The 10th Annual Secret Garden Tour was a success. It started off with a rainy Saturday, but Sunday couldn’t have been more perfect. The four gardens were perfect in perfect form.
Thank you to everyone who made this event possible! All proceeds from the tour support RAM’s operations and allows us to provide free admission. Thank you to everyone who purchased tickets. Thank you to the gardeners who opened their incredible gardens. Thank you to the many volunteers who helped plan, organize, and administer the Secret Garden Tour.
Thank you to First Bank Richmond for sponsoring the garden tour and thank you to Buckley Excavating for sponsoring the boutique.
Secret Garden Tour Virtual Tour
For those of you unable to attend, enjoy this video of this year’s Secret Garden Tour.
The Gardens
The Barn at Helm
The Barn at Helm is entering is 6th year as flower farmers specializing in local-grown blooms. On the farm right here in Wayne County, they grow about 80 different varieties of flowers and have local blooms in their arrangements from March to November. They sell flowers at the Richmond Farmers Market, host u-picks, plant a huge sunflower field, and host their famous Flower Farm Friday complete with a band and food trucks. They are proud to be members of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers and Indiana Grown. Julie has excelled in the art of floral design and is sought after for local events and weddings. A highlight was arranging their local-grown flowers for an event where David Letterman was a featured guest. The Barn at Helm will have fresh cut flowers available for purchase during the Secret Garden Tour.
Sickmann Gardens
A little over 26 years ago, my husband and I decided to build our dream home on a piece of non-tillable, treeless farm ground. Today, we’re both retired ad enjoying the fruits of that building adventure. Our home has a park-like feel sporting many different species of trees and bushes. I adore flowers, so the gardens (there are several) have grown into an eclectic collection of flowers from my childhood memories and plants I just can’t resist from area garden centers. A nice little veggie garden provides plenty of fresh tomatoes, peppers, and fresh herbs to eat and give away. We’ve left about a third of our property in its wild, natural state to support a strong love of nature and wildlife. We hope our garden tour visitors will enjoy our little piece of paradise as much as we do.
Wysong Garden
It sounds cliche but my garden is my sanctuary. I love being outside with my hands in the dirt, it is where I feel most grounded and at peace. When I plant, I try to keep in mind what is needed most in this area. I usually try to plant things that are great for the pollinators and provide a sanctuary for all creatures. This is our third summer in this home, every year brings excitement for the next outdoor project. I love creating unusual garden areas and planters. Creating each planter is like an art project, filling it with texture, and color and waiting for the excitement of what it will be as it grows throughout the summer. I hope you find the same enjoyment in our garden that we do.
Gone to Seed, The McGurie Mansion on East Main
This house at 1903 East Main Street is history to Richmond Indiana. Elwood McGuire invented the lawn mower along with Mr. Henry H. Dillie. The two men honored Richmond with the title of Lawn Mower Capital of the World. Mrs. McGuire had a vision for art and flowers. The placement of roses are planted where Ester had enjoyed her roses. Her love of art inspired her son, Charles McGuire, to honor his mother with the construction of McGuire Memorial Hall, located at Richmond High School and known today as the local of the Richmond Art Museum.
This house was neglected for years but now we are bringing it back to life. Interior, exterior, and landscape work have enhanced this Main Street property. Still at work in progress, small footprint and growing all the time with seeds from Linda’s Garden Cottage. Enjoy the tour and view the Cottage and Vintage Seed Truck.
