Gardening for Pleasure and the Planet

Garden Tour and Plant Sale

May 8, 2010

9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Each year the Denton County Master Gardener Association sponsors a spring garden tour and plant sale to present practical gardening ideas that can be incorporated into all types of home landscapes. Proceeds of the tour and plant sale help to fund the Tom Harpool Horticulture Scholarship Fund and other Denton County Master Gardener projects. When you visit the members' gardens, you will talk to Master Gardeners, see plants that work in our area, learn practical ideas for dealing with problem spaces, and experience the joy of gardening in Denton County.

In addition, each garden hosts a Diggin' Deeper Demo, providing educational information about a topic specific to that garden in a question and answer format.

Directions to each garden will be added to this site two days before the tour. 

Click here for printable flyer.

Plant Sale Details Below

Wild Thing

9510 Yellow Rose Lane

Pilot Point

From I-35E, take exit #463 for Loop 288.  Turn northeast onto Loop 288.  Take the US-380/University exit; turn right (east) on US-380.  Take US-377 exit, travel north on US-377 for approximately 9 miles.  Turn left on St. John Rd. and then left on Yellow Rose Lane.

Raccoons, armadillos, coyotes, and foxes roam this three-acre property purchased three years ago by the current owners. This Master Gardener immediately proceeded to install flower beds full of drought-resistant plants, leaving most of the land natural. She not only loves the privacy, but it also limits maintenance. It also necessitates shade gardens throughout this post oak forest. Challenges abound, from poor drainage to poor soil. This extremely organized and energetic homeowner is never satisfied, and this garden will continue to evolve into something more beautiful with each season.

Natural Habitat

5601 W. Oak Shores Drive

Cross Roads

From I-35E, exit #463 (Loop 288).  Turn northeast onto Loop 288.  Take US-380/University exit; turn right on US-380.  Turn right on Mosley Road, left on Tipps Rd., right on Keyes Ln., and right on West Oak Shores Drive.

It takes less than a minute to discern this former city-dweller’s passion for living amidst nature on the shores of Lake Lewisville. The first people ever to live on this land, they moved here in 2001 and began landscaping in 2003. They wrestle with the challenges of compromising with nature. Almost any wild animal might appear from the lake or the woods surrounding this two-acre Certified Wildlife Habitat. While meandering through the lovely gardens (even grapevines!), watch for a very surprising big cat. Kids will enjoy counting frogs and fish in and around the enchanting ponds while adults wonder how nature could be more peaceful. 

Cozy Retreat

705 Lafayette Drive

Denton

From I-35E, exit #463 for Loop 288.  Turn southwest at the intersection onto Lillian Miller Parkway.  Turn right on Southridge Dr., left on Lynhurst Ln., and left on Lafayette Drive.

A city lot notwithstanding, this garden is full of delightful surprises. A handrail and stepping stones lead from the entrance gate into the back yard where there are myriad birds, a waterfall, and a multi-level deck that also serves as a bridge. The homeowners have attempted to resolve drainage issues on their heavy clay soil, yet when downpours come, the dry creek bed becomes a small river. Harnessing nature is important to enjoying all that this lovely sloped lot offers. The husband of this Master Gardener couple has created innovative solutions to physical challenges in pursuit of that goal. Natural beauty has never looked better.

Turning Over an Old Leaf

165 North Woodland Trail

Double Oak

From I-35E, exit #452 for Main Street/FM1171 in Lewisville.  Turn west onto Main/1171 and continue through Lewisville and Flower Mound.  Turn right on McMakin Road, right on East Kings Road, and left on North Woodland Trail.

Dozens of perennials grace generous beds, allowing abundant birds, butterflies and blooms in this delightful garden. In addition, there are more than 50 antique, hybrid tea and floribunda roses scattered throughout the garden. This organic gardener recycles all yard waste, chipping up limbs and leaves to add to enormous piles of compost. Worm composting bins are sprinkled among the plants. His gorgeous vegetables and flowers win prizes every year at the DCMGA Fruit Vegetable Flower & Herb Show. Overlooking a 7-acre lake, this garden satisfies the soul.

Rooms With a View

2805 Blue Wood Trail

Flower Mound

From I-35E, exit #452 for Main Street/FM1171 in Lewisville.  Drive west on Main/1171 through Lewisville and Flower Mound.  Turn left on Flower Mound Road (FM3040), right on Skillern Road, and right on Blue Wood Trail.

This Master Gardener has created rooms in her garden—for entertainment, for enjoying nature, and even one for fresh food straight from the soil.   A lifelong organic gardener, she has planted beds with mostly native nectar and host plants for butterflies and hummingbirds. Everything in the garden is designed to be wildlife-friendly. Since building the house 12 years ago, she has been forced to move many roses to accommodate encroaching shade. Adaptable gardeners are happy gardeners, and this garden will make you happy.

633 Hobson (Hobson and Teasley), Denton

Trinity United Methodist Church

8 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Featuring:

Earth-Kind™ Landscape Roses

These roses have passed stringent field testing and have proven to be insect and disease resistant and require minimum watering once established.
See http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkind/roses for more information.
Knockout Roses in a variety of colors, Miniature Roses, Hardy Shrubs and Floribundas—Some of these are currently in an Earth-Kind™ field trial. All are own-root. 

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkind/


Texas A&M Superstars

Strong and Stunning Plants for Texans
Every plant earning the Texas Superstar designation undergoes several years of extensive field trials by Texas A&M University’s Agriculture Program. They must be proven to be super-performing plants under Texas growing conditions. Visit www.texassuperstar.com for additional details about these amazing stars. 

http://texassuperstar.com/plants/index.html
 

Commercially Grown Plants

Perennials and herbs for sun and shade, including proven native and/or adapted plants for the Denton County area.


Pass-along Plants

These are treasured plants from Master Gardeners’ own gardens.
Some they just enjoy and would like to share, some are hard to find, and some are plants that have just done very well for them.
Whatever the reason, these are always an early sell out.



Visit the Garden Shoppe to fill your need for gardening gloves, tools, containers and hummingbird feeders. Put the finishing touches in your garden with colorful metal yard art as well as garden arbors, benches, tables and chairs. Also look for Steve Huddleston, Chief Horticulturist for Fort Worth Botanic Garden, who will be available to autograph your copy of his book, Easy Gardens for North Central Texas. Steve will be available from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

 

Diggin Deeper Demos

Master Gardeners will be available for questions at each of these demonstrations.