Back by popular demand, The London Chapter of Landscape Ontario is holding their annual "Gardens of Distinction Tour" on July 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This year's tour will featuring 14 gardens in and around the London area. The unique part of this tour, over traditional garden tours, is that attendees have the opportunity to meet and ask questions with the professionals who designed, created and installed each of the gardens on the tour. These professionals can bring your garden oasis to life and think beyond traditional garden ideas with their creativity and planning.
Each garden on the tour is unique and will have a different size, budget, theme, feature, obstacle and use of hardscapes. This variety is great for generating ideas for people touring the gardens.
Attendees of last year's tour were not your typical flower lovers, but instead were people in the market for ideas, inspiration and the chance to meet the people who could bring it all to reality. As Nicola Kamp, one of the garden participants, said, "Flowers are like the pillows of a room — you can't depend on them, or use them for structure — they are there just to add a little something extra."
Along with a lot of wows, some of the comments from attendees were, "Who would want to leave home?" and, "How can I get that in my garden?" and, "I have a similar back garden, but I never dreamed how much I could do with it™
Also included in the tour this year is a visit to the A.M. (Mac) Cuddy Gardens in Strathroy, part of The Gardens of Fanshawe College.
Michelle Peeters of Baseline Nurseries said, "Each garden that I saw offered something different. It was an amazing opportunity to showcase our very talented LO members. The gardens are a testament of our professionalism and expertise in the industry."
After last year's successful tour, the London Chapter donated over $1,000 to the Diabetes Association for the Global Garden. All proceeds from this year's tour will go to the Gardens of Fanshawe College, Banting House National Historic Site of Canada Global Garden and the LO London Chapter.
Passports for the tour are $10 (children are free) and include a free ballot for a chance to win a $1,000 cedar arbour or a $4,000 landscape lighting package. Purchase your passport now at any of the following local garden centres:
- Baseline Nursery
- Bycroft Gardens
- Canadale Nurseries
- Fanshawe College Greenhouse
- Moore Water Gardens
- Oxford Insta-Shade
- Parkway Gardens
- Silverthorn Landscape & Supplies
- Springbank Gardens
- Von Horik's Greenhouses