On a stifling hot and humid Wednesday in August, the owners of three local Japanese-inspired gardens graciously prepared and welcomed the members of the Bud ‘n Bloom Garden Club to tour their amazing gardens.

Members Sallie Muscato and Sue Lamb were the hostesses for the August meeting. Fourteen-year-old Gillian Rae Leone, granddaughter of member Angeline Smith Leone, was visiting from Valparaiso, Ind. and was a welcome guest.

The club ladies met on Chestnut Street in Fredonia to tour Jim and Andy’s serene Japanese garden. Jim greeted the group on the front lawn of their home, which was lined with shrubs and trees that he and his wife had planted. Jim invited the ladies to walk through the modern, glass-lined living area in the home to exit onto the back raised deck. Since their home is built on a slanted lot, the higher deck gave a breathtaking view of the serene Japanese gardens below.

Directly below the deck, in the large green lawn were two raked, white sand, oval-shaped beds, lined with small black stones, connected with gravel paths. Mulched beds, lined with pavers and mosses and a wooden curved bridge, led to a bench for restful viewing of the gardens. There among the swaying grasses of different heights and colors, was Russian sage, lime green spikes of grass, butterfly bushes, gray-green Artemisia, a Bonsai plant and a beautiful, but sad, affected by the drought, Japanese maple tree.

A three-foot ceramic Japanese pagoda-shaped lantern grabbed the attention of the group, as did a circulating pipe fountain that dripped into a flat pan and served as a cooling water feature. Adirondack chairs, perched on a slanted semicircle in the shade, were backed by huge hosta plants and ferns. Pink and white and coconut-sized, lime green flowered hydrangeas added color and acted as a backdrop for the group as Jim served ice cold lemonade to the gals.

From there, the club members traveled to the Beach Road home and gardens of Rev. Thomas Wopperer, a retired priest in the area. Taiji Saito, originally from Japan, now living in Palm Beach, Fla. was visiting Rev. Wopperer. He is very knowledgeable about Japanese gardening.

Upon arrival of the group, Rev. Wopperer drew the attention of the group to a Japanese flower bed. He explained that 25 plugs of Mazus Reptans were originally planted and it now covers a large area of the garden. Mount Fuji was represented by a Japanese maple tree that was shaped like a mountain. The host had tied green bamboo together to form a grid, stuck into urns to support the Morning Glory Vines near the garage. Bonsai examples were shared such as ficus, quince and bougainvillea. Multiple types of bird feeders decorated a feeding station near the garage. Herbs were planted in clay pots near the kitchen door and hung on a wooden tree rack.

In the front yard, the host had planted “Fat Albert” spruce trees which have grown quite large. Assorted Dahlia bulbs and Ostamalia plants grew around the trees. Following a wide path to the rear of the home, the walkway was lined along the borders with hydranga bushes and lilies, coneflowers, liatris, foxglove and delphiniums (in their second bloom), and yarrow. A wisteria treebush grew vigorously in the rear of the property and Asian pear trees grew, but with very few pears. Along the back border were tall trees, more plantings and a seed nursery.

A white fenced-in patio area was lined with Russian sage, rudbeckia, towering hollyhocks and cleome like firework bursts. One of the host’s favorites was the pink clethra bush. Lacetop hydrangea were surrounded with orange nasturtiums, grown from seeds. Inside the fence, Japanese lime green grass added contrast.

The Best In Show was awarded to the tall Japanese amenome, with delicate pink flowers. It is the flower that often graces Japanese art. Six-foot-tall purple meadow rue grew inside the patio area also. Nine pots of purple morning glory clung to attached strings and is a Japanese favorite.

The group welcomed an invitation to enter the air-conditioned home and to enjoy some much-needed iced beverages and appetizers. A ship and two angel stained glass creations were created by Wopperer. Gardening in this dry, hot weather is a serious act of love. Intensive watering and constant tending made the visit magical.

The group then traveled to the partially Japanese-inspired gardens of Sallie and Joe Muscato on Linwood Drive in Dunkirk for the last tour. The front yard was surrounded with a lighted, split rail fence lined with roses, lilies, rudbeckia, cone flowers, mixed hydrangea and canna lilies. A newly-planted, 5-foot-tall Seven Seas, Heptacodium tree leaned gracefully toward the tan, pebble driveway.

Also, in the front yard was a curlyleaf willow tree that was rescued from their daughter Deena’s memorial basket years ago. A two-foot-tall, stacked, glass creation by member Sue Alonge decorated the front garden along with herbs, coneflowers and a hanging basket of trailing white petunias. A burgundy, floral cushioned, brown wicker set welcomed visitors in the breezeway. A flower box added color and fresh greens.

Upon entering the home, a simple, Japanese-inspired, green coneflower arrangement graced the serving table. Chilled beverages were served with the 12-course, dish-to-share dinner and three desserts. White lacetop hydranga, Oriental grasses, sedum and willow twigs were used to create a rectangular, mass arrangement for the main dining table in the screened-in dining area. On the wall hung a four-panel wooden and glass window decorated with yellow tulips and painted by their daughter, Kristen Britz.

After dinner, guests toured the Japanese garden in the rear of the property. With a wisteria-covered wooden fence as a back drop, the tranquil garden rested in the corner of the yard. A flowing waterfall cascaded down a rock formation as the center focal point. Placed to the left, in the gravel, was a large, pagoda-shaped ceramic lantern, a red Japanese maple tree and tall grasses. To the right of the fountain,was a small Buddha statue, a weeping pine tree, a hosta and a sumac that turns yellow in the fall.

Stepping stones allowed access into the garden. Blue rug juniper covered part of the pebble area and a Bonsai juniper pruned into circular ball shapes and lime green grass gave the garden the Oriental touches that were desired. Mulched flower beds lined the edges of the lawn with butterfly bush, rudbekia, and lavender and deutzia. Soft pine and pin oak trees were recently given to the couple and planted.

After the tour, a brief meeting was conducted at the Muscato home to collect ideas for the 2016-2017 calendar. Many ideas were creative and inspiring. The next meeting will be on Sept. 21 at 4 p.m. Janet Centner and Gen Dloniak will be the hostesses for a visit to Chautauqua Institution Gardens with the Chadwick Bay Garden Club. Members will carpool for the event.