Gardens and their varieties are just as diverse and enchanting as the people who create them.

Whether it be a flower garden overlooking the wide open space of the water or a garden with mixtures of stone and flowers nestled within a grove of trees, there is just something about the relaxing atmosphere that can only be found in a garden.

The Southern Cayuga Garden Club knows this to be true and for the past 20 years it has been opening up some of the most beautiful gardens in the southern Cayuga County area for everyone to enjoy.

“When most people think of a garden they think only of a focus on flowers,” Art Nelson, garden club member said during the club's annual garden tour held Sunday afternoon in the town of Aurora.

“But gardens have so many things that add to them such as the landscaping and water features,” he added.

Nelson, along with his wife, Nancy, said that the pair spent approximately two months putting the garden tour together. This year the tour was a dedication to the Aurora area with local gardens chosen by Nelson.

“The Aurora area is so rich in history,” he said. “And the gardens are no different. The background of the lake makes a nice contrast.”

Nelson said that although the tour typically focuses on residential and private gardens the group included commercial gardens this year.

“We chose the Aurora Inn as a focal point to start from because it has always been a central part of the area,” he said. “The gardens are no exceptions.”

The tour brought many avid gardeners out for a day to relax with friends as well as a chance to bring inspiration to their own gardens.

“We come to Aurora Inn for many community events,” Lee Gianattasio of Union Springs said, who visited the tour along with friends Veronica Seyd and June Layton, both from Union Springs.

“We are gardeners and thought that it would be a nice way to spend an afternoon.” The trio said that they would certainly take ideas from the gardens and incorporate them into their personal gardens.

Other gardens along the tour included the Memorial Gardens, Mackenzie Childs, as well as the residential gardens of Polly McQuire, Steve and Randi Zabriskie, and Brick Church. Proceeds from the event will be used to award a Southern Cayuga High School student interested in furthering their horticulture or agriculture studies with a $500 scholarship.

“Last year there were two students who were qualified for the scholarship,” Lin Jetti, the garden club president said. “Instead of one scholarship we split it and instead gave two $300 scholarships.”

Jetti said that one of the recipients of the 2006 scholarship, Leigh McGonagle, is currently in her first year of study at Cornell University. According to Jetti, the student showed her appreciation by helping to design the brochures and tickets for the tour.