After a successful first year with 55 participants and eight stops, the Smith Public Library is looking to expand the number of stops and increase participation in the second iteration of the event.

Taking place from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 13, the garden tour allows individuals or groups to explore the library’s butterfly garden and other gardens throughout the city for a few hours. Library Director Ofilia Barrera said she hopes there will be two more stops this year to make 10 total stops, including the library.

Residents interested in showing off their green thumbs and gardens can register to be included as a tour stop by reaching out to Youth Services Librarian and Garden Liaison Veronica McKay by emailing her at [email protected]. Barrera said McKay will reach out to interested gardeners after receiving their email.

For those interested in touring other gardens exclusively, the registration can also be found on the library website. After registering, participants will receive a link asking them to make a $10 donation for an individual tour or $25 per vehicle, whichever works best for them with all proceeds going to fund the library’s butterfly garden.

Barrera said a family of four could donate $25 if traveling in the same car, but they can also opt to donate $40 based on the $10 per individual rate. In the end, it is about the donation that makes the most sense.

“Of course, you can always donate as much as you want,” Barrera said.

Individuals taking the tour are not required to visit all gardens but can see as many or few as they would like until noon May 13.

“On the day of the event, you come to the library to pick up your map and you can tour the first garden–the library garden,” Barrera said. “Then, from there you go where you want. Each location address is listed, and gardens will be open until noon that day.”

In addition to being good stewards of the environment with the garden, she added that it is a way to show off the hard work of the volunteer-maintained area behind the library.

“We also want to share the knowledge we have about what works and what doesn’t,” Barrera said. “Plus, we want to highlight all the work done by our dedicated group of volunteers that take full care of the garden.” 

For the full story, see the April 12 issue of The Wylie News.