Eager gardeners crisscrossed Fergus and Elora on June 24 to track down some of the best gardens the area has to offer.
Cool inviting landscapes, abundant with familiar or unique plants with stunning blossoms were the focus at this year’s trek.
The Fergus Horticultural Society’s garden tour is an annual pursuit where gardeners can survey properties while taking copious mental notes on how each has been maintained and beautifully presented.
Many panoramic digitals of the elaborate gardens were taken by amateur and professional photographers alike.
Numerous individual floral studies were captured on many a bended knee. These flourishing works of art will be used in the selection of subjects for paintings or as photographic composition.
The tour took participants through five gardens showcasing the area’s natural beauty.
Participants made a customary donation to support the Centre Wellington Food Bank. This year’s tour collected $300 and 225 kg of food.
The garden tour is an annual event for the society as it supports one of their a major objectives. An underlining goal is to stimulate, through education, the appreciation and acquired knowledge of gardening and conservation; to aid in the protection of native plants and to encourage civic beautification.
Tour visitors had many one-on-one personal chats with the dedicated homeowners who created some of the area’s most decorative gardens.
Participants spoke highly of the opportunity to stroll through each garden to speak with fellow gardeners and homeowners, who devote their time and effort to create them.
This year’s gardeners were Fred Aleksandrowicz , Shannon and Bob Hill, Betty Knight, Julie and George Kron and Heather and Nico Vandersluis.
Having a well-tended blooming garden provides a sense of peace and tranquility for the property owners. Sharing it with others reinforces a sense of pride.
Many discussions took place on how tour visitors could adapt their own growing spaces.
One visitor highly praised how particular gardens showed the personal dedication through a huge amount of work.
“It was actually refreshing to see a variety of gardens on the tour, since some were clearly a work in progress”, said Cheryl Yuill.
Getting beyond the backyard fence was truly an eye-opener. Many visitors were astonished at the actual size of some of the properties. Others relished at the stunning natural beauty of the Grand River as an inviting backdrop to a naturally created garden scene.
The tour coordinators pointed out that the society is on the lookout for new gardens. All types of gardens are most welcome to be considered for the 2013 tour.
In the past, the tour has had heritage, country and subdivision properties.
Often gardeners are urged by family, friends or neighbours, to allow their property to be on the Society’s tour. These comments are huge tributes that may need to find a wider audience.
Anyone wishing to share their gardening efforts with visitors should contact the tour coordinator at fergushortsociety@hotmail.com.
This column is submitted by the Fergus Horticultural Society.
