FOUR LANES END GARDEN CLUB P. O. Box 434 Langhorne, Pennsylvania 19047

The 49th Annual Four Lanes End Garden Club Holiday House Tour and Tea was held on Thursday November 20th to the delight of thousands of loyal repeat visitors to the community. This annual event has become a cherished holiday tradition for groups of family and friends and continues to draw a huge following year after year.

The private homes were decorated with specific themes conceived and carried out by club members. This included "A White Christmas House" designed by Chairpersons Connie-Jo Martinez & Deanna Tuscano at 604 Hill Avenue. Here an elegant creamy white color palate accented the stately Colonial Revival home decorated with masses of white flower arrangements including roses, calla lilies and carnations. The tree featured adorable white paper swans and Christmas stockings along with other white and silver ornamentation. The kitchen decoration added a punch of color featuring a cranberry glass collection and floral arrangements with red roses, white carnations, calla lilies, pears and apples.

Chairpersons Nancy Mauro and Terri Doerschuck highlighted a lovely Arts and Crafts era home with a "Turn of the Century - Holiday Charm" theme utilizing natural materials and color palates appropriate for the historical period at 609 Hill Avenue. The exterior featured stunning swags of greens and apples with a magnificent topiary made of rings of fruits and greens topped with a pineapple. The glass enclosed sun porch had a nature inspired tree decorated with birds, feathers, dried oranges and dried flowers. Chartreuse roses were utilized in a fabulous mantle display along with cabbages amid sweeping greenery and were also used in a beautiful greenhouse window display and the tasteful table and corner cabinet arrangements in the dining room. The kitchen decor featured red and white floral accents with colorful peppers and vegetables arranged in a Christmas tree structure.

A Victorian mansion at 607 Station Avenue was the site of "Christmas in the Manor", artfully put together by Chairpersons Rita Keenan and Peggy Dripps. A rich purple color palate glowed against the gleaming woodwork throughout the house. The aura of the age of elegance was enhanced by beautiful harp music provided by Marissa Rose Cusick in the music room, which featured a delightful music instrument themed tree and wreath over the mantle. The dining room was set with graceful cream china rimmed with silver highlighted by an outstanding floral arrangement of red roses. The kitchen centerpiece was a glistening cut crystal punch bowl surrounded by attractive arrangements of roses, daisy and delphinium in silver containers. A whimsical popcorn cake on a footed plate and topiaries of greens and berries were crowd pleasers.

At 608 Station Avenue Chairpersons Marie Feole and Astrida Warg created an atmosphere that would make any Englishman yearn for home with "The Holly and the Ivy" theme presented in a lovely Tudor style home. The tree featured faux Wedgwood ornaments, hand crocheted baskets, Mordiford wheat hearts and was topped with a burst of showering gold decorations. A stenciled quote by Shakespeare over the mantle was a highlight in the dining room which was awash with lavish floral arrangements of white roses accented by streaming sliver ribbons hanging down from the chandelier. Flautists Chris Cook and Donna Thomas entertained the guests in elegant British tradition. Exterior features including ice hearts filled with holly and berries along with a holly tree and ivy topiaries were a delight to behold.

The Historic Langhorne Association appealed to the child in all with their theme "Anna Mary's Doll Shoppe" on display at the Williamson Library. Chairpersons Sally Marrington and Janet Maher amassed an impressive historical collection of period dolls that were showcased to perfection in the Victorian era brick mansion that serves as the headquarters for HLA. The tree was a child's dream festooned with popcorn garland, candy ornaments and topped with an antique Christmas doll.

The Colonial era Richardson House was the site a unique display of art works created by the students of Neshaminy High School Fine Arts Department with guidance from Chairperson Syd White, Fine Arts Instructor. Chairpersons Joann DiNunzio, Barbara Kittel, Carmela Verderame created a lovely backdrop for the artwork in the theme of "Grandma's Attic" with a tree accented by handmade paper chains, popcorn and cranberry garland and antique cookie cutters, period inspired fruit and greenery mantle decorations and period quilts on display. Kitchen decorations were historically accurate as well as stylish, with an antique spinning wheel and a table set with red colonial patterned china and pewter tableware which was complemented by a lovely centerpiece of pink lilies centered among fruits and greenery.

The American Legion Auxiliary, under the direction of Chairperson Elizabeth Casey, served lunch from 11 to 2:30, which was a comfortable repast for visitors to refresh themselves during the Tour.

The Tea was presented at the elegant Middletown Country Club, which was decorated in the theme of "A Gardener's Christmas". The exterior was decorated with charming birds in cages, pinecone topiaries, greenery in watering cans and benches artfully arranged with gardening equipment.

The inside of the club was decorated with garden related items that were presented in a fun and festive manner for the holidays. The tree sported garden gloves and colorful seed packets tied on with raffia. Garden caddies filled with greens and flowers were set against screens paneled in holiday plaid fabric, creating a bold and cheerful accent for the room. Chairpersons Kathy Barniskis & Susan Scalia set the mountains of home made pastries and cookies on tables decorated with airy birdhouses with pretty floral arrangements inside. Entertainment was provided by the Philadelphia Biblical University Choir; Valerie Engler, soloist; Jim Wiley and the Barbershop Quartet; Brass Group from the Langhorne Methodist Church; and the William Tennent High School Choir.

At the front end of the room, the Country Store had a wonderful variety of goods for sale just in time for holiday gift giving. Tour goers anxiously anticipate the new batch of hand made ornaments that are created by FLEGC members in the course of decorating each venue on the Tour. These unique ornaments are only available the year they are created, which results in an insatiable demand for these miniature works of art.

Visitors were also able to enjoy a gourmet buffet lunch and dinner presented by the Middletown Country Club with a menu that was created especially for the Tour.

This annual event not only provides an enjoyable holiday tradition for the community, but also provides the major funding for the Garden Club to beautify the town and to provide collage scholarships to local students majoring in horticultural or environmental studies.

The all day affair takes months of preparation and the dedication of the Committees in charge deserves recognition. They are Joanne Dinunzio and Barbara Kittel Chairpersons; Jane Schmidt, tickets; Terri Doerschuck, publicity; Jean Noble, tour program; and Kathy Sheehan, Country Store.

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