Brunswick’s gardeners have been hard at work preparing to welcome visitors during this year’s Brunswick in Bloom garden tour.

The self-guided tour on July 19 will take participants across town through six private and one public garden. Funds raised from the tour will directly support Oasis Free Clinics, a no-cost primary and dental care clinic for uninsured adults.

Anita Ruff, Oasis Free Clinics executive director, said the tour is a great way to get to know your neighbors.

“It’s kind of a glorious day,” Ruff said. “People are so happy and it’s just a fun day to get out and mingle.”

The tour starts at 10 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m., and is followed by a garden party with refreshments. Gardeners will be on-site during the tour, more than happy to chat about gardening tips.

Tickets are $35 in advance online and $45 day-of. This year, the tour will include a build-a-bouquet station available for an extra fee, with flowers provided by Mare Brook Farm.

Gardener Kitty Babson is excited to welcome guests to her “woodland”-style garden on Pennellville Road.

“Gardening is meditative; it makes me feel closer to the Earth,” she said.

Babson has attended the tour before but will be hosting herself for the first time this year. She said she worked extra hard to make her garden beautiful because the tour “supports our neighbors in need.”

“Oasis Free Clinics is such an extraordinary service to the uninsured and underinsured people in our communities,” Babson said. “I was inspired to do everything I can to draw as many people into Brunswick in Bloom.” 

Oasis has already sold around 500 tickets and counting, Ruff said.

Brunswick in Bloom will help Oasis keep up with growing demand and staffing challenges. The clinic hopes to raise $60,000 from this year’s event.

“That will help us increase access to our dental clinic, our mental health services — everything,” Ruff said.

Oasis Free Clinics launched Brunswick in Bloom in 2021 to help build community after the pandemic.

“[It] started as a way to, of course, raise money for the clinic and as a way to do a fundraiser where people were outside and to get them moving and walking,” Ruff said.

Oasis is also offering a Brunswick in Bloom Sea Bag and a poster by Portland artist Katharine Watson this year.

Ticketholders will receive a map of the gardens next week so they can plan their routes. More information is available at the Oasis Free Clinics website.