Buffalo Garden Walk

Welcome, everyone, to our grand gardens

This may well be our perfect sales pitch to the nation, a summer postcard from garden-rich, temperature-moderate Buffalo, N.Y.

The city -- in its own informal, understated way -- put on its best dress clothes for visitors Saturday, as thousands of folks meandered through Buffalo's beautifully manicured gardens under perfect blue skies and highs in the low to mid-80s.

Visitors will head home the next few days Ô to Connoquenessing, Pa., Cottonwood, Ariz., and points in between -- and they won't tell loved ones and friends anything about frozen tundras, snow blasts or wind chill readings.

They'll be raving about Garden Walk Buffalo, in its 17th year, the largest such tour in the nation.

"I've been here in the winter, when it's snowbound and desolate," said Barbara Favorito, a retired teacher from Freehold, N.J., who was checking out gardens on Irving Place. "This is an absolute joy. It's almost like Monet's gardens here, exploding with flowers."

Patricia and Mort Silverman, from Tenafly, N.J., were walking on Cary Street in downtown Buffalo, one day after visiting Niagara Falls.

"I think of snow when I think of Buffalo," Patricia Silverman said. "That's all I think about, and maybe Niagara Falls because of the proximity. But it's so much more. I have a completely different view, now.

"People ask, 'What could Buffalo have?'" she added. "It has heart, and it has beauty, [even if] it might be seasonal."

Garden Walk Buffalo was a smash hit Saturday. It seemed as if the whole city was out walking, from Erie Basin Marina to the Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society, from the Peace Bridge to Main Street.

Parking was at a premium, especially on side streets along Elmwood Avenue, as garden lovers were invited into the front, side and back yards of 372 local homes.

Organizers estimated that some 50,000 to 55,000 people will walk through the city's gardens in the two-day event ending today.

There were even some non-green-thumbers in the crowd, like Mort Silverman, who likes to tell his wife he's allergic to soil.

"What I particularly like is the private nature of the backyards," he said in a Cary Street driveway, as his wife got up-close and personal with a backyard garden. "They just seem to be so cozy."

That's one secret to Garden Walk Buffalo's success -- the large welcome mat the city puts out for strangers bound only by a common love of gardens.

Garden Walk's wow factor dazzles and delights

This competence good be a ideal sales representation to a nation, a summer postcard from garden-rich, temperature-moderate Buffalo, N.Y.

The city — in a possess informal, understated approach — put on a best dress garments for visitors Saturday, as thousands of folks meandered by Buffalo’s beautifully manicured gardens underneath ideal blue skies and highs in a low to mid-80s.

Visitors will conduct home a subsequent few days Ô to Connoquenessing, Pa., Cottonwood, Ariz., and points in between — and they won’t tell desired ones and friends anything about solidified tundras, sleet blasts or breeze chill readings.

They’ll be vehemence about Garden Walk Buffalo, in a 17th year, a largest such debate in a nation.

“I’ve been here in a winter, when it’s snowbound and desolate,” pronounced Barbara Favorito, a late clergyman from Freehold, N.J., who was checking out gardens on Irving Place. “This is an comprehensive joy. It’s roughly like Monet’s gardens here, bursting with flowers.”

Patricia and Mort Silverman, from Tenafly, N.J., were walking on Cary Street in downtown Buffalo, one day after visiting Niagara Falls.

“I consider of sleet when we consider of Buffalo,” Patricia Silverman said. “That’s all we consider about, and maybe Niagara Falls since of a proximity. But it’s so most more. we have a totally opposite view, now.

“People ask, ‘What could Buffalo have?’” she added. “It has heart, and it has beauty, [even if] it competence be seasonal.”

Garden Walk Buffalo was a pound strike Saturday. It seemed as if a whole city was out walking, from Erie Basin Marina to a Buffalo Erie County Historical Society, from a Peace Bridge to Main Street.

Parking was during a premium, generally on side streets along Elmwood Avenue, as garden lovers were invited into a front, side and behind yards of 372 internal homes.

Organizers estimated that some 50,000 to 55,000 people will travel by a city’s gardens in a two-day eventuality finale today.

There were even some non-green-thumbers in a crowd, like Mort Silverman, who likes to tell his mother he’s allergic to soil.

“What we quite like is a private inlet of a backyards,” he pronounced in a Cary Street driveway, as his mother got up-close and personal with a backyard garden. “They usually seem to be so cozy.”

That’s one tip to Garden Walk Buffalo’s success — a vast acquire pad a city puts out for strangers firm usually by a common adore of gardens.

GardenWalk Buffalo (Set)

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