Gardens to be featured in Thursday tour
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MARQUETTE -- With the annual Petunia Pandemonium back in full swing, so is its major fundraiser: the Marquette Beautification & Restoration Committee's annual Garden Tour.
This 29th annual tour is set for 1 to 7 p.m. Thursday, rain or shine, with six garden stops as well as a refreshment stop at the Peter White Public Library. The stops are along North Front, Crescent, Fisher and West Bluff streets in the city of Marquette and Chapel Ridge Road in Marquette Township.
Gary Bell's garden at 1201 Tierney St. might be familiar to people. His Christmas decorations are the destination of many local seekers of spectacular holiday lights. However, during the "green" season, his plants are the focus at his home, which is nestled on a small hillside surrounded by maple trees.
"Most of it's in pots, which is a little different than anybody else," Bell said of his flowers, with some of the planters of his own creation using cedar.
His planters at this point in the growing season are home to mainly geraniums, petunias and impatiens.
Timing is important on the garden tour.
"I think it's going to be just perfect," Bell said, noting that several geraniums will be at their peak by the time of the tour.
MRBC President Jill LaMere, who visited Bell's garden on Monday, said, "It must take you hours to water."
However, Bell has installed a water system to maintain most of the plants on his property -- even the ones in the window boxes -- with the exception of the backyard begonias that require special attention.
A large chunk of his front yard is filled with raspberries that are growing so well they need to be staked.
"It makes it a lot easier to pick them, because most of the berries you're picking are up here," Bell said, referencing the tops of the plants.
The deck has many flowers, while the backyard has a waterfall as well as other flowers, some of which look as if they're tumbling out of a washtub. The Bell backyard too has many decorations, including a squirrel statue on a swing and Disney characters like Mickey Mouse.
LaMere said the PWPL, which is the refreshment stop, has gardens maintained by volunteers.
"We're just happy that we're back on and we have so many people that are willing to open up their home now that Petunia Pandemonium is back," LaMere said.
The event was on hiatus in 2022 because of construction work on U.S. 41, which required the committee to fund a new irrigation system.
LaMere thanked the community for its help in donating money for a new system.
"We just said we need help, we need some money, and in about two months, we had everything we needed," she said. "It's such a generous community."
Tickets are $10 each, with children under age 12 admitted free. Tickets are available at Forsberg's…A New Leaf, FlowerWorks and Lutey's in Marquette; Nagelkirk Gardens in Harvey; All Seasons Floral & Gifts in Ishpeming, and at the garden sites the day of the tour.
For more information, visit mqtbeautification.org or call 906-869-0794.