Glenwood gardens

Perhaps you'll spy this fragrant and colorful outdoor staircase along the garden tour. Photo by James Steindler

Glenwood Garden Club gathers greenthumbs

By Raleigh Burleigh Sopris Sun Editor

Since 1931, the Glenwood Garden Club has provided a space “to stimulate knowledge and love of gardening and aid in the protection of mature trees, plants and birds and encourage specifi c plantings,” according to its original mission. Today, its purpose remains much the same, Ann English, a former president of the club, informed Th e Sopris Sun. Th e club’s motto is simple: “community and civic involvement.”

As “the oldest, longest, continuous club active in Glenwood Springs,” English said, they have undertaken initiatives to beautify public and private spaces and to provide fun educational opportunities, like the upcoming garden tour.

English sits on the club’s Garden Tour Committee, reviving an event twice celebrated before. Th e “Welcome to Our Gardens Tour” last took place in 2018 and coincided with the club’s 85th anniversary. Th e inaugural event was in 2016 and the club intended then for the fundraiser to occur every other year. Of course, this was interrupted in 2020, but now they’re back on track.

Prior to the garden tour tradition, the club hosted grand fl ower shows at the old mall. Th ese were suspended in response to environmental conditions and the club’s imperative to teach the public better growing habits. “Ecosystems changed, along with the knowledge of garden members,” English said. “We didn’t want to be watering to get lots of fl owers.”

According to Judy O'Donnell, chairwoman for this year's Garden Tour Committee, “Most of the proceeds [from the upcoming tour] will support educational gardening projects around town” like school programs and events. Th e Garden Club provides fi nancial help for aligned causes.

Saturday, June 25, all are welcome (minus pets) to visit seven “unique and lovely” gardens in Glenwood Springs and up Four Mile Road, in addition to the community gardens on Wulfsohn Road near the Community Center. Gardens being showcased will have an old bicycle, colorfully-bedecked with fl owers, resting out front. Th ese gardens, chosen to demonstrate variety, feature annual and perennial plants that grow well in the region: vegetables, herbs, bushes and trees.

“Th e people who are allowing their gardens to be visited have worked hard to have everything look top-notch,” English assured.

Most of the hosts, she added, have over 20 years of experience adapting their gardens to the local environment and its shift ing needs. Several of the gardens on the tour focus on low water and low maintenance plantings; one has a total focus on xeriscaping (requiring little to no irrigation).

English and O’Donnell hope that visitors will gain inspiration from having seen these gardens and conversed with their stewards. Not only do gardens improve the human spirit, they provide habitat for diverse species to thrive when done well. Composting and healthy ecosystems benefi t birds, pollinators like bees and other wildlife.

Join the tour, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 25. Tickets are available on the day of the event for $25 or can be purchased in advance for $20 online (www. bit.ly/GWSGardenTour) or at the Glenwood Springs Downtown Market on Tuesday, June 21. Not all gardens are wheelchair accessible, nor are strollers allowed. It’s recommended that attendees carpool from the Community Center or bike between locations, given parking limitations.

Th e club, which meets on the second Th ursday of each month at rotating locations, has close to 60 members on its roster. Th ey host guest speakers and occasionally take fi eld trips. “We’re not just a Glenwood club, we have a lot of people from Carbondale and a few from Eagle,” O'Donnell said.

“And, up toward New Castle and that area too,” English added.

What’s the best way to get involved? Attend the tour! Call 970-945-7149 with questions.

Michelle Diamond (left) and Judy O'Donnell in Diamond's vibrant garden. Photo by James Steindler

Do you love Th e Sopris Sun and travel weekly between Redstone and Carbondale? We are seeking a volunteer to deliver a stack of our papers to Propaganda Pie, the Redstone General Store and the Redstone Inn every Th ursday (or Friday). If you can help, email news@soprissun.com or call 970-510-3003. Th anks!

Bike to Work Day

Bike to Work Day returns Wednesday, June 22, aft er a two year hiatus due to the pandemic. A greeting station with refreshments and snacks will be set up at Derail Park in Carbondale, across from the RFTA Park and Ride, from 7 to 9 a.m. Down the road in Glenwood Springs, pedalers can stop on the Rio Grande Trail at 23rd Street or at City Hall, also from 7 to 9 a.m. for a similar station. Th e week of June 20, cyclists can stop by any Garfi eld County library to enter into a drawing for a chance to win an e-bike. For more info, visit www.Garfi eldCleanEnergy.org/BikeTh ere2022

Short-term rentals

Short-term rental (STR) applications are available for Carbondale residents. Anyone renting their home, or part of their home, for a period of less than 30 days is required to obtain a STR license by July 31. Applicants who operated an STR before March 8, must show evidence of ownership, proof the STR was active on or before March 8 and that all applicable sales and lodging taxes have been paid. Applicants with STRs active aft er March 8, must prove that the unit is either in the Historic Commercial Core or that they occupy the building as a primary residence. Applications can be picked up at Town Hall or online at www.carbondalegov.org

Scream for ice cream

Sweet Cream Dreams is dishing up ice cream goodness at Craft Coffee (689 Main Street) in Carbondale, Friday and Saturdays, 4 to 10 p.m. and Sundays, noon to 8 p.m. Owner, Isaac Hendry, describes the business as a “Colorado farm-driven ice cream company that has a dynamic menu of ice creams, sorbets and daily specials!”

The Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District held a public demonstration on June 11 to show off the department’s new regional training facility. The event was well attended and even Sparky the Fire Dog showed up and gave his unwavering (tail excluded) approval. Pictured above, firefighters brace to put out a controlled blaze of a prop vehicle outside the new facility. Photo by Elizabeth Key

Horse roundup

Th e Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plans to begin another wild horse roundup in the Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area, beginning June 16. Currently the herd is made up of over 1,385 horses and, according to the BLM offi ce, that number needs to be brought down between 135 to 235 for the herd to be sustainable. Th e roundup was scheduled for September but, because of the poor condition of the horses and range, the date was moved up. Captured horses will be transported to the BLM wild horse holding facility in Utah to be adopted, sold or provided long-term care in off -range pastures, reads a press release. For more information about this roundup, visit www.bit.ly/ wildhorseroundup

Film camp

Calling all junior fi lmmakers! Aspen Film, in collaboration with the Red Brick Center for the Arts, invites prospective documentary fi lmmakers to get hands-on experience in the trade. Kids aged 12 to 16 may register for the introduction course which takes place August 1-5; ages 14 to 17 may register for the advanced program, scheduled August 8-12. For more info and to register, visit www.redbrickaspen.com/youth-summer-camp

Sixth street facelift

The Colorado Department of Transportation awarded the city of Glenwood Springs a $1.1 million Revitalizing Main Streets Grant to fund significant upgrades on Sixth Street, from Laurel to Pine Street. The entire project is estimated to cost $1.8 million. The Downtown Development Authority will kick in $250,000 and the remaining $383,000 will be funded by the city’s acquisition & improvements fund, according to a city of Glenwood Springs press release. Construction is slated to begin in 2023.

They say it’s your birthday!

Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Todd Chamberlin, Garrett Edquist, Vince Simonetti and Lon Winston (June 16); Annie Flynn and Amber McMahill (June 17); Bill Flanigan and Nancy Smith (June 18); Jennifer Bauer, Forrest Fulker, Matt McBrayer and Garrett del Castillo (June 19); Alyssa Barsanti, Ty Burtard, Todd Fugate Arleen Ginn, Brandon Jones and Ernie Kollar (June 21); Jessica Kollar (June 22).