Pulaski County Garden Tour is May 17

Local News

May 12, 2008

Local News

Anonymous The Commonwealth Journal Mon May 12, 2008, 09:27 AM EDT

It is once again time for the Pulaski County Garden Tour. This is the sixth tour for the Lake Cumberland Master Gardeners Club.

The event has be set for May 17 starting at 9 a.m. and concluding at 4 p.m. Six gardens have been slated for the enjoyment and education of local garden enthusiasts.

The St. Patrick’s Church Meditation Garden is a serene setting in downtown Somerset. The garden is a perfect place to sit on shaded benches and enjoy the beauty of the earth.

This garden is an example of a formal garden in a compact setting.

Stepping through the garden gate of Cynthia and Hal Rogers, one would not realize they are next to a busy high school. In this spacious garden well established trees, ivy, vinca, perennials, in addition to containers lean toward a natural English garden rather than the formal.

Ron and the late Charlene Tooles’ garden is a labor of love. Mr. Toole created this garden for his wife. A winding stone walkway weaves its way from the patio to a Koi pond and fountain and on to an elevated walkway and gazebo. Crepe Myrtles grow between 14 Norway spruce.

Cornelia and the late Richard Cooper’s garden is located on Main Street. This treasure of a formal garden is enclosed by mature hemlocks, espaliered magnolia and taxus. Stone steps and a wrought iron gate introduce visitors to this exquisite example f unique gardening.

Lake Cumberland Master Gardeners developed and maintain the House for All Ages. This garden is not only beautiful but is used for teaching by the Master Gardeners and horticulture agent. New specimens are being added along with an herb garden, woodland native plants and numerous All American Selections annuals.

New this year is the participation of local garden centers and nursery vendors. Numerous plants and flowers will be available for sale. The Escape Artists will again be painting at each garden. Goody bags will be given to the first 100 tickets sold. Garden journals will be available for $15 for recording the history of your gardens.

Tickets may be purchased from Master Gardeners Club members and at the Pulaski County Extension Office at 28 Parkway Drive in Somerset for $8 prior to the event.

Tickets will be available the day of the event for $13.

Call 606-679-6361 for further information.

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Pulaski carries Girdler to win

In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s primary election, it was impossible to miss the colorful signs dotting nearly every Pulaski roadway. The names in the race for the 15th State Senatorial District seat popped out: A.C. Donahue. Chris Girdler. Mark Polston.

Once citizens hit the ballots, however, the results mirrored the dimensions of the signs themselves: Chris Girdler stood the tallest.

Girdler, deputy district director for Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, ran away with the votes inside Pulaski County’s borders, earning 3,926 votes for 62.05 percent of the total number cast.

That number more than doubled the next highest vote-getter, businessman Mark Polston, who raked in 1,624 votes for 25.67 percent.

However, Polston — who owns Classic Carpet, a home-flooring business located just off the southern 914 bypass — can claim a moral victory ... three of them, in fact. In all three counties in the district other than Pulaski — those being Adair, Casey, and Russell Counties — Polston actually edged out Girdler.

In Adair, Polston beat Girdler 629 to 394. In Casey County, it was 538 to 417, and in Russell, it was 1,862 to 1,038.

Polston said he just “couldn’t pull it out with the numbers” and that “the machine worked for” Girdler in Pulaski County.

“I think that was their strategy — I think they had a Pulaski County strategy all along,” said Polston. “They played the political game well.”

Polston said the difference between his and Girdler’s campaigns was that “mine was a very, very grass roots campaign,” he said. “I did not have a political machine behind me. I understand how this process works, and in this instance, he prevailed.”

As for why Girdler didn’t take three of four counties, the winning candidate — since there are no Democrats in the race, winning the Republican primary was effectively a final victory for Girdler — said he didn’t have an answer for that.

However, “I believe things happen for a reason and I hope the long and strenuous campaign will only heighten my desire to move beyond the bitterness and partisanship of the recent past,” said Girdler.

“Regionalism is a goal of mine, and I look forward to helping all four counties,” he added, noting that he campaigned heavily in each of them.

Sen. Vernie McGaha, the long-time state senator whose seat the candidates were vying for, actually supported Polston after Liberty’s Todd Hoskins dropped out of the race earlier this month.

Donahue, a local attorney, got 556 votes in Pulaski County, 8.79 percent of the vote. He only received 145 votes in Russell County, 74 in Adair County, and 75 in Casey County, where hometown candidate Hoskins almost matched him with 71 votes despite no longer being officially in the race.

Polston said he’s “still digesting” what happened, and though “the process has been a very good experience for me,” he wouldn’t commit to running again in the future. “I wouldn’t shut the door to anything, but I’m not opening any doors either.”

Still, “I think I got a lot of people involved in the process that had not been involved before and would not have been otherwise,” he said. “A lot of people got out and worked really hard, got motivated to talk to friends and neighbors. I think a lot of people became involved through this campaign that are going to be involved for a long time.”

Girdler stressed his “positive message” and said that Rogers is a “mentor and good friend” that he would turn to for advice in dealing with a frequently combative legislative body in Frankfort, one for which Girdler hopes to help change the culture.

Girdler said that he was “confident and optimistic” during the day Tuesday because he’d “worked extremely hard.” Nevertheless, the realization that he’d won gave him “chill bumps,” he said.

“I’m absolutely honored,” said Girdler. “The position of state senator is more than an honor, more than an office. It’s a charge to keep, and I will give it my all.

“I pledge to be the people’s state senator,” he added. “I look forward to working with everyone to move this region forward.”

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