Let It Grow
By Tammy Thornton
Green Thumb Garden Club of Somers Point held its “Down to Earth Garden Tour” on Saturday, June 22. From rustic to refined, 10 gardens were featured on the tour that took attendees on an overview of Somers Point and its gardens.
According to Rosemary Evans, publicity chair of the garden club, the tour is called “Down to Earth Garden Tour” because “most of our members are the kind of people who ‘get their hands dirty’ and maintain, if not design, their own gardens.”
The self-guided garden tour began at the Colonial Garden located behind Somers Mansion. Planted and maintained by the Green Thumb Garden Club, this colonial-inspired kitchen garden was created as a garden that you might find in the 18th and 19th centuries. Herbs such as sage, dill, lavender, rosemary, parsley, and borage can be found growing in these raised beds. In addition to vegetables such as potatoes, lettuce, beets, radishes, tomatoes, and peas, the garden also features a “Three Sisters” bed that pays homage to the influence of the Lenni Lenape. Corn, beans, and squash are known as the Three Sisters in this method of planting, and each crop depends upon the other to grow and thrive.
Visitors to the Colonial Garden were greeted by women dressed in colonial-inspired garb. Attendees were encouraged to take a guided tour of Somers Mansion, which was built in 1720. Before heading to the next stop on the garden tour, guests could purchase produce or stop for a bite to eat since the Somers Manor farmer’s market was also abuzz during the garden tour.
Each garden was only minutes away from the next, so the tour was easy to navigate but gave a little taste of each section of Somers Point. The tour featured homeowners as well as areas of interest in Somers Point such as the Somers Point Submarine Veterans Memorial Garden and the Somers Point Senior and Community Center. A step inside the community center welcomed tour-goers to an art show sponsored by the Somers Point Art Commission. Third graders from Dawes Avenue School displayed their beautiful floral artwork for all attendees to enjoy.
Dr. Larry Lemieux was on call in the memorial garden behind his chiropractic practice. This garden was created to lovingly honor the memory of his daughter Kelli, who passed away at the age of 26. Patients and other visitors who take time to find a quiet moment to admire the memorial garden find peace and solitude among the beautiful flowers.
For a lesson on gardening in the shade, the garden of Donna and Joe Mohr features five different types of hydrangeas as well as giant rhododendrons and feathery astilbes. Hostas and azaleas also thrive in this inspiring garden that was a respite from the sweltering temperatures of the day. On the other side of town, the wild and wonderful meadow garden of George and Angelina Wilson provides a paradise for pollinators. Impressive artichoke plants that have been growing for at least four years were towering with blooms and basking in the hot sun. Meanwhile, coneflowers and daisies beckoned pollinators. Behind the house, shoulder-high corn stalks will soon produce dinner for the family.
Each garden was unique and inspired visitors with new ideas that they could implement in their own gardens. For more inspiration, check out the garden club which meets the first Tuesday of the month from September to June. Contact Green Thumb Garden Club President, Pam DeMarco, for more information at (609) 519-3517.
Tammy Thornton lives with her husband, children, and crazy pets while enjoying a life of gardening, cooking, and going to the beach.
