The pilot project proved the concept
Our June 10th Garden Tour was awesome. It was more than the absolutely perfect weather, or the lovely gardens. It was not just because of the generous homeowners who not only share their gardens but shared information and answered innumerable questions…many of the same questions more than once.
It was awesome because everyone was so keenly engaged with each other about many of the different aspects of gardening, from the technical to the artistic, from the big picture to the tiny details, and everything in-between. Everyone offering something, literally, for everyone at the seven different gardens.
HSW objectives of education, wellness, and socializing were all met throughout the morning. And the idea came from new member interviews with two separate people who each offered their gardens for others to see. That was the beginning.
The Saturday tour ran from 9-1 to take advantage of the cooler hours in the morning. Every house had two volunteers for each two hour session. One was in charge of parking, one to check for wristbands to verify registration (signing of waivers).
The tour was open to the public. Because there was no charge, the only way to get a waiver signed was to ask folks to come to Tuckahoe to sign one there and then get their wristband and a brochure with garden locations.
The entire registration process was worked out by Charles Batchelor. Helen Lindsay took the online reservations, sending confirmation emails as responses came in. The homeowners were concerned about having the waivers. Our insurance covered the event as well. Registration was open both Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. This part worked out much better than anticipated.
Every house, and Tuckahoe, were marked with a “realtor” sign saying Gardens of Stoney Creek, printed by Converge in Waynesboro. These can be used again.
A few of our 44 volunteers….
We borrowed traffic cones from WTG Fire & Rescue to block the driveways as well as safety vests for the volunteers to wear. The street parking went well, but it is important that all street parking be easy and safe. WTG Police were alerted to the event and kept an eye out particularly on the one more challenging situation. WPOA had mowed space for parking as well. We also borrowed clipboards from WTG music and obtained large maps from Wintergreen Realty. Homeowners on Hayshed Lane were also alerted that there would be parking there.
There were 197 attendees and 44 volunteers. Invitations went out first to members and volunteers. As time went along we offered invitations to all of Wintergreen and even had folks from Nelson County and beyond. Planning was begun in January. There were 5 on the steering committee. We met with the homeowners only twice...once to get to know each other, get
their concerns, and outline the day and once for gardeners visiting gardens because everyone wanted to see each other’s gardens.
Charles Batchelor was most helpful in designing the online material, particularly the very eye-catching garden graphic and in figuring out the logistics and timing for email notices/ invitations.
$178 was collected in the donation basket. HSW itself benefited greatly from the sponsorship of this event. Cards and flyers were taken. Questions asked. A great deal of interest was generated. While it had been decided since the beginning that this time the event would be free as a trial run for a fundraiser in the future, many people asked why we weren’t charging, suggesting we should be, etc. Which brings us to the question of what to do next.
Garden tours have one major pitfall...the weather. We had planned the next day as the rain date. But it could have happened that all that work would have been for nothing. This is important to keep in mind.
Yes, this could definitely be a fundraiser. The costs for a free, trial run were not insignificant. We have the signs, we know who to borrow from, but the printing cost has to be better resolved.
The core of the committee is ready to do it again, but we’ll need to add folks with marketing and graphic skills. We never knew how many would come, how many we could handle. We found that 200 worked easily. The hitches with parking and accessibility will have to be dealt with. We will have to develop a streamlined, online method for selling tickets and having waivers signed. A realistic budget will have to be drawn up. All of this can be done if desired. The decision must be made by October in order to have time to plan.