Streator Garden Walk set June 25 featuring 4 gardens

Four local gardens will be featured 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 25, on the Streator Garden Walk.

This fundraiser is part of The Longest Day, a worldwide effort to raise funds and awareness for the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association. A donation jar will be located at each garden. Any donation serves as an entry fee to view all four gardens. All gardens will feature local artists en plein air painting.

Gardeners sharing their greens are Becky Berry, 7 Groveland St.; Bill and Cheri Schmitt, 14 Groveland St.; Bill Trelease and Steve Fisher, 702 E Broadway St.; and Gary and Pam Riss, 1409 E 2309th Road.

The Berry garden surrounds her home and garden shed. There are numerous varieties of perennials and shrubs, including hostas, sedum, heuchera, echinacea, David Austin roses and hydrangea. Metal art, bubblers and chimes compete with the bird songs. The smell of roses, lavender and honey suckle charm the senses.

A go-to place to relax is the Schmitts’ garden. It features a koi and goldfish pond as well as a large, natural swimming pond that includes a waterfall surrounded by boulders. The nocturnal sounds of tree frogs, leopard frogs and bullfrogs transform the garden into a rain forest. The garden includes several metal flower art pieces designed by their good friend and amazing artist, Kathy Dunning.

The cornerstone of Trelease’s and Fisher’s garden is a 300 specimen peony bed that dates back to the 1920s. Installations include a shade garden, small orchard, strawberries and milkweed, a man-made stream, and wisteria, grape and bittersweet arbors – plus a greenhouse. Roses and hostas share a brick walk covered with a new 30 foot pergola. Urns, clay pots, statuary, nine antique lampposts and a large lion anchor their garden on Broadway Street.

The Risses welcome visitors their ever-evolving garden. Visitors can take a stroll where the butterflies have their own flowers and may even get a quick peek at the fairies. There is a stone path leading towards one of several flower beds. Under their pergola, guests can rest and listen to a bubbling fountain.

A quilt titled Fresh Cut will be on display at the Riss garden. Visitors can buy a chance to win this 66-inch, by 85-inch colorful lap-sized quilt. Proceeds are destined for the Alzheimer’s Association.

A finale will be at 4:30 p.m. the Riss garden where refreshments will be served.

A rain date is set July 2.

For information go to http://alz.org/goto/StreatorGardenWalk or call 815-673-1389 or email phriss1951@gmail.com.