Fifth Pittsburg Garden Tour June 19

On June 19, the Zone 6 Gardeners of Pittsburg Garden Club will coordinate a fifth Pittsburg public garden tour. This is a unique event featuring seven outstanding yet diverse private gardens. Guest may visit the gardens between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. This is a self guided tour, with the garden owners and club members at each site to answer questions and to highlight interesting elements within the gardens.

Gardens selected for the tour include those of: Steve and Kristi Bitner, 1451 Bitner E. PI., Bill and Bobbi Askew 206 E. 24th Terrace, Helen Martin, 1721 J F Kennedy St., Patrick O'Bryan and Tim Towner, 505 Elmwood Lane, Kristie Watson Bell and Tim Bell, 310 Webster Street, the garden of Kayla Spigarelli and Taka Kido, 814 S. Catalpa and The Community Garden, 705 E. Centennial.

In addition to the gardens themselves, there will be a Gardeners' Market with plants and garden related items for sale from a variety of vendors. The Gardeners' Market will be held at the Pritchett Pavilion, Immigrant Park, 2nd and Broadway Streets. Hours for the Gardeners' Market will be 7:30 - 2 p.m.

Ticket sales for the tour have begun and may be purchased in advance at Paradise Mall, 105 S. Broadway, Pittsburg, In The Garden, 719 So. Broadway, Pittsburg, and from Carla's Country Gardens 212 S. Pesavento Ave. in Chicopee. Tickets may be purchased for $7 the day of the tour at Pritchett Pavilion located in Immigrant Park. Children 12 and under are free.

Proceeds collected from the garden tour help support and fund community garden-related projects, educational programs and city beautification efforts. Some of the projects funded have been the butterfly garden at the Public Library, landscaping the stone Pittsburg Welcome sign by Four Oaks Golf Course, landscaping and trees at Immigrant Park, the garden behind Hotel Stillwell, neighborhood intersection island gardens on Crestwood Lane and at Quincy and Woodland Terrace, planting trees at the Girl Scouts Friendship Fields, and purchased one of the downtown urns.

For additional information call (620) 231-6418 or (620) 231-5074 or visit our website: zone6gardeners.blogspot.com.