Garden Walk: 12 Gardens, 700 Attendees, Perfect Day

By Catherine Byrne, Garden Walk Committee Chair

A record 700 visitors attended this year’s Park Hill Garden Walk, held on June 8. The weather was perfect, bringing attendees from as far afield as Littleton and Centennial.
The event was held earlier in June than usual and, coupled with a late spring, it was both a challenge and a blessing. For example, the famed wisteria at the Gallagher garden usually finishes blooming in April. This year it waited until the Garden Walk to begin blooming!
Janet Crisbens from Stapleton commented that she never misses the event, saying, “I love the established Park Hill gardens.” Mary DeSimone enjoyed how neighborly the event is: “An ice cold beer was offered to me at the last house I toured. After biking so many miles it hit the spot! This is why I love Park Hill!” she said.
This year’s Garden Walk included more of Park Hill, going as far southeast as 19th and Niagara and with three gardens north of MLK Boulevard. As well as the variety of locations, there was a variety of things to see. People were soon talking about the garden with the disco ball, the garden “planted” with antique silver cutlery, or the garden with the hydroponic tower (no soil) and year-round vegetables. There were ideas for everyone and fortunately there is plenty of time left in the season to try them.
The Garden Walk involves the work of a great number of people. Thanks goes to the 19 sponsors, including: Mary Gerwin, Russ Wehner, Mayfair Liquors (who offered wine sampling), Judy Wolfe and Jay Epperson’s team, Anastasia Williamson, Kentwood Realty, City Floral, Cherry Creek Properties, Governor’s Park Dental Group, Rick’s Hair Studio, Park Hill Veterinary Medical Center, VCA Animal Hospital, Haven Outdoor Design, Van Camp’s Quality Hardwood Flooring, Roet Realty, Dave Johnson, Cake Crumbs, Moss Pink, Spicy Thai and Gardening by Tess.
More thanks are due to the 54 volunteers, the 24 artists and the 10-member Garden Walk committee, who began planning back in January. Special thanks goes to: Terry Brewick and Rick Morales-Brewick for hosting the volunteer-appreciation party, Welby Gardens for donating annuals and Mary Ann Welch for hosting the artist and gardener appreciation brunch.  Sue and the staff of the Park Hill Branch Library, Taliah and the staff of the Pauline Robinson Branch Library, Jil of Moss Pink and King Soopers need to be thanked for selling tickets. Thanks also goes to Barb McKee of the Art Garage for allowing us to “set up shop” to sell tickets on the day of the Walk at that location this year. Angelia McLean did the art photography and design and is the artist behind the Garden Walk’s signature look. She painted a picture of each garden that was presented as a gift to each gardener.
Finally, a big thank you goes to perhaps the most hardworking people of all, the gardeners, who spent countless hours preparing and allowed hundreds of visitors to walk through their gardens.
The final numbers have yet to be tallied, but about $8,000 was raised to benefit the Greater Park Hill Community, Inc.

If you would like to be involved in the Garden Walk next year, the GPHC would like to hear from you! Contact director@greaterparkhill.org.