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The 18th Annual Garden Walk is This Weekend

By Rachel Ousley

Story Created: Jul 18, 2011 at 7:16 PM MDT

Story Updated: Jul 18, 2011 at 7:16 PM MDT

Right now the locations of the gardens are being kept under wraps. This is to ensure privacy for the gardeners. Plus it allows them all the time they need before the big show. This year may be the best yet with the amount of community support and the variety of gardens on display.

The walks benefit the education and exhibition departments for Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art in Great Falls. This year id the largetst Garden Walk yet. Kelly Paladino is the Development Director at Gibson Square. She explains, “we were quite overwhelmed by the amount of gardens. We actually have a waiting list for next year already”.

In just a weekend of touring six gardens there is something for everyone. Paladino says, “this year you're going to have an opportunity to see everything you could possibly imagine. We've got fruits, veggies, water features, landscaping, you name it”.

Years of expert knowledge in the field is readily shared during the tour. It doesn't matter if it's a question of landscape, colors, or gardening because someone will have an answer. One of the Garderners says he hopes people steal ideas from him. He feels imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. People on the walk have been known to take notes and pictures for future reference and that's encouraged.

Gardening for these gardeners is an art form of self expression. One gardener believes that a person’s yard is their public face. People should take pride in their landscaping, especially businesses because that part of identity it so important. His landscaping shows what sort of beautiful things man can accomplish.

Hopefully aspiring gardeners will learn there's more to a garden than just plants and soil. Paladino hopes people “just take a look at the beauty, the simplicity, and the peace that surrounds us because we don’t often stop and smell the roses”. A garden property owner shares, “I think the fact that the world’s going so fast makes these gardens even more important. He says the gardens can teach people how to listen and to learn the value of developing an inner life. A gardener says, “there’s enough ugly in the world that any chance you get a chance to see some beauty you better grab it and savor it”.

The event is this Friday from six to nine o’clock at night and Saturday from nine in the morning until noon at the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art. Tickets are on sale now for $10. Children under the age of six are free. Maps will be given out half an hour before the event starts. One of the museum's goals for the garden walk is to show the community that art is not just something stagnate to put up on a wall; art is for everyone and in everything.

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