Press release:
The Landmark Society of Genesee County will hold its 4th Annual House and Garden Tour on Saturday, August 2, 2014, from 12—4:30 p.m. Each year the Landmark Society donates proceeds from the tour to support a local preservation effort. This year the proceeds will go to the Batavia Cemetery Association to assist with its efforts to restore the Richmond Mausoleum. Specifically, the stained glass window in the mausoleum is in need of extensive repairs. The Historic Batavia Cemetery on Harvester Avenue will be one of the stops on the tour, and stationed at the mausoleum, Connie Boyd will portray Mary Richmond.
The tour will showcase notable homes and gardens in the City of Batavia. Vibrant Batavia has collaborated with the Landmark Society to organize and plan the event. The Sun Catchers Garden Club has pitched in to help staff the cemetery tour stop and decorate the Richmond Mausoleum exterior with flower pots that its members design. The Youth Bureau Community Garden and the Peace Garden will also be open and staffed with volunteers to provide information and answer questions.
House and Garden Tour Chairperson Marcia Gann’s home will be one of the stops on the tour. “The Landmark Society is so pleased to have partnered with Vibrant Batavia this year. Leanna Di Risio has worked with our committee and given us the benefit of her enthusiasm, event planning experience, and contacts in the city. She’s gone above and beyond by opening her beautiful home for one of the tour stops, too. We have an interesting mixture of old and new homes; public and private gardens; and both new and established gardens. We even have a Fairy Garden on the tour this year!”
The private homes on the tour are:
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RaeAnn Engler and Richard Beatty* (home also open for tour)
- 123 Summit Street
- C. 1870 National/Vernacular Style
- When RaeAnn and Richard moved into 123 Summit in 2000, they gutted the interior down to the old studs. Over the next few years virtually everything was replaced except for the framing and oak wood floors. Remarkably, RaeAnn and Richard are only the second family to live here. In 2005 they were named Homeowners of the Year by the City of Batavia. In the gardens they salvaged peonies, tulips, some raspberries, and perennial springtime star flowers. Over the years a variety of perennials and more raspberries have been added. This year the raised vegetable beds were revamped.
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Georgene and Rocco Della Penna
- 19 Richmond Avenue
- C. 1930 Colonial Revival Style
- “I started buying bulbs and progressed to perennial flowers. Two of my favorites are Chinese Tree Peony and Lime Light Hydrangea. I have been gardening for 25 years; it is my favorite past time. The garden looks the best in June, but we enjoy it throughout the growing season. ”
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Dave and Marcia Gann* (home open for tour)
- 268 East Avenue
- C. 1935 Cape Cod
- Dave and Marcia have resided in their Cape Cod home with Arts and Crafts influences for 25 years. The gardens encircling the house were designed and landscaped by Tim Richley and Holly Dougherty. The gardens feature several varieties of hydrangea.
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Paula Miller* (home open for tour)
- 15 Pearl Street
- C. 1927 Folk Victorian Style
- Paula has used Small Space Gardening techniques to create an outdoor living and entertaining room. Her newly planted garden features annuals, perennials, and vegetables arranged around a large backyard patio.
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Debbie and Mike Barone
- 3919 West Main Street Road
- C. 1948 Ranch Style
- “I love to add unique things to my gardens such as antique pieces. We supplement the perennial selection with annuals to add further color and appeal. The arbor covered with climbing clematis serves as the gateway from our sunroom to our peaceful backyard.”
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Leanna and Dan Di Risio* (home open for tour)
- 60 Edgewood Drive
- C. 2012 Craftsman Style
- “Our simple landscape blooms from spring to fall, and during the summer months we display flower planters to add bursts of color throughout the front and back yard. We recently installed a back patio to give us additional entertaining space to be enjoyed by family and friends!”
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Lou and Millie Moretto
- 65 Edgewood Drive
- C. 2010 Ranch Style
- Several specimen plants make Lou’s yard unique. In only four years, a vacant field has been transformed into a beautiful landscape with the help of Tony and Michele Moretto Slominski (LANDVISION). Lou’s young garden is designed to have something in bloom throughout the season. Be sure to see the “Fairy Garden.”
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Rose Mary Christian
- 29 Williams Street
- C. 1958 Ranch Style
- “I have lived here for over twelve years and my flower bed garden just keeps on growing! My favorite two flowers are from Poland and I will tell you about them when you visit on the tour.”
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Tim and Lisa Stoddard
- 20 Ellicott Avenue
- C. 1880 Queen Anne Style
- Victorian gardens featuring period plants complement this fairy tale home with a large circular front porch and ornate decorative trim. The Stoddards are Landmark Society of Genesee County Preservation Award recipients for their historically appropriate, meticulous restoration of this Batavia gem.
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Kathy Owen and Jim Owen
- 2 Redfield Parkway
- C. 1930 Colonial Revival Style
- A long-established garden hidden from the bustle of Main Street in a park-like setting. This yard features a variety of Hosta plants, an informal perennial garden, and a small pond.
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Judith Hale
- 14 Jackson Avenue
- C. 1951 Cape Cod Style
- Showcasing a beautiful collection of Hosta plant varieties, Judith’s gardens flow from the front to the back of the property. Each flower bed is painstakingly cared for.
Refreshments will be served at each tour stop.
Door prize drawings will be held at the Historic Batavia Cemetery at 4:30. Completed tour surveys will serve as the door prize entries. You must be present to win. Prizes were generously donated by: Delre’s Greenhouse and Garden Center; Floral Fantasies; Harvester 56 Theatre; Pudgie’s Greenhouse; The Landmark Society of Genesee County; and Vibrant Batavia.
Tickets are $20 per person and are available for presale at Harrington’s Produce (Batavia), GOART!, and Valle Jewelers. Tickets will also be available the day of the tour at the Batavia Cemetery starting at 11:30 a.m.
