Green thumbs get taste of local flora

Tour Des Fleurs event caters to area garden enthusiasts

Marylee Ramsay, Wichita, draws a drink of lemonade from the stem of a lotus leaf held by Water's Edge co-owner Deb Spencer during the Tour Des Fleurs Saturday at Water's Edge, 847 Ind. Tourists were entertained and educated by plant experts at several Lawrence locations participating in the tour, which continues today.

Tour Des Fleurs

The Tour Des Fleurs continues today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event is free, but participants can buy $5 wristbands, making them eligible for plant and product specials at participating businesses. Visit tourdesfleurs.net for more details and maps to plan your weekend excursion.

Sunny skies and bright blooms greeted participants of Saturday’s Tour Des Fleurs.

“We’re looking forward to an afternoon of touring,” said Diane Gruver as she embarked on the tour Saturday at Water’s Edge, 847 Ind.

The event, an open house of area garden centers and private gardens created by area businesses, is a new twist on the traditional garden show, organizers said.

The Lawrence Lawn & Garden Show, which used to be held at the Douglas County 4-H Fairgrounds, did not take place last year because of lack of interest from area businesses, said Marcia Henry of The Henrys’ Plant Farm.

In its place is the Tour Des Fleurs, a concept borrowed from a similar event in Oregon.

“It’s a new idea for all of us,” said Susan Davis of Water’s Edge. “It’s a do-it-yourself tour, so you pick up the map and tour as you wish.”

Tour stops include Earth Flowers, Pendleton’s Country Market, Clinton Parkway Nursery, Hamill’s Country Garden Nursery, The Henrys’ Plant Farm, and Sunrise Garden Center. Each stop has its own highlights.

Pendleton’s Country Market features crop art by Stan Herd. Water’s Edge hosted a lotus party with edible aquatic plant treats. The Henrys’ Plant Farm invited artists who displayed their works.

The event is free, but participants can buy $5 wristbands, making them eligible for plant and product specials.

Anne Hunsecker was on the hunt for a clematis Saturday. The Maple Hill resident, who took the tour with a friend, had already purchased sedum and two bushes at Pendleton’s when she landed at her second stop, Sunrise.

“I like the discounts you get,” she said of the tour. “We’ll see what this place has to offer.”

The tour continues today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Event details are available at www.tourdesfleurs.net.