I realize this is very short notice but I just found out about it myself.

It sounds like it will be an excellent tour with extremely unique gardens. Some with lake views, another is several acres full of wildflowers...

I know I usually post things that are closer to Springfield so all of you in that direction... here's your chance. I hear it's going to be an amazing tour! If you take photos, please post!

From the Springfield News-Leader:

Master Gardeners of the Ozarks garden tours begin June 20. You can register on the spot (I promise) 9 a.m. on Saturday, June 20 at the Kimberling Area Library, 45 Kimberling Blvd, Kimberling City.

The theme of the 2009 Master Gardeners of the Ozarks garden tours in Stone and Taney counties is "Artistry in the Garden." Along the tour, organizers say participants will get to see private gardens from mild to wild, a news release from the University of Missouri Extension office said.

The tour will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, June 20 at the Kimberling Area Library, 45 Kimberling Blvd, Kimberling City. This guided tour will feature five different gardens.

Attendance is limited and advance registration is required. A boxed lunch is provided for pre-registered participants. Cost per person for the tour and the boxed lunch is $15. You can register on the spot.

The following private gardens will be featured on the tour.

Alice Troykes garden is an example of "Gardening on the Cheap." From the sunny flower and vegetable beds in the front yard to the shaded stone path in the back, the majority of the soil has been prepared by hand. The gardens have been planted to have something blooming from the crocus in early spring to the first hard frost. The 30 minutes here will give an opportunity to see a garden in progress.

Candy Clark has established a safe home for native wildflowers on three acres. The meadow with a grass path is a labor of love. The three bins for compost, mulch and recycling plants are a source of natural additives for the various beds that surround her house and studio. The casual yet caring attitude toward plants that naturalize themselves is seen in the edging of some of the beds. Candy has revived plants that are often discarded. During the 45 minutes here, visitors will discover native plants they never expected.

Anne WiggÂs Lighthouse garden is an impressive collection of garden beds with varied themes. The 3 1/2-acre area contains shade gardens, a fairy garden, a vegetable and other edibles garden as well as an enclosed courtyard with a pond. The sloping land is an easy walk and each garden contains new and interesting plants. She has a Mariachi band for entertainment. Plan on 45 minutes to cover the surface of this garden.

Ken and Rose Schwarte have transformed their backyard into a stunning, natural rock garden. The sound of the waterfall is soothing as the koi and goldfish follow Ken. Ken and Rose have left the adjacent lot natural as a privacy tool for their side yard where they have various fruit trees. They will explain how the brick work patio is possible on a sloping site. The cactus garden in the front blends in with the landscape and adds another dimension to a garden that is compact and peaceful. The 30 minutes here goes much too fast.

Ruth Ann Seth is gardening under the trees. She has made good use of container gardening as well as selecting flowers and shrubs that tend to be unappealing to deer. The stone work at the front of her house shows how lasting natural rock work can be. The spring garden in the back is a relaxing space. Ruth Ann has a greenhouse attached to her house that is an added attraction. There is no major lawn area on the site but the 30-minute walk is not challenging.

As an added bonus, some of the talented Master Gardeners will display and sell their artwork at the Kimberling Area Library and other stops along the tour.

For more information, or to send in a registration, contact the Stone County Extension Center, PO Box 345, Galena, MO 65656 or by telephone at (417) 357-6812. Make checks or money orders payable to: Master Gardeners of the Ozarks.