Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
To the gardeners who opened their spaces to the public for this special event and to everyone who supported Sheppard Family Park and the Museum of the Highwood by attending this event.
The Byers Garden
Rick & Mary Byers generously shared their garden for the second time, and we are glad they did. What a lovely stroll around this beautiful property.
The Becker Garden
New to the tour this year, thank you Cheryl for sharing your special space with us all.
Sometimes it isn't all about beds of blossoms but how you see the big picture and the small vignettes tucked away to surprise an unsuspecting visitor or how you choose to display a unique find that you bring back from your travels. Cheryl's garden had all of that in abundance.
The d'Esterre Garden
Another new garden to the tour, but thankfully, not to me. I have had the pleasure of photographing Libbie d'Esterre's lovely space a few times over the years and have witnessed firsthand how gardens constantly evolve. She is fond of claiming to be a "lazy gardener". Ha! I beg to differ, she may try to minimize the workload with her philosophy of gardening, but lazy - never!
Libbie has created a special getaway space without ever having to leave home. She simply steps from her house into her cottage and from her cottage into her garden which is an oasis of peace, quiet and loveliness.
The Chaput Garden
This was year two for the Chaput garden but you would be amazed by the changes!
You know the old saying, "you can't tell a book by its cover"? Well, I think it describes Barb's place. From the lovely house front, you have no idea you will be entering a gallery, a cafe, and a trip around the world simply by walking through the gate into her garden.
Barb has put her talent as an artist to use and applied it to her love of gardening.
Welcome to Barb's gallery.
She takes found items and turns them into garden ornamentation, it must be a special talent because when I try to do that it just doesn't come out looking the same.
As a reminder of their travels, Barb has created a signpost of her husband and her destinations.
Her garden is full of spaces to sit and enjoy the flowers, read a book or visit with friends and I am not even showing you all the options that were available.
The Dobson Garden
Another first-timer on the garden tour is a well-known garden to folks from the west side of town who get to pass by this garden on a regular basis. What a treat to see it change as the plantings move through their bloom cycles.
As anyone who has planted a garden knows, this past-time can be a labour-intensive undertaking. It helps to have someone willing to follow you around with a shovel in hand and when asked to "dig a hole here" simply say "how deep?" It is a wonderful basis for a loving relationship.
Another of the many things I love about the garden tour is discovering new plants. There were several added to my list of "must haves" this year.
McLaughlin & Riverside Community Gardens
Who has driven by one of the community gardens and wished they could check them out? Well, apparently you are welcome to stop by and visit anytime. You are even welcome to share in some of the bounty - from designated areas only - Please!
Nothing says "Welcome" like a rock - at the community gardens they mean it!
Taking pride in your space is one of the great things that make any town special and these two unique gardens show their pride in a multitude of ways.
They plant for the community but they also plant for the hummingbirds.
Even if you're not great at growing vegetables you can paint rocks to show you what should be growing. It wasn't a problem here though - everything looked to be thriving.
I was even given a lesson on growing leeks - who knew? Everyone was so generous in sharing their knowledge and passion for gardening.
Places like community gardens don't just happen - they are the result of dedicated community members seeing a need and filling that need. They are always looking for people with a few hours a month who are willing to pitch in and become involved and there are lots of different ways for that to happen. To find out more about the community gardens check out their website and consider how you might become involved, it could be as simple as sitting in the garden greeting the visitors on the garden tour. www.highrivergardens.org
The VanDonzel Garden
We wouldn't have a garden tour in town were it not for Frank and Joanne VanDonzel and their love of gardening. They put the pieces together and our community is the better for their efforts.
The VanDonzel/Woods Garden
I have a collection of images from the VanDonzel/Woods garden but I am holding them until I visit Dinah and Fred's garden to photograph their dahlias. I will do a blog on their garden from tulip season through to late summer blossoms... later.
Last but not least!
The Maccoy Garden at Sheppard Family Park
As if it's not enough work to maintain your own garden - try taking care of two! That would be Mary Ann Dearing, Marje Starke and the dedicated volunteers who tend the gardens at Sheppard Family Park.
So there you have it - almost ten gardens in one day. It was a full day but from everything I heard, it was a good day.
We couldn't do it without our volunteers...
and the garden lovers who came out in support of the project.
Join us next year when we will, with the support of The Rotary Club of High River, offer more gardens - some new, some favourites - for your enjoyment.
Don't forget to take time to smell the roses!
Credits:
C.J. Bennington Fine Art Photography