Tour the Backyards of Broadwater
Author: Terey Artz, Broadwater County Master Gardener
Tour the Backyards of Broadwater
GUEST COLUMNIST: Terey Artz
Broadwater County Master Gardener
The Backyards of Broadwater self-guided garden tour returns for its 9th year on Saturday, July 29th from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm with new gardens and old favorites! This year’s tour features six unique gardens and yards stretching from Townsend and southeast of Highway 287 to Radersburg. Highlighted gardens include a site on the original tour in 2014 (Sharmon and Dave Corner) along with Monica and JB Howick, Private Stock Perennials (Bryan Flynn), Kelly and Jeff Garrard, Becky and Warren Flynn, and Martha and Joas Miller.
There is something for everyone on the tour, whether you’re just embarking on your gardening journey or looking for new and innovative ideas to enhance your “old” landscape. Each highlighted garden has a different focus such as growing beautiful flowers or preserving pollinator and bird habitat. One site will feature Montana native wildflowers with a special opportunity to discuss the grower’s successes - and failures!
Tickets are now on sale at the Broadwater County Extension Office, Townsend Hardware, Goose Bay Glass, Chadwick’s Nursery and Birds and Beasleys. They are $5 per person with kids 12 and under free. When you purchase your tickets, you will receive a map and garden descriptions. You can enjoy the tour at your own pace on July 29th and can even take lunch to enjoy creekside at one of the destinations.
Proceeds from the Backyards of Broadwater garden tour are used to support local horticulture, gardening and tree activities, beautification projects, education, and care and maintenance in public areas. In the past six years, more than $2400 has been granted to organizations and projects including the Townsend Tree Board, the Townsend Garden Club & Study, Wyse Acres and the Harvest of the Month program at Townsend Schools.
The tour is organized by the Broadwater County Master Gardeners and MSU Extension Office with generous support from this year’s sponsors: Broadwater Blooms, Infinite Hope Counseling, JKG Properties, Lane Construction, Most Wanted Reality, MT43 News, Reading Leaves, Townsend Hardware, and Broadwater County Master Gardeners.
For more information, follow “Backyards of Broadwater” on Facebook or visit https://www.msuextension.org/broadwater/. You can also contact MSU Extension in Broadwater County at 406-266-9242 or broadwater@montana.edu or stop by our office in the Flynn Building at 416 Broadway.
