29th annual Secret Gardens Tour set for July 14

SARATOGA COUNTY, N.Y. — Eleven eclectic gardens ranging from compact city lots to sprawling backyards are on tap for the 29th annual Secret Gardens Tour presented by Soroptimist International of Saratoga County on Sunday, July 14.

The self-guided tour is set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Advance tickets at $25 are available online at https://soroptimistsaratoga.org/secret-gardens-tour-2024/ and at Cudney’s Launderers and Dry Cleaning, Adirondack Trust Co. branches, Northshire Bookstore and Faddegon’s Nursery. Tickets will be available for $30 on July 14 online as well as outside the Saratoga Heritage Area Visitor Center from 9:30 a.m. to noon, while they last.

The tour, which draws hundreds of garden-lovers from the region, raises funds to benefit programs and individuals who improve the lives of women, girls and their communities, in keeping with the Soroptimist mission.

The keynote program of the local club, which was founded in 1979, is Project Hope and Power, provided in partnership with Wellspring to help domestic violence victims in Saratoga County obtain financial and legal independence. The club also funds scholarships for women and girls seeking to further their education, and recently introduced a program for area high school girls to build skills and self-confidence.

Last year, between ticket sales and sponsorships, the event raised about $40,000. “The success of the tour is first and foremost thanks to the generosity of people who show their gardens,” said event co-chair Joette Delaney Drum.

One of the big “secrets” this year are the sprawling, park-like gardens of Karla Austen and Pamela Perry, barely a mile from Saratoga Springs’ bustling Broadway and yet a world away. Behind their impressive home are rolling lawns with terraced upper and lower gardens, a kidney-shaped pool, ornamental trees, shrubs and perennials, and a picket-fenced vegetable patch.

Elegance and relaxed abundance are to be found at every turn.

A quick drive leads to a denser residential neighborhood and the chemical-free garden of Susan Wendelgass and Mary Withington, highlighted by a rich variety of hosta and assorted native species shaded by looming pines and maples, with outdoor art scattered throughout.

A few blocks away, the gardens of Maureen Nest and two of her neighbors across the street, also on the tour, are testament to what can be accomplished on city lots, and how the joy of gardening – as well as the plants themselves — can be shared among neighbors. Maureen loves flowers that attract bees and butterflies, plants that remind her of her childhood, and tucking tomato plants in unexpected places among perennials.

On the other side of the city, the home of Niki Rowe and Michael Amo offers a totally organic garden home to insects, birds and chipmunks. And despite limited space, Patty Lane and her husband, Eric Tepper, have created an impressive “urban edible” garden and a vibrant flower garden.

In Ballston Spa, the gardens of Jean and Peter Relyea and, next to them, the gardens of Buddy Glastetter and Cathy Shiffert, reflect the owners’ special touches with help from Daisies and Dahlias. Jean opts for pink and purple blooms that thrive in direct sunlight and complement the colors of their Victorian home.

Next door, Cathy selects the statuary situated throughout their property.

On the other side of the Relyeas live Bradlea and Michael Raga-Barone, who do all their own gardening. Visitors will find a mix of vintage perennials and more contemporary plants, as well as a potted olive tree, antique urns, and a weeping cherry.

In between Ballston Spa and Saratoga Springs are the welcoming gardens of Sharon Finch and her husband, Jack Chapman, whose handiwork can be seen in the new features that unfold each year. Their garden transformation began about six years ago when Sharon looked out the window of her home office and told Jack: “I’d love to see a garden and a waterfall.”

When the waterfall garden was finished, Jack realized he was just getting started. Evidence of his imagination and expertise is everywhere: a trellis that leads to a koi pond, where a stone bench allows visitors to sit and enjoy the music of falling water. A little sitting area looking onto a shade garden. Bird feeders. And a patio, deck, and firepit that extend time spent in the backyard.

Sharon says she feels “fortunate. Blessed.” And, she adds with a laugh, “Spoiled.”

The Secret Gardens Tour is set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 14. Tickets are $25 in advance online at https://soroptimistsaratoga.org/secret-gardens-tour-2024/ and at Cudney’s Launderers and Dry Cleaning, Adirondack Trust Co. branches, Northshire Bookstore and Faddegon’s Nursery. Tickets will be available for $30 on the tour day online and outside the Saratoga Heritage Area Visitor Center from 9:30 a.m. to noon, while they last. The tour program includes descriptions of the gardens and a map with suggested driving directions.

Visit soroptimistsaratoga.org to learn more. Questions? Email secretgardensinfo@gmail.com.