If you’re looking for ideas for your own garden or just want to enjoy the beauty of flowers and plants, the 31st Annual Yardeners Garden Tour on Aug. 3 is an opportunity to see some of the most spectacular gardens in St. Clair Shores.
The self-guided tour includes six unique gardens, each showcasing different styles of gardening, a variety of plants, and garden decor. Jennifer Rizzo, whose garden is on the tour, has spent the past 10 years creating a native plant garden in her front and back yard. She chose plants that fit the conditions – a lot of full sun but very wet ground conditions.
“Instead of getting a drain and pumping water into the street, I have water-loving native plants and shrubs that help to alleviate flooding,” said Rizzo. “I’m pretty passionate about native plants.” Right now the Cardinal Flowers and Culver’s Root are blooming and should on full display during the tour.
“The native plants draw so many different types of pollinators,” said Rizzo. “Every day there is a new type of insect I’ve never seen before out there in the garden.” Rizzo works full-time so she devotes most of her weekends to her garden, but often after work when she is sitting outside decompressing from her day, she finds herself wandering over to one of her flower beds.
“I putter,” said Rizzo. “I’m coming outside to relax and then the next thing I know I’m deadheading plants or taking photos of the garden.” Sue Davis’ garden is also part of the tour.