Buffalo Rising | Garden Walk Buffalo: Connecting the Dots

Story Options

Print (story, story w/comments)
Email This Article

Mar 23rd 2007, 2:37pm By queenseyes

Every year the Garden Walk Buffalo (GWB) grows organically. According to Garden Walk Co-Chair, Jim Charlier, the goal is to get gardeners to attract their neighboring gardeners. “Block Clubs are very effective in promoting the event, and we are interested in creating additional areas that are as densely populated as streets like ‘Little Summer’. There are lines to get into some gardens. We are looking to cultivate new areas of concentrated gardens. Some of the areas are getting very busy. We’re looking at the Alphabet Streets for growth… streets like Berkley, Clarendon and Windsor… they’re the streets that are also typefaces. Massachusetts and Rhode Island block areas are also places we would like to see additional gardens."

I asked Jim about areas outside the existing Garden Walk, specifically how much further The Walk intends to reach in the future. “People from areas outside the loop would need to provide a headquarters, and they would also need to supply volunteers”. Last year GWB added the Japanese Gardens and the Erie Basin Marina gardens to the roster, which is cool because those two spots now act as the ‘bookends’ for the event. Every year it grows. Last year there were 267 gardens, and Jim has a goal of hitting the 300 mark. GWB IS currently the largest free garden walk in the US.

How do you get involved with this year’s Garden Walk? The following information is provided by the Garden Walk Committee:

Garden Walk is looking to grow! Applications are now being accepted for the 13th annual Garden Walk Buffalo. You are invited to be part of the Walk, a free, self-guided tour of Buffalo gardens - one of the largest such tours in America. This year's Walk is Saturday and Sunday, July 28 & 29, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Share your garden and show your pride in our neighborhoods and city.

Lots of dots... Please keep in mind that visitors to the Garden Walk look for areas on the map where there is “critical mass,” so you may want to encourage neighbors who are not on the Walk to see if they’d like to participate with you.

Gardens must be from the boundaries of Prospect Avenue to Main Street and Rabin Terrace to Rumsey Road. There is no judging of gardens, nor are there any entry fees. Entries must be received by May 15, 2007. Visit www.gardenwalkbuffalo.com to apply online. Or, call 879.0123 to have an application mailed to you.

Held annually on the last weekend of July, Garden Walk has become one of Western New York’s most anticipated summer happenings, drawing visitors from all over the United States and Canada to enjoy our beautiful gardens. Last year, there were more than 260 gardens, making ours one of the largest Garden Walks in America. We look forward to seeing our favorite gardens from the past 12 years and expect to see exciting new entries to showcase our great city.

-Happy gardening!