The 2010 Gardens of the Susquehanna Tour

Founded in October of 2005, and affectionately known as "Dirty Knees," the members of the Wheatland Garden Club are avid, hands-on gardeners, who possess a love of gardens and history. Not afraid of dirty hands, as well as dirty knees, they are an enthusiastic group, with a willingness to increase their knowledge and educate others about the era of James Buchanan and the gardens which would have been period appropriate to his beloved Wheatland.

Our Mission Statement: To establish and maintain President James Buchanan's gardens at Wheatland in a manner consistent with the period and worthy of a Presidential estate, and to leave a legacy which will ensure that the buildings and grounds of Wheatland will endure for posterity.

During the spring of 2007, we came to the realization that the fund raisers we had put in place could fund the care of the garden annually, but would not fund an endowment that could guarantee the future of Wheatland. We needed an event that would continue to grow and gain followers: one that would raise the level of interest and awareness in President James Buchanan's Wheatland. Again, we returned to our gardening skills and began President James Buchanan presents Gardens of the Susquehanna. Funds raised from this project go to an endowment to preserve the buildings and grounds of President James Buchanan's Wheatland.

The open dates' garden tour has been well received. The tour features over 50 gardens and more than one hundred days of open dates from March through October.  Loosely based on the idea of the British Garden Scheme, the purchase of the booklet affords you entry to the gardens, but serves as your guide book for the year of open gardens. The first portion of the book lists the calendar of open gardens by calendar year and times the gardens are open. Each garden listing is followed by a page number which will direct you to the specific garden listing. The garden listings tell you each time that particular garden is open, give a brief description of the garden itself, and furnish detailed directions to the garden. Gardens of the Susquehanna booklets go on sale the first full weekend, each December, at the Wheatland Garden Club's Annual Holiday Greens Sale. Priced at $20.00 per booklet, which admits one person to the gardens, it makes a great holiday, birthday, anniversary or hostess gift, which will last an entire year. It truly is the gift that keeps on giving! The booklets will continue to be on sale through September of the current year at Wheatland's gift shop in the Carriage House, or by using the home webpage to find out how to order your booklets.

Images from the 2009 Susquehanna Gardens Tour