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Spring beauty on display during Master Gardener's annual tour June 20

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By
Mavis Fodness

As spring rolls into summer, the Rock County Master Gardeners are organizing their annual garden tour as a fundraiser and as a way to showcase local gardens to the public.
Cindy Arends of Hardwick became a master gardener through the University of Minnesota program. She said she was asking so many questions that it was suggested she take the online classes.
The Extension program introduced her to a wide variety of topics from soil structure to plantings for shade or sun in more detail than what even she expected.
“It’s (Master Gardeners) a good resource,” Arends said. “It’s a trusted resource to answer questions.”
Answers to questions and enjoying the beauty of nature are the central purpose for the Master Gardeners’ annual tour Monday, June 20.
This year’s tour features gardens located in or near Luverne. Garden stops include Tom and Sara Lanoue’s backyard, the community garden plots on the east edge of town, St. Catherine gardens and Curt and Marilyn Bloemendaal’s garden east of Luverne.
As the first-time organizer for this year’s Master Gardeners tour, Arends said she had trouble convincing residents to share their gardens with others. She had previously taken garden tours to Worthington and Brookings through her job with Luverne Community Education with no such problem.
“We are talking about giving up the garden tour because not too many people are willing to share their gardens,” she said.
Marilyn Bloemendaal viewed Arends’ request as her responsibility of being a part of a community.
“It was my pleasure to accept it,” she said.
Bloemendaal’s garden has been a tour stop in the past and is typical of many homeowners who tuck their gardens into their backyards.
One of their backyard garden features, a retaining wall, serves a practical purpose.
Located on River Road east of Luverne, the Bloemendaals’ home is built on the east side of the Rock River. The retaining wall was constructed in response to the 2014 flood event to prevent the river from reaching the Bloemendaal home.
Bloemendaal dressed up the backside of the wall with a flower garden and replanted all her garden elements that were ruined by the floodwaters.
Those other garden elements also include a water feature and many varieties of flowers.
“My therapy is working in the flower garden. A way to relax,” Bloemendaal said.
She will share results of her therapy activities beginning at 6 p.m. Monday, June 20, when tourgoers board the bus at the Luverne Community Education parking lot to visit each of the garden locations.
Cost is $10 if prepaid to community education by June 16. The cost is $15 on the day of the tour. The community education office is closed Fridays during the summer.
The tour will end around 9 p.m.
To register for the garden tour or for more information, contact Community Education at 283-4724.
To connect with a Master Gardener for answers to questions or to become a Master Gardener, contact the county coordinator, Lynette Jauert, 507-283-8539, or email: ljauert@vastbb.net.
In case of rain, the garden tour will take place June 21.

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