Neighborhood gardens, such as these tended to by Wendy Manson, will be part of the Marquette Beautification and Restoration Committee’s 31st annual Garden Tour on Thursday for patrons to enjoy. (Journal photo by Abby LaForest)

MARQUETTE — The Marquette Beautification and Restoration Committee’s biggest fundraiser of the year, the 31st annual Garden Tour, is taking place on Thursday.

Garden tour patrons will be able to visit unique locations throughout the area, including the Carp River Gardens, the Marquette Yacht Club Rain Garden and the Blackrocks Brewery Gardens. Members of the community have also been nominated to share some of their spectacular yards on the tour as well.

“It’s an honor to be asked. I’m not sure who nominated me, but it’s an honor to help them do the good work that they do for Marquette and make it look beautiful,” said Wendy Manson, who has two personal gardens listed as stops on the tour. “As people drive into the city, they see all of their beautiful gardens, and it’s a wonderful addition to the community and I wanted to help support them with their growing fundraiser program.” Manson also cares for the Blackrocks Brewery Gardens, which is the beverage stop on the tour, and many of the plants there have been labeled for patrons to view. Blackrocks Brewery will also be offering a special beer – Garden Tour Golden, a 5.9% golden ale with a pleasant lemon flavor — in collaboration with the Garden Tour.

The tour is the MBRC’s biggest fundraiser of the year, which helps them to maintain five gardens throughout the city and Petunia Pandemonium, where the committee plants thousands of flowers each year.

“We depend greatly on the generosity of the people in the city, but we do get grants from the City of Marquette, which helps us pay the water bill, which is nice,” said Jill LaMere, Chairwoman of the Garden Tour. “The (Ray and Peg) Hirvonen Foundation and the Community Foundation of Marquette County have been great grant givers, we received grants from them this year as well. Basically, we just depend on the generosity of our community.”

The self-guided tour will take place from 1 to 7 p.m. Thursday, rain or shine, with seven gardens available for viewing pleasure. Tickets are $15 each, and the event is free for children under 12. They are available for purchase prior to the event at Lutey’s Flower Shop, Forsberg Flowers, FlowerWorks, All Season’s Floral and Nagelkirk Gardens. Tickets will also be available on the day of the event at each individual garden stop.

More information can be found by calling 906-869-0794, visiting the MBRC’s website at mqtbeautification.org, or checking out their active Facebook page.

Abby LaForest can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 548. Her email address is alaforest@miningjournal.net.