Despite an unusual amount of rainfall so far this summer, there were perfect conditions Saturday for the 16th annual Garden Walk to support Safe Haven Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Support Center. The garden walk is one of the biggest fund raisers for Safe Haven, which weather depending, brings in anywhere from $7,000 to $10,000. This year featured six unique gardens in the Shawano area, like Linda Balthazor’s, who strives for a more tropical theme.
“It’s kind of different than what’s around here because I do a lot of annual stuff that has to be taken in during the winter” Balthazor said. ” A lot of people don’t want to mess with that. Either you have to pull them out and bring them in, or do something with them, but it’s fun to me. I like doing it and I like something a little bit different than everybody else.”
Walkers may have noticed Linda’s tropical garden differed greatly than Mikki Moesch’s shade garden on S. Evergreen St.
“I don’t have any one spot that has a real lot of sun, so I take advantage of all the colors of coleus, the huge amount of variety of hostas and day lilies, things that kind of tolerate the shade” Moesch told onlookers.
Perhaps those touring gardens may have found inspiration at Sue Spielvogel’s garden and her use of recycled materials.
“All the paths are recycled, things that [her husband] Dan found in, for instance the Town of Wescott dump” Spielvogel said. “Whatever we can find, old pieces of wood he’s made paths and it’s mostly things we can find.”
Each garden stop also featured various activities like a brat fry, bake sale, or plant slips all while supporting a great cause in Safe Haven Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Support Center.