Residents enjoy a real garden party in West Roxbury

Master gardeners and flower fans alike gathered last Saturday to partake in the self-guided garden tour around West Roxbury. The garden tour, “We’re Flowering in West Roxbury,” held on a day that saw a break from the seemingly constant rain of the week, was hosted by the Evening Garden Club of West Roxbury. Seven gardens were featured on the tour.

“Our theme this year is tucking a vegetable into a city garden,” said club member Betty Barry, whose home garden was featured on the tour in 2007.

The tour, that brings gardeners from across the community together, is held every other year on the Saturday before Father’s Day. There have been seven total garden tours.

Sharon Duyer and Marcia Stephenson, who met initially at Home Depot, founded the club in 1996. Their projects include planting flowers at and taking care of the island near the Vintage restaurant and areas of Millennium Park, both in West Roxbury. They also give college scholarships to students who reside in the area.

At the monthly meetings, members hear from speakers about different aspects of gardening. Members can also sign up for a week to water certain areas, such as the Reading Garden at the West Roxbury Branch Library on Centre Street.

The Reading Garden was featured on the tour. As a public space, visitors can see it anytime the library is open.

Members sold raffle tickets at stops along the tour to win Parkway area restaurant gift certificates and baskets full of gardening accessories. There was also complimentary water, lemonade, cookies and a packet with a map of the tour and information about each garden. Those on the tour could also purchase baskets, perfect for vegetable gathering, at the library.

A calm and lush garden at Bird Place was featured on the tour. The garden is tucked right behind the library and CVS, and features an in-ground pool and pool house. Owner Judy Bucklen taught herself how to garden in 1992 when she lived in Newport, R.I. She has been a part of the club for five years and enjoys the lectures.

“Gardening is fun and very systematic,” said Bucklen, as visitors gasped when her back yard came into view. “I love looking at my peonies and roses, but my Johnson blue geraniums bloom all year and are easy.”

Bucklen, who has a fig tree and a raised bed vegetable garden, describes her garden as having a Zen feel.

Off the beaten path of the tour, which was centered at the library, was the Mediterranean garden of Virginia and George Scarpelos on Freeman Avenue, near the Beethoven School.

“Every night, I check on all my plants and I talk to them,” explained Scarpelos to a flock of gasping women.

Scarpelos, who grew up on a farm in Greece, moved to America in 1956. He worked at the Grove Street Spa and as a cook. Now he is retired and focuses on his impressive garden.

Virginia, his wife, cares for a large array of plants, including hibiscus, orchids, bougainvillea, gardenias and papaya. The Scarpelos’ garden features fig trees, two types of apple trees, pear trees from Greece, plum and plum-out trees (a combination of plum and apricot) and apricots — all in buckets. In addition, there is a lemon tree and Greek basil. Strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries complete the collection.

“My wife fights with me for space for her flowers,” Scarpelos said with a chuckle.

Scarpelos also bottles 1,000 bottles of wine a year, made from blackberries and apricots. He gives his wine and produce away to friends. He uses manure from a farm in Dover instead of regular fertilizer.

Doug Raymond and Paul Donovan, who reside on Stratford Street, have been working on the land around their house for 10 years. Their garden, featured on the tour, is a result of “a lot of hard work.”

“I’ve always liked plants,” said Raymond, as his two cairn terriers watched visitors from the porch. “I used to pick and sell strawberries as a kid. My dad would plant vegetables, too, so I’ve been gardening my whole life.”

His garden features electric grass, a dogwood tree, tomatoes, peppers and much more.

The other gardens on the tour included the Van Dyke Family Garden on Rutledge Street, Tom Daly’s and Nancy Chen’s garden on Richwood Street, and Vivian Woo’s and Karen Carpenter’s garden on Maple Street.

The proceeds of the tour tickets, which cost $15 in advance, went to the garden club and civic beautification projects.

By Carol Lawless
Wed Jun 24, 2009, 03:19 PM EDT
FROM: http://www.wickedlocal.com/