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Raised vegetable beds with deer and other wildlife protection can be seen at the Olivia White Hospice Home Garden.
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“Flagstaff’s Finest Vegetable Garden Tour” will be Saturday, August 13, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tour, sponsored by the Coconino County Master Gardener Association (CMGA*) and Warner’s Nursery, will feature eight gardens throughout Flagstaff.
There are four residential gardens, one micro-farm, one educational garden, one community garden and one public garden. Each garden will demonstrate the challenges of our unique environment.
The public garden, located at the Olivia White Hospice Home, is a Flagstaff treasure. This garden oasis is celebrating its 20th anniversary. It has been a collaboration between Northland Hospice, CMGA, and many community partners. The unique vegetable gardens are enclosed in attractive animal-proof wooden cages, and there are several self-wicking beds made from recycled water totes. There are also fruit trees, raspberry bushes and grape vines. In addition, there is a Tea Garden, a Fairy Garden and a Crevice Garden. This large green space is filled with trees, native plants, and flowers, including about seventy beautiful rose bushes. Even though this garden is always open to the public, only during the tour will you have the benefit of volunteers explaining the garden.
One of the residential gardens features beautiful xeriscaping and native plant beds with vegetables and fruit trees nestled among the other plantings. There are container gardens and raised beds, including some that are terraced to fit the terrain. A very clever rainwater collection system helps water the beds while protecting the house. There is also a greenhouse used to raise native plant starts sold at the Farmers Market.
At another residence, we have a garden host who is an expert at maintaining a large composting operation. She also teaches composting and can answer questions or set up a training session. This residence has about 1,000 square feet under cultivation. There are container gardens, in-ground gardens, and raised beds made from recycled and upscaled products. All the beds are interplanted with pollinators and companion plants.
The third residential garden is laid out in rows of vegetables interspersed with walkways. There is a wide variety of vegetables, melons, herbs and flowers. The gardener specializes in heirloom varieties, including some Ukrainian tomato cultivars. The lot is surrounded by seven heirloom apple trees. The host has an immense knowledge of vegetable varieties and the challenges of gardening in Flagstaff.
One garden, located on a historic bean farm, is decorated with antique farm equipment, reminding us of its heritage. This garden makes creative use of vintage sinks, troughs, and an old utility truck as plant containers. It has an amazing array of vegetables, flowers and fruit trees. There is also a koi pond that provides a home for birds, amphibians, and pollinators. Horses, goats, rabbits and a variety of poultry also live on the farm.
The educational garden on the tour provides a place for people of all ages to learn gardening and connect with the source of their food. This volunteer-run garden has locally adapted heritage plants, native plants, and Native American varieties. Some sections demonstrate indigenous farming techniques. The greenhouse and a large hoop house help to extend the season. A variety of composting techniques are also used to recycle garden waste.
Tickets for this event are available at Warner’s Nursery and online. They will be available at Warner’s from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. on August 13 for $15. You will receive a wristband and map at the time of your admission purchase. While you are at Warner's, you can do a little shopping and have a cup of coffee at Dottie's Café. If you buy your ticket for $18 online through Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/377973076647, you will receive a map and ticket through email the evening before the tour. The gardens will be open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.; hosts and volunteers will be on-site to show you around.
*CMGA is a nonprofit group of gardeners dedicated to teaching classes and cultivating gardens. Proceeds from the tour will fund education and improvement projects in community gardens. Each year, CMGA awards $2,000-$5,000 worth in grants.
Frank Branham is a Coconino Master Gardener with Arizona Cooperative Extension and the president of CMGA He is a retired chef and former owner of the Cottage Place Restaurant.
If you have a gardening question, email CoconinoMasterGardener@gmail.com or call the Master Gardener Hotline at 928-773-6115 and leave a message. A Master Gardener will get back to you.
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Raised vegetable beds with deer and other wildlife protection can be seen at the Olivia White Hospice Home Garden.
LOOK: To read more Gardening Etcetera columns, point your smartphone camera at the QR code, then tap the link.
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