Master Gardeners present a colorful garden tour

Photos by Etta Myers and Charlotte Link
Wisteria, honeysuckle and cedar are just a few pleasures of the Hubble garden, part of the Master Garden Tour.

By DAN SPATZ
of The Chronicle
May 20, 2006

Large, formal gardens can be a source of inspiration but also frustration. Most home gardeners, lacking the resources of professional landscapers and big bank accounts, admire what they see, but often struggle to apply grand designs in a more modest setting.

Thus, when Oregon State University Extension and Columbia Gorge Master Gardeners Association designed this year’s Garden Tour of six local gardens, they kept an eye out for more down-to-earth, practical ideas that homeowners could learn apply with their own landscapes.

“In The Dalles, we tend to have gardens where people can take ideas home with them,” said Laurie Fadness, a Master Gardener and one of the organizers of this year’s event.

The 18th annual Garden Tour is Saturday, June 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., showcasing six gardens in The Dalles. (The tour alternates each year between Hood River and The Dalles.) Etta Myers is chairperson of this year’s tour, which is titled “Through the Garden Gate.”

Enter ‘The Gate’
Welcome to all the garden enthusiasts who join us to visit the gardens of the 2006 Garden Tour in The Dalles.

Each garden is different and inspiring in its own way. You are sure to find many ideas to take home with you. Master Gardeners will be available in each garden to help answer questions you may have. Enjoy the educational spots, the Plant Sale, and of course the refreshments. Have a wonderful time on your trip “Through the Garden Gate”.
— Etta Myers, 2006 Garden Tour Chairperson