel.  A magnificent fish fountain is topped by a sculpture of a boy hugging a fish.  Child deities circle the fountain, riding fish.  Statues of Venus, a smaller David, the goddesses of the four seasons, and a crane-based birdbath are enhanced by containers of water plants and a white pine, which add color to the area.  To the right an oriental couple stand near a pagoda.  A storage building, decorated with paintings by Rita Schulties, is a back drop for a  paver rimmed pond, presided over by a stature of the Buddha.  Here butterfly koi, Surasa goldfish, fancy tailed goldfish, wakens, and argentine carp glide in peace, guarded by sculptures of griffons, gargoyles, and alligators.  Statues of a seagull and cheetahs rest on the back wall of the pond. 

The Bonus garden this year is the Harvest of Hope Community Garden at the corner of Fourth and Hart Streets.  On street parking is available at all of the houses, with the driveway and spaces in front of the Haught house saved for handicapped tour goers.  Parking for the Haught house is also available at Tim Horton's on 7th Street and at the Movie Gallery at the corner of 7th and Green.  For more information call Debra Miller - 740-678-2769 or Nancy Novak - 304-295-8215.