At the height of nature’s dazzling flower season, the Parkland Garden Club invited area residents to view seven gardens, premiering some of the best blooms of the summer.

With the theme of “Nature’s Journey,” six private gardens and a public garden made up the tour July 12.

The gardens dotted the Lehigh Valley, encouraging visitors to explore nature’s beauty.

One of the gardens in the Slatington area registered with the American Daylily Society, featured over a thousand daylilies.

Another featured a backyard oasis complete with coy pond and waterfalls in Allentown.

In Emmaus, informal gardens included a wide array of perennials and self-seeding annuals.

Each of these garden spots included children’s activities.

This is the 26th annual tour in the garden club’s 70-year long history.

“This is our biggest fundraising event,” said Helen Papathanasiou, president of the club.

In addition to experiencing the gardens up front and personal, visitors could speak with three experts: Brian Duvall, a consultant with Bartlett Tree Experts, Sue Tantsits, founder of native plant nursery Edge of the Woods and author Jenny Rose Carey.

The gardens surrounding the Parkland Community Library were also included in the tour.

“With the new addition, Friends of the Parkland Community Library wanted to have a garden that would be beautiful and support the environment,” Tantsits said.

“The native plant movement has been huge because of the environmental issues we are facing,” Tansits explained. “One of the great things about living in Pennsylvania is that we have four distinct seasons. Your garden should reflect that.”

The garden club sponsors several activities throughout the year.

“We have a butterfly garden at Wehr’s Dam that we maintain in spring, summer and fall,” Papathanasiou said.

“We donate trees and shrubs to the Lehigh Valley Zoo for either a memory or honor dedication,” she continued, “and we award a $2,000 scholarship to a high school senior who will go on to study horticulture, floriculture or a related field.”

Garden club members also interact with area residents of all ages.

“We wrap seeds from the state nursery and deliver them to Parkland students,” Papathanasiou said. “All first graders are involved in this project.”

“We’re also helping with an Upper Macungie summer camp, spending a day at each one of three schools and presenting a garden activity,” she added.

“We do horticulture enrichment at Luther Crest twice a year,” she said. “This year, when the weather was too wet, residents planted succulents indoors.”

These are just a few of the activities the garden club sponsors throughout the year.

Upcoming programs include presentations on topics ranging from creative gift ideas to natural wildlife habitats.

The club also holds demonstrations from wreath making to mixing garden inspired cocktails.

Meetings are scheduled for the second Monday of the month at Jordan Evangelical Lutheran Church in Orefield,