DaytonDailyNews.com

Good neighbors and St. Anne's Hill Historic District go together like hot tea and sugar cubes. All four of those elements will combine with 26 urban gardens, about a dozen art displays, and live entertainment for St. Anne's Hill Garden & Art Tour on June 21. The "art" is this year's addition to a traditional biennial walking garden tour that has been going on since the early 1990s.

"That evolved from knowing that Dayton has a growing arts movement. We're close to Stivers School here, have Dayton Society of Painters and Sculptors in the neighborhood, with Front Street artists and K12 close by," said tour co-chairwoman Lisa Douglas.

That art includes a "Petal Power" show at DSPS, artists on McLain (see list of artists at end), K12 children's art pavilion and a St. Anne's Hill tent with gifts, information and a raffle.

A highlight of the garden tour will be Charlene and Steve Thatcher's showcase at 148 S. Dutoit.

"Picture a plain white house on a plain green hill. It came with spirea and nothing else," said Charlene, who moved into the 1888 home 19 years ago.

That's hard to do now that almost every square foot of the postage-stamp lot is covered with foliage, perennials, annuals and decoration. Unique features include a stone wall and walkway, a trellis-inspired fence, two fountains surrounded by topiaries, period perennials and unusual planters.

Some yard decorations were found at a local dump – a heavy carved stone and an engraving that marks the passing of a 3-year-old girl in 1838. Charlene also likes to borrow leftovers from neighbors. Jim Spradlin had to cut down a curly hazelnut tree, and she snatched up some branches.

"It's like a curly willow on steroids," said Charlene, who has a background in graphic design.

The Dragon House (Deb Kreitzer and Barry Fought's residence at 529 McLain St.) will be another stop on the garden tour, and also the site of the tea party.

"We couldn't have done it without the good people in our district. We have 80 neighbors helping out," said event co-chairwoman Leah Turnbull. "Everyone volunteers for the love of the neighborhood."

Artists featured on McLain:

Michael Bonilla, American realism

Contact freelance writer Pamela Dillon at pamdillon@woh.rr.com.

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