Historical September–October 2004 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
The 6th annual Skinker-DeBaliviere Breakfast Garden Tour was held June 5, 2004.
Each year the tour rotates to a different section of the neighborhood, this year on the 6100 blocks of Washington and Westminster.
The McPherson Community Garden on the 5900 block of McPherson plays host to the Breakfast portion of the tour, showing off its sixty raised beds, more garden plots than any other community garden in St. Louis. Not far from the McPherson garden is another beautiful spot, with 27 raised beds and more great neighbors.
The Block Unit 1035 Garden has also won its share of awards, especially for its creative scarecrows.
This garden will be on tour next year. Gardens featured this year were: 6107 Westminster, Dave Wood and Elsie Listrom, has a Garden of Eden atmosphere and a wonderful pond. 6163 Westminster, Bob and Patti Beal, a formal garden with an outstanding fountain. 6165 Westminster, Paul and Nancy Hohmann, with decorative architectural elements from Paul’s St. Louis worksites and lots of shade-loving plants. 6178 Washington, Rick and Mary Wimmer-Brown, a country style in our city neighborhood. 6163 Washington, John and Maria Schneider.
With the bright lights of the Pageant as a kind of glowing theatrical backdrop, the garden provides fun amid seven different kinds of ground cover and more. 6154 Washington, Erich and Anna Friesen. Many ‘century plants’, inherited from Erichís grandmother, abound in this tidy yard, which uses only organic yard products, such as lady bugs instead of pesticides. 6152 Washington, Joe Gudiswitz and Ligaya Figueras, a surprise in every corner makes for a wonderful city yard. 6115-6117 Westminster, Sam and Lu Green/Neville and Jo Ann Vatcha.
The Greens’ yard is lush, with a fish pond and waterfall constructed by Sam, and lush plantings lined with stepping stones custom made by each grandchild, niece and nephew.
A side gate leads to Vatchas’ yard in a very different style, with playful elephant fountains and a swimming pool with an intricate deck, built by Neville and Sam.
These ‘good neighbor’ yards have been combined to make one big yard and have been the site of many neighborhood parties, fundraisers and new neighbor gatherings.
It has also been the site of story creations for the TIMES of SKINKERDEBALIVIERE newspaper and meetings to plan, design, scheme, defend, and promote our great neighborhood.
Original photograph caption
Bob and Patti Beal home on the 6100 block of Westminster; formal back garden with deck and deep fountain.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, September–October 2004.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2004_09.pdf, printed page(s) 4, 5; PDF page(s) 4, 5.
