Gardens will be open, regardless of weather

"It's garden time, rain or shine," Secret Gardens of Fort Scott Garden Tour Chairman Priscilla Sellers said. "Gardeners are used to being outside, and a little rain never dampens their enthusiasm.

"Some days the long range forecast for this weekend has scattered thunderstorms, some days it says that it will be partly cloudy," Ms. Sellers said, "but we have always maintained that the garden tour will go on whether it rains or not.

"The recent rains have kept gardens green and growing," she said, "and we have appreciated all of the rain leading up to the tour. We do hope that the sun shines on the garden tour this weekend."

The Bourbon County Master Gardeners and Garden Club sponsor the Secret Gardens tour every year. Part of the responsibility of Master Gardeners is education, and there will be Master Gardeners at each garden during the weekend to answer any gardening question tour goers may have. 

The Master Gardener program is a volunteer program through K-State Research and Extension. Each Master Gardener has 40-50 hours of instruction in all aspects of horticulture.     After the training is completed, volunteers donate an equivalent number of hours of service as was received in instruction.

Sponsoring the Fort Scott garden tour, being active participants in the tour itself and making themselves available at the gardens to answer any questions that tour goers might have is a way that the Bourbon County Master Gardeners can fulfill the volunteer hours needed to continue their certifications as Master Gardeners.

"The gardens are diverse this year," Ms. Sellers said, "and we feel fortunate to have five really wonderful private gardens for this year's tour."

The gardens are at the homes of Dean and Becky Mann, Kent and Kris Gant, Elaine Kirby and Crystal Mason, Gary and Kristy Bolden and Bob and Carol Beckwith. In addition, the garden at Heritage Park (which was a gift from the Bourbon County Master Gardeners and Garden Club to the people of Fort Scott) and the Woodland Walking Trail at Mercy Health Systems will be on the tour this weekend.

Advance ticket sales have been brisk but tickets will also be available the days of the tour at Heritage Park Garden, the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce or at the individual  garden gates.

The Bourbon County Master Gardeners and Garden Club has designated the Tri Valley Service Center's Greenhouse project as the recipent of the proceeds of this year's garden tour.

For more information on the Secret Gardens of Fort Scott garden tour, contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, (620) 223-3566 or (800) 245-FORT or Publicity Chairman Martha Scott, (620) 223-1844.