Save the Date!
Portage County, OH Open Day
Saturday, August 19

The Open Days program returns to Ohio on Saturday, August 19!  We are thrilled to return to Ohio for the first time since 2014 with an exciting collection of gardens opening this season.  This Open Day features several of the most exciting, creative, and innovative private gardens in the area, in addition to a Digging Deeper entitled "How to Not Treat Your Soil Like Dirt."  Read more about these gardens and register for your opportunity to peek behind the garden gate on August 19!

Online registration is now available for all Garden Conservancy Open Days through September 30.  Keep an eye on your inbox for ticket releases and announcements about new additions to the Open Days Program.

Permaculture Food Forest - Kent, OH

A 50x100 ft city lot that had a cement-covered back yard has been transformed into a permaculture food forest with fruit trees, berries, currants, grapes, hazelnuts, herbs, and annual vegetables. The front yard is a mostly-native flower garden that has attracted dozens of species of bees and other pollinators. Other features include a swale to retain rainwater, hugelkultur mounds, and a greenhouse.

The Sidedoor Farm - Kent, OH

Six years ago, my husband and I began building a three-acre suburban homestead where, when possible, we have incorporated permaculture and food forest principles. Learning more each year, we now grow annual and perennial vegetables all from seed, along with a wide array of traditional and unusual fruits and nuts. Depending on the month, visitors may discover strawberries, asparagus, rhubarb, greens, blueberries, black and yellow raspberries, cherries, currants, peaches, hazelnuts, butternuts potatoes, onions, tomatoes, peppers, garlic, okra, beans, cabbage, squash, paw paw, sweet corn, goumi berries, sea buckthorn, blackberries, pears, apples, sunchoke, black walnut, and more. Flowers and herbs are integrated into the gardens to attract pollinators and spectators. More than 50 varieties of dahlias take center stage later in the summer and into fall. We are currently working on creating a native wildflower meadow. Soon to come is an Airbnb across the street with an open invitation to peruse the gardens. Sharing our passion is our joy! We look forward to welcoming you to The Side Door Farm soon.

Digging Deeper - How to Not Treat Your Soil Like Dirt
with Randy & Renee Ruchotzke, Permaculture Food Forest
4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Learn how we turned a yard that was covered in concrete into a fertile oasis by using permaculture methods and low cost soil-building techniques. Randy will also delve into the research regarding soil health and soil biology and present methods for improving soil fertility, health, and tilth that anyone can use.

Complement your Open Day with a visit to this nearby public garden...

Wolcott Lilac Gardens - Kent, OH

This is a historic lilac garden started in 1920. It is still a work in progress. Lilacs are continually being added as well as new plants and art pieces. A rose garden is also present. It is a park-like garden located in an urban residential setting.

The Garden Conservancy is not ticketing this garden.  For more information about visiting, please visit their website at https://www.wolcottlilacgardens.org/

View the full schedule of upcoming events
and look for upcoming weekly emails on additional Open Days and related programs.
And remember...Garden Conservancy members receive the Open Days Directory for free.
Not a member? Join now!

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