All Mentelle Neighborhood residents are invited to a progressive garden social at three of our neighbors’ gardens Sunday, June 3, beginning at 3 p.m. at 817 Cramer Ave. Here’s where we’ll be:
Page Etchison’s Garden, 817 Cramer Ave.
3 pm – 3:45 pm
Page has lived on Cramer Avenue since September 1999. Her home was built in 1913 on the former site of the Lexington Brick Co., which located on the north side of Cramer in 1889 and moved to Liberty Road in 1910. Her home was originally owned by the Cramer Family. Page loves Mentelle Neighborhood’s lovely neighbors, its central location, its peacefulness, and its rich history.
Page found that all of the brick remains made it difficult to grow grass in her backyard, so she created a Gazebo with a brick path entrance. Her landscaping is meant to be a peaceful place to relax, enjoy the sounds of birds, barking pals, clucking chickens and the flowing fountain. Page’s front yard is unique, with a gate entrance, no fence and four Chinese weeping cherry trees that get compliments often when people pass by.
Guitarist Daniel Mohler, our neighbor on Memory Lane, will provide music.
Esther Hurlburt’s Garden, 309 Given Ave.
3:45 pm – 4:30 pm
Esther has lived in her home since 1986, and lived on Cramer for five years before that. She has lived in Mentelle Neighborhood more than half her life!
“Gardening is my therapy,” she says. “I have to be outside and work in nature to maintain my sense of well-being and health. I don’t really have a plan. I find a place to plant something and I stick it in the soil. I like to share plants and vegetables. My garden is always a work in process. It’s kind of messy and it changes from year to year.”
Esther loves Mentelle because it is a great neighborhood for walking, front porches, and it has great access to downtown. She calls it, “the epitome of ‘neighborhood.”’
Guitarist Andres Cruz, our neighbor on Aurora Avenue, will provide music.
Shelby Reynolds & David Bartley’s Garden, 710 Aurora Ave.
4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Shelby and David have lived in Mentelle Neighborhood for 31 years. They love that the neighborhood is diverse, welcoming, and close to downtown. Their home was built in 1919, and it was one of the first houses on the street. The style is a combination of cottage and bungalow.
Shelby and David redesigned their backyard themselves in 2003 after the ice storm, and they like to think of it as “their own little paradise.” The deck and pagoda were constructed by hired professionals.
Classical harpist Elaine Cook, our neighbor on Given Avenue and a member of the Lexington Philharmonic, will provide music.
Carriers will be collecting non-perishable, unexpired canned and boxed food for donation to God’s Pantry in Lexington.
All residents of Mentelle neighborhood are invited to a progressive garden tour social beginning at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 3. 
Bill and Beverly Fortune, 714 Bullock Ave., are landscaping and have some nice hostas to be given to good homes. If you are interested, call them at 519-8501.
residents who plan to have sales in their yard or garage to contribute $5 to help with promotional costs. Have good items but don’t want to organize your own sale? There will be a booth in the Mentelle Park median for residents who want to donate yard sale items, with proceeds going to the association. (Last year, the booth earned $265.50 for the association.)
Heritage Baptist Church, 163 N. Ashland Ave., has its annual spring flower and plant sale April 25-28. Hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.