Oakwood Cemetery slates garden walk

The Oakwood Cemetery Association, 763 Portage Road, Niagara Falls, will hold it's annual garden walk from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The event is free and open to the public, with on-site parking.

The historic 18.5-acre cemetery is on the National Registry of Historic Places. The park-like setting is easy-to-walk with curvilinear, paved lanes lined with trees, some more than 100 years old.

The Oakwood Cemetery Garden Walk is chaired by Marge Gillies, master gardener and chair of the OC garden and landscape committee, and Pete Ames, member of OC board of directors. The OC garden walk is a member of the Garden Walk of Niagara Falls, USA.

The garden walk schedule of events:

•10 a.m.: Tree tour by Cornell Cooperative Extension agent John Farfaglia, and a walk around the cemetery grounds to identify and learn about the tree canopy at Oakwood. Wear comfortable walking shoes.

•10 a.m.: Tour of "Oakwood Cemetery Distinguished Persons" in history.

•11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: "Stump a Master Gardener": This is an opportunity to ask questions from some Cornell Cooperative Extension master gardeners about your own gardens. All questions are welcomed.

•11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Free soil testing clinic offered by master gardeners. For the section of your garden that you wish to test, dig into dry soil approximately one foot deep a take a small sample from a few places in that same area. Place the soil into a plastic baggie and label the area you wish to test. If the soil you removed is not dry, please allow time to dry it out. Label the small bag (only a teaspoon is needed for the test.)

•11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Perennial plant sale: Come shop for perennials. There will be a number of perennials in small containers for a modest price as quantities last. Proceeds will be used to support the gardens at Oakwood.

For more information, visit www.myoakwoodcemetery.com.