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Soles of Love in the Garden: Meet Host Sponsor Surreybrooke Gardens

As most of you know by now, our annual garden party charity event, Soles of Love in the Garden, has grown up!  We are now officially a 501(c)3 and we have also moved.

For the past 6 years our event, which collects and distributes new shoes for local children in need, has been held in my backyard in Myersville. But that home is currently for sale and we knew we would be in need of a venue.

Last year, I contacted my dear friend Nancy Walz, owner of Surreybrooke Gardens in Middletown, and asked if she’d considering hosting our 2017 event while we settled into our new home at Meadow Branch Farms.

Always one to give graciously of her heart and “sole,”  Nancy said yes!  And so I’m pleased to introduce our Host Sponsor, Surreybrooke Gardens to the “Must Love Shoes” community.

I’ve loved flowers for most of my life but I fell in love with gardening when I first visited Surreybrooke many years ago. At Surreybrooke, they try to have as many of the plants for purchase in their extensive greenhouses as they have to grow in their impeccably groomed vintage styled gardens. By meandering throughout the property, host to numerous historical buildings, one can learn the art of companion gardening–determining which plants work well together–and Nancy and daughter Jesse are always quick to provide a spontaneous lesson upon request.

They have been growing plants since 1980, having started with merely a table in the field, and have flourished into a premier garden center and popular event venue.

Our theme for the garden party this year is “fruits of Summer.”  Guests are encouraged to dress in the color of their favorite summertime fruit. But our theme carries with it a much deeper message. Galatians 5:22-23 tells us:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.” Against such things there is not law.”

When I think of Nancy, husband Ron, and Jesse, I think how often they demonstrate the “fruits of the Spirit”–especially kindness and goodness. They are always giving so graciously of their time and talent and are never too busy to stop in the midst of a busy day, say hello, and make you feel so very welcomed.

I’m honored to partner with the caretakers of this most beautiful Eden. I am confident that when you walk the Surreybrooke gardens this year on August 4th, you will experience the closest thing to Heaven we have on earth.