The Bud n' Bloom Garden Club toured two gardens in Dunkirk for their June meeting.
The first garden tour was at the home of Mary Rees on Dove Street, which will also be on the Dunkirk Tour of Gardens on July 21. The Rees home is a tri-colored tan, Victorian home with a sidewalk accented by various red, white, yellow and orange flowers and plants. The shade gardens surrounding the house consisted of a variety of Hostsa, ferns, hydrangea, rose bushes and various colorful flowers as accents. The sun gardens featured purple perennial geranium, orchid phlox, pink lupine, white and orchid foxglove, red coral bells, red sweet William and assorted ground covers. An unusual plant growth Rees explained to be Snake Root will later in the season offer white, feathery plumes.
Rees described one of her favorite plants with tall, sword-like, slender green leaves. Crocosmia will have tall stems of bright crimson, tiny flowers that hummingbirds often enjoy. This plant is enjoyed throughout her garden.
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These five plants were donated by local nurseries for the recent Bud n’ Bloom Plant Sale, a benefit for the Literacy Volunteers.
The second garden tour was at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Alex Uszacki on Nevins Street. This garden has been named the "Yard of the Week" by the Dunkirk Garden of the Month group. The front porch featured white, wicker furniture offset with a sphere of pink, yellow and purple petunias. A colorful wreath decorated the door. Colorful impatiens and a variety of herbs lined the home and sidewalk. A rectangular garden was filled with roses and other colorful plants and flowers and was accented with a bird bath, a metallic green gazing ball and many ceramic statues. A white picket fence surrounded the property and held three planters filled with pink petunias. The backyard garden featured many white Easter lilies, a basket of pansies and a hanging basket of petunias, as well as a fountain of clay pots.
Before leaving the garden, every member received a two-page handout specifying five steps that are suggested for Fredonia to start Gardens of the Week and a Fredonia Garden Walk. The club members agreed this was a great idea and thanked the Uszacki couple for all their efforts.
After the garden tours, members traveled to the Liberty Cafe for a light supper. An assortment of cashews, cinnamon-sugared pecans and chocolates were provided to snack on, and carrot cake cupcakes were served for dessert along with locally-grown strawberries.
A brief meeting was directed by President Sue Drag. Audrey Parker gave the treasurer's report. It was noted that the recent plant sale exceeded last year's sale. "Sincere thanks" to the members and to the community were expressed for its success.
This year tickets were sold by Literacy Volunteers for five plants donated by local nurseries. The winners of the raffle were Sharon Nus of Ashville, Mary Ruge of Dunkirk, Patricia Sweet of Dunkirk, Steve Aschman of Westfield and Susan Besermer of Fredonia. Prizes were donated by Mancuso's Nursery in Dunkirk, M & R Greenhouses in Sheridan, Westfield Nursery, Mike's Nursery in Lakewood and Glen Acres Nursery in Fredonia.
Secretary Bev Barnes read two thank you notes to the group. The Darwin R. Barker Library staff note said that they were "purchasing a gardening book for the library in honor of the Bud n' Bloom Garden Club." Joy Harper of the Barker Library sent a note thanking the club "for the lovely plantings that were provided for the library." She went on to write, "You brighten our day all summer long."
The next meeting will be held on July 11. The group will visit the Chinese Gardens at A. Sam's on Lake Road in Dunkirk.
