‘Tour of Back Mountain Gardens’ offers sights and seminars

The Back Mountain Bloomers Garden Club will hold 12 seminars and demonstrations by some of the region’s most recognized master gardeners, arborists and landscapers during the organization’s 2009 “Tour of Back Mountain Gardens” on Saturday, June 27.

The tour will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will include the opportunity to tour seven unique and varied properties in the Back Mountain section of Luzerne County.

The seminars will cover a wide range of pertinent topics and will provide guests with the chance to ask questions of gardening and landscaping professionals.

New to the Garden Tour’s workshops for 2009 are a number of topics including “Organic Gardening Practices” by Ron Petro, Master Gardener; and “Dried Flower Arrangements” by Barbara Soyka, Master Gardener.

Also new this year are “Pruning Clinic” by Jon Brown, Board Certified Master Arborist; and “Integrated Pest Management Clinic” by Mary Pat Appel, both of the Brown Hill Tree Co.

Appel is well known as a master gardener, horticulturist and ISA certified arborist. She joined Brown Hill Tree Co. as a consulting arborist in February 2009. Brown is founder and owner of Brown Hill Tree Co. and is a Board-Certified Master Arborist, a Certified Tree Care Safety Professional and is a member of the International Society of Arboriculture and the Tree Care Industry Association.

Other workshops and demonstrations will include “Feeding and Care of Backyard Birds” by representatives of Wild Birds Unlimited; “Perennial Favorites” by Bev Turner, Perennial Point; “Using Compost in Your Garden” by Tom Arndt, Earth Friendly Compost; “Walking Tour of Trees, Shrubs & Perennials” by Rob Rave, Rave’s Garden Center; “Arranging Flowers From Your Garden” by Renate Raffeck, Naturals by Renate; and “The Wonders of Water Features” by Shawn Rybka, Lily Pads Aquascapes.

There will also be a chance for guests to “Ask the Master Gardeners” with representatives from Penn State Cooperative Extension.

Tickets are $25 per person and are available by mail registration. Tickets are also available at the following locations: Back Mountain Library, 96 Huntsville Rd., Dallas; Wild Birds Unlimited, Dallas Shopping Center; The Lands at Hillside Farms, Hillside Road, Shavertown; and Perennial Point, 1158 River Rd., Plains. Tickets will also be on sale at the Back Mountain Library and at the featured homes on the day of the event.