Winter: the season of seed catalogs and graph-paper layouts, garden books, websites, and classes like those offered by the Audubon Society and Gateway Greening last month. But spring always returns and before you can say “late frost” it will be time for the Fifth Annual Sustainable Backyard Tour!
A grassroots event, the Sustainable Backyard Tour is a free, self-guided tour of organic yards and gardens throughout St. Louis city and county, taking place this year on Sunday, June 14th.
Sponsored in part by Slow Food St. Louis, the tour sets out to shine a light on the many ways homeowners are transforming their yards in a range of environmentally sensitive ways. Community partners include Grow Native!, the St. Louis Audubon Society, Saint Louis Beekeepers, and the St. Louis County Soil & Water Conservation District.
Over the past four years, more than 100 families have welcomed the public into their yards to see how going green can be beautiful on many levels. Most sites are single-family yards, but apartment buildings, duplexes, and shared yards have been included in past tours, and are particularly sought as host sites.
“Practices like naturescaping and edible landscaping are spreading into every neighborhood and municipality,” says tour founder Terry Winkelmann. “We want to find the trailblazers so we can shine a light on their efforts and learn from their experiences.” If you have worked hard to make your yard sustainable, consider being a host.
The deadline to register or recommend a potential host is May 1st. Learn more at:www.sustainablebackyardtour.com or stop by our booth at the Natural Living Expo on March 29th. Happy Gardening!