Share This Secret!
18 Private Home Owners to Open Their Gardens to the Public
March 12th
New Orleans, LA- The lush tropical wonderment of 18 very private gardens in uptown New Orleans, routinely enjoyed only by their owners, will come alive in full public glory Saturday, March 12, 2005, with the return of THE SECRET GARDENS TOUR®.
The 2005 TOUR will begin at 9 a.m. and conclude at 4 p.m. Visitors will see, touch and smell the flowering magnificence of gardens ranging from the formal designs of Ellen Biddle Shipman, original designer of world famous Longue Vue Gardens, to the casual, naturalistic and organic. One of the 18 will feature a labyrinth, two will offer art and garden accessories in the “Garden Gallery” and “Secret Treasures,” another will be a “KinderGarden” and offer a special welcome to children who are encouraged to walk along with parents (free of charge if under age five.) A general admission price of $l0 will be charged and tickets can be purchased in advance on the web site: www.secretgardenstour.org, or on the day of the event at 1021, 1425 and 1621 State Street. Garden Clubs and organizations are encouraged to attend and receive a $2.00 per person discount on purchases of 20 or more.
THE SECRET GARDENS TOUR® will consist
of a self-guided walk through a carefully chosen selection
of the most envied but rarely if ever seen uptown gardens,
located primarily on State Street. It was first introduced
in the spring of 2004 and is now considered a “must-see”
by horticultural devotees, professional and amateur alike.
The TOUR, in its inaugural presentation,
showcased eleven premier private gardens as a means of raising
awareness and funds for brain injury survivors and their families.
Yet another feature of this second annual SECRET GARDENS TOUR® will be the presentation of lectures throughout the day on brain injury topics and on gardening. Several of the medical community's leading neurological and rehabilitation experts from across the Greater New Orleans community will participate in the program along with horticulturists. One of the lectures will combine both the medical and gardening aspects of the event under the title: " The Healing Properties of a Garden."
The volunteer corps dedicated to brain injury education
and who are responsible for staging the TOUR point out that
the United States is presently experiencing a “silent
epidemic” of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) with l.5
million Americans having suffered a brain injury. Another
770,000 Americans suffer strokes each year. Add in the brain
injuries caused by tumors, cardiac arrests, near drownings,
lightning strikes, infection or side effects of medicines
and the numbers are literally staggering.
The results of a brain injury are life-altering for those who survive. Ordinary tasks such as eating, walking and talking can be impossible or require extensive therapy after a brain injury. In some cases, the survivor may only regain a percentage of his/her pre-brain injury self. For adults, returning to their careers may not be an option; for children, school may mean “special education.” The inaugural SECRET GARDENS TOUR® proceeds paid for a local resource guide on brain injury and copies of the guide will be available to the public at all of the 2005 TOUR gardens. The guide outlines the different services available in the Greater New Orleans area including not only locations of neurological assistance and rehabilitation centers, but also mainstream and alternative therapies, support groups, counseling, web sites and other resources for brain injury survivors.
The 2005 SECRET GARDENS TOUR is open to
the public. Natives and visitors alike are encouraged to consider
taking a ride on the historic St. Charles Avenue Streetcar
to and from State Street for easy access to the TOUR
locations. Dozens of volunteers and professionals who design
and maintain the TOUR gardens will be strategically
placed throughout the TOUR area to assist
visitors. Musical entertainment and complimentary refreshments
will be provided in several garden areas throughout the day.
A new addition will be shuttle buses traveling the route.
(For tickets, call Susie Newburger,
(504) 450-2166. For further information, contact Kathleen
Waring, 2005 Chair, The Secret Gardens Tour® at (504)
914-4865, kwaring@ocsbbs.com, or Jerry Romig at Peter A. Mayer
Public Relations, (504) 210-1333, romigj@peteramayer.com)
Previous Media Releases:
About the Tour