Garden inspiration and education

The Friends of the Kansas State University Gardens invite members of the community to join a bus tour to visit the private gardens of six Johnson County master gardeners on Friday, June 12.

The charter bus will depart from the east parking lot of Manhattan Town Center mall at 7:30 a.m. and return at approximately 6:30 p.m.

"Attendees will see homes with shade gardens, herb and vegetable gardens, and water features and fountains both formal and simple," said Tim Lindemuth, organizer of the annual bus trip and Friends of the Gardens board member. "If you are a hobby gardener or just an admirer of lovely gardens, we'll take you in the comfort of a charter bus to these Johnson County neighborhoods to see the amazing home gardens."

The bus will stop at Strang Hall for lunch in downtown Overland Park, where tourgoers can choose from five gourmet cafeteria lines, Lindemuth said.

The final stop of the day is a buying spree at the five-acre Family Tree Nursery, which features retail plants, supplies and tools for the home gardener. Guests are required to bring a stable laundry basket lined with a large trash bag to hold plant purchases in the bus luggage compartment.

The cost is $85 for the charter bus and group admission to the master gardens. Lunch is not included. The registration deadline is Thursday, May 21. Register and pay online or call the K-State Gardens office at 785-532-3721 during weekday business hours. The K-State Johnson County Extension Office and area master gardeners organize this public tour biennially. The next tour will take place in 2028.