Rain or shine, Waldo County General Hopsital's 23rd annual Garden Walk kicks off Friday, July 12, running from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. This year's walk includes six gardens in Belfast and Northport, with Hospital Aid volunteers acting as hosts in each garden and refreshments being served.

The Garden Walk benefits the Hospital Aid, a group of local citizens who pay a small membership fee to belong to this organization that supports the hospital. Members can choose their level of involvement by actively volunteering at the hospital, crafting items for the gift shop or simply attending monthly meetings. The Hospital Aid is governed by an elected Board of Directors to oversee the hospital volunteers and to plan meetings and events.

The Hospital Aid holds monthly meetings on healthcare topics, performs extra services for patients – trying to bring them comfort and cheer, performs tasks that will lighten the load of the professional staff members in order to release them for work, and raises funds for equipment and the operation of the hospital.

Included in this year's Garden Walk roster is the Ladd-Spears garden, at Head of Tide, which was created on family property 10 years ago when the house was built. Perennials, vegetables and herbs surround the house, a garden room, pergola and tool shed. Many seating areas have been built in among the natural features of large rocks and pine trees. A circular path of grass and wood chips can be followed to a pond fed by a natural spring for those able to walk on uneven terrain.

The tour continues in Belfast with the Krueger garden on Durham Street. This in-town garden is full of perennials behind an ornamental fence. Paths surrounding the house lead to a back patio and vegetables grown in cold frames. A rustic garden shed and bird houses add a note of whimsy.

Penobscot Shores, an independent living community, is the next participant of the tour, though gardens can be visited in any order. At the Ocean House, one can view the floral gardens in a circular drive and step inside for a tour of two apartments. A handmade coverlet of floral and bird design fabrics was recently made and donated to the Aid by Barbara Biscone. The quilt will be displayed at the Ocean House where people can buy raffle tickets.

Continuing along Shoreland Drive, three families, the Gilbertsons, the Hauswalds and the Barnes families, are displaying their ocean-front cottage gardens. The owners have created small sanctuaries for birds, butterflies and peaceful views of the ocean. The Barnes cottage will be open for an inside tour as well. Between the cottages is a path to the ocean that includes a gazebo with seating. You are welcome to bring a lunch.

The two remaining gardens are in Northport on Bayside Road. The Garber/Holland/Scala garden is at the site of a former church. Three resident gardeners have turned the lawn into raised vegetable and flower beds and added fruit trees and bushes. They hope to raise all of their own produce. The backyard has a small pond and chicken coop.

The Beiser garden accompanies a newer house built on family land. The house is surrounded by herbs, perennials and pear trees. Raised beds of vegetables are started in the winter under a plastic canopy. Fruit bushes include raspberries, black raspberries and lingonberries. Various compost systems are used in the back. You can walk across the street to see peach and apple trees on family property. A bonus for the more adventuresome is a walk down a dirt road onto a tiered walkway that slopes to the ocean.

Tickets for the garden walk are $15 each, with all proceeds benefiting the hospital. A map is included with the ticket for this self-guided tour and tickets are available at Brambles garden shop, Left Bank Books and the Waldo County General Hospital gift shop, all in Belfast, and also in any of the gardens on the day of the walk. The Garden Walk is the Hospital Aid's largest fundraiser of the year. For more information, call Wilma at 338-2785 or Sandra at 930-6739 or e-mail sgordon@wcgh.org.