On June 2, 2018, the Wornall/Majors House Museums, the nonprofit that oversees the historic John Wornall and Alexander Majors Houses, will open the gate to some of the most stunning and prestigious garden spaces in Kansas City. The biennial Wornall/Majors House Museums Garden Tour is the organization’s largest fundraiser, which supports initiatives that bring history to life through innovative, hands-on programs and experiences for thousands of children and adults throughout the greater Kansas City region.
“We are extremely thrilled to be hosting the Wornall/Majors House Museums Garden Tour again. It gives garden lovers a chance to tour stunning gardens of great diversity”, said Kerrie Nichols, executive director. “Our goal is to offer a variety of unique gardens that show creative ingenuity from gardeners who are willing to share their labor of love.”
The Garden Tour kicks off with the Patron’s Party on Friday, June 1, at 7:00 pm. Garden Tour patrons will enjoy an exclusive cocktail reception, hors d’ oeuvres, and a sneak-peek preview of the gardens. Tickets are only $100 for the Patron’s and include re-entry to the gardens on June 2nd.
The full Garden Tour takes place on June 2 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 pm, rain or shine, and features several beautiful and unique gardens, including the Wornall House Herb Garden. Tickets are $20 members/$25 in advance/$30 the day of the tour. Tickets can be purchased online at www.wornallmajors.org/GardenTour2018, by calling 816-444-1858, or at local Hen House grocery stores.
GARDEN DESCRIPTIONS
Dana Posten: 4941 Westwood Road, Kansas City, MO 64112
The Dana Posten’s Garden in Sunset Hills might best be described as a “posy” paradise. Unique textures and color indulge the eye from every corner of this emerging cut-flower garden. This garden is more than a reflection of the owner’s love of cut flowers as she recently opened POSY -a brand new urban Flower Farm and Design Studio. Visitors to the garden will delight in learning from a true pro the professional best garden practices for growing cut flowers in this charming garden as they stroll among paths of peonies, gomphrena, verbena, and flowering tobacco and lesser known plants for cut-flower design such as magnolia, winterberry, cotton, and lavender munstead.
David Lucken & Paul Mesner: 3611 & 3615 Holmes Street, Kansas City, MO 64109
Two adjacent properties come together to form the beautiful and bountiful gardens of David Lucken and renown puppeteer Paul Mesner in the classic neighborhood of Central Hyde Park. While the front yards maintain separate identities as enticing sun gardens, the back yards flow together to create an edible paradise. Chickens, fruit trees, berry bushes, vegetables and herbs marry into a simultaneously functional and aesthetic space guaranteed to awaken the urban farmer in all of us.
Jill DeWitt & Charles Wurrey: 525 East 54th Street, Kansas City, MO 64110
The moment you step into the front yard of Jill DeWitt and Charles Wurrey you will be surrounded by spectacular native plants handsomely curated to encourage pollinators and our feathered friends. An oasis for biodiversity and Missouri’s natural heritage, native trees, shrubs and wildflowers adorn the stunning Crestwood home to form a landscape that is not only sustainable and water-wise, but ever-changing.
Cynthia & Bill Schmidt: 5400 Cherry Street, Kansas City, MO 64110
Situated on a corner lot immersed in sunshine, the garden and Cynthia (“Cindy”) and Bill Schmidt is a perennial oasis. Sugar maples, redbud, cherry and river birch serve as the hallmarks of a mature urban ecosystem, complemented by blueberries, viburnum, lilacs, perennial wildflowers and groundcover. Swallowtails, hummingbirds, songbirds and monarchs have a field day in the colorful habitat. In the backyard three raised beds provide the opportunity to grow vegetables and herbs. Cindy and Bill attribute much of their garden’s success to their neighbors – Jill Dewitt and Ann Skinner-Einbender – who have offered great support over the years.
Ann Skinner-Einbender & Ron Einbender: 5414 Cherry Street, Kansas City, MO 64110
Form, function and color come together alluringly in this English-inspired Cherry Street garden. Influenced by memories of her father’s garden in England, Ann Skinner-Einbender and Ron Einbender, with the help of Aaron Browning, have crafted their backyard into a “working garden” where flower and vegetable plots are combined to achieve beauty and practicality in one space. A shaded area intertwined with footpaths provides a perfectly peaceful setting to observe the birds and butterflies who enjoy tall tropical milkweed and surrounding plants all summer-long.
The Wornall House Garden: 6115 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO 64113
History comes to light in the Wornall House Garden, where the Master Gardeners of Greater Kansas City have been instrumental in designing a space that embodies the spirit of John and Eliza Wornall, the 1858 settlors of the property. Plants utilized for medicinal, household, and aromatic dishes pepper the entire garden, creating an area that is not only reflective of nineteenth-century pioneer life, but presents the opportunity to educate visitors on sustainable gardening practices that still apply today.
Kauffman Gardens: 4800 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110
The Ewing and Muriel Kauffman Memorial Garden draws inspiration from the couple’s journey through life and their commitment to share with others. It is an enduring gift for Kansas City that extends the legacy of a gracious couple and welcomes visitors to a vibrant landscape throughout the year. Join Duane Hoover, the head horticulturist for the Gardens, for a special look at the gardening practices behind the stunning display.
Visit www.wornallmajors.org/GardenTour2018 for an overview of all of the gardens and to purchase tickets. And don’t forget to take a tour of the John Wornall House, 6115 Wornall Road, to view the Wornall House’s historic Herb Garden, or to take a tour of the museum.
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