Residents didn’t have to sneak a peek over the fence or through the hedge to see some of Wareham’s most beautiful houses and yards on Saturday during the biennial Summer Garden tour. Homeowners shared their hospitality and gardens with the public during the event, which was organized by the Wareham Garden Club.

The tour featured five properties that showcased organic gardens, water features, terraced landscaping, and entertainment areas. As a bonus, guests could enter a raffle for a chance to win a variety of prizes, including gift cards, hand-made quilts, and paintings. 

Each garden on the tour had personal touches unique to each gardener. Some of the gardens had clay sculptures hidden amongst the plants, while others had colorful birdhouses, various sized planters, and even a fresh-water pond. The objects hidden in each garden all had their own stories to tell, as some were created by the gardener’s family members, while others were purchased at crafts shows across the state. 

One of the homeowners, Lisa Williamson, said she got her love for gardening from her father, whom she helped with the yard work as a child. Her love for “adding colors” into her eclectic garden fascinated a number of spectators during the tour. 

“My dad used to take care of our backyard for years. When I was younger, I used to watch and help him trim the plants and weed the garden,” said Williamson. “I must have some kind of eye for design, but I am always learning and trying to find new ways to improve the result.”

The painstaking preparation for the event began last September. The Garden Club’s Head of Hospitality and Design, Judy Morgan, said that finding “items for the raffle, vendors, merchants, and houses,” are just a small part of complicated event . It can also take homeowners a few months to beautify their backyards and prepare snacks and refreshments before the tour.

“It takes a lot of planning for people who are willing to show their gardens," said Sandy Slavin, a Garden Club member. "They have a lot of work to do in order to keep the gardens to the state where they are ready to be seen."

The Garden Tour serves as a major fundraiser for the Wareham Garden Club. Proceeds from the event will support the club’s scholarship fund, civic beatification, and horticultural therapy, during which seniors use flowers to create arts and crafts.