An exciting group of volunteers have come together and created a new and beautiful tradition in town that will be happening in a couple weeks, and it’s all for a good cause!
Tickets for the first annual Garden Tour can be purchased at Boulder City Magazine, 1007 Elm Street, Suite C. The office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00AM to 2:00PM. Tickets are just $15 per person and provide access to all featured gardens. The proceeds will benefit the Martha P King Elementary School Gardens, as well as BC Kids Educational Outreach. The purpose of these two projects are to “create students who are also educational facilitators,” according to Cheryl Waites, one of the organizers. Gardening and other agriculture-related activities are important hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activities for these learners. Discovering the scientific processes of growing foods and plants, what species are native to the area and maintenance of agricultural ecosystems are all part of this valuable learning process for the youngsters.
Ms. Waites noted the deep history of gardening in the Boulder City community, dating back to its earliest origins at the time Hoover Dam was being constructed. Some of the first gardening projects involving students began with a woman named Grandma Pickett, who taught children how to grow flowers, specifically hollyhocks. There are now fifth and sixth generations of gardeners descended from that primary group, who continue the gardening traditions today. Ms. Waites, the current Hollyhock Lady, noted that Boulder City’s official Hollyhock Day is May 8.
The administration of Martha P King Elementary School, including school Principal Jason Schrock and Read by 3 Literacy Specialist Kelly Cannon have been very supportive of the students’ efforts. In March, students and adult volunteers worked on the gardens, including rehabilitating the habitat for Daisy, the school’s desert tortoise. Daisy even made a unexpected appearance to see what was going on, and enjoy her new digs!
The self-guided tour will begin at Saturday, May 1st at 8:00AM at Boulder City Magazine, where ticket holders will receive a booklet containing a map of each garden on the tour. There will also be descriptions of each garden, along with additional notes about unique plants, special features and themes for the gardens. The gardeners themselves will be highlighted as well!
Some of the people who have provided support for this effort include:
- Amy Salas, Boulder City Ninja Greens
- Dr. Dawn Green, Master Gardener
- Diane Greene, Herbs by Diane
- Michelle Gemmill, gardener and organizer
- Susan Reams, University of Reno Cooperative Extension of Gardeners
- Tracy Gossett, Community Gardens ethno-botanist
- Wendy Wilson, Garden Farms of Nevada
Girl Scout Troop 555 will be making May Baskets for purchase by the community in conjunction with the Garden Tour. They also plan to perform a traditional Maypole Dance, but those details haven’t been finalized yet.
There will be several categories of gardens showcased on the tour: residential, commercial and community gardens. There is still time to have your garden featured by contacting Cheryl Waites at (702) 349-0506. Volunteers and sponsors can contact Ms. Waites as well to be part of this special benefit for our community’s children.
Current sponsors for the event include Boulder City Grown, Boulder City Magazine, Boulder Dam Credit Union, Dr. Dawn Green, Little City Grille, Martha P King Elementary School Gardens and Quantum Printing. Additional sponsors will continue to be added prior to the tour.
Don’t miss out on this unique hometown event!
