Guelph-Wellington Master Gardeners

There were garden delights and inspiration for everyone (and then some!) during the Guelph Wellington Master Gardeners’ (GWMG) annual bus tour, an excursion that featured five enchanting private gardens, two wineries and a marvellous visit to Vineland Nurseries in the lush Niagara Region June 24.

The trip first took us to the neighbouring gardens of photographer Marilyn Cornwell and artist Laurie-Ann Braun in Grimsby. Marilyn’s romantic Victorian garden features a lovely antique conservatory, special plants such as a Seven Sons Flower (Heptacodium), Calycanthus, an amazing tri-colour beech and intricately woven willow trees. Across the street, Laurie-Ann’s garden greets visitors with mature Japanese maples out front and a private back garden with a wonderful pool and entertaining area surrounded by lush, graciously placed plantings.

Our next stop, the home of mother-daughter gardening duo Mary Lynn Horton and Amy Skelton in Beamsville, presented an abundance of unique shrubs and trees, including fig trees in containers, mimosa trees, an umbrella pine, a Paulownia tree, purple robe locusts, Northern Mahogany Black bamboo and Paw Paw (Asimina triloba) trees that yielded more tha 40 Paw Paws last year! The gorgeous koi pond, a winding pathway to a private seating area and the birdsong that fills the air makes for a very peaceful garden space!

In St. Catharines, Barb and Al Large welcomed us to their spectacular cottage garden and a stunning valley experience:  Numerous heritage trees include a maple more than 250 years old out front and 100-year-old willows pruned every few years to frame the backyard, a wee winding stream running though the garden, a water feature, and fabulous roses and vines.

The fifth and final garden of the day provided an utterly unique and unexpected experience with a collection of hardy, sub-tropical and tropicals that likely cannot be matched anywhere else in Canada. Owner Dave Wootton says his garden is blessed by being one of the warmest areas in Canada, sitting very nearly on the shore of  Lake Ontario in Beamsville (Lincoln). The amazing variety of plant specimens in this Harry-Potter-like garden are set off by the water features Dave constructed himself using copper tubing and old brass/copper plates that were found on walls of homes in the 60s. Two conservatories protect many of the tropicals from deep winter.  

Fortunately there was room in the belly of the bus to accommodate the trees, shrubs and perennials that many GWMGs picked up at Vineland Nurseries, which specializes in “special plants for small spaces,” including dwarf and unusual evergreens, heathers, rhododendrons, Japanese maples and bamboos. The family-run nursery is a labour of love for owners Jim and Simone Lounsberry and their three children and dedicated staff. Several tri-coloured beeches found themselves along for the ride, no doubt inspired by the tree in Marilyn’s backyard!

Interwoven into the day’s activities was a stop at  Featherstone Estate Winery, where co-owner and winemaker David Johnson talked about their approach to maintaining immaculate vineyards on their 23 acres without the use of chemical pesticides, an approach helped by the lambs that strip the grape leaves from the lower part of the vines.  A delicious tasting experience included the superb Black Sheep Reisling, named for their contribution to the wine-making process.

Finally, a visit to De Sousa Vineyards capped off the day’s adventures with a vineyard tour and wine sampling, including a Baco Noir and lovely ice wine.

GWMG wish to thank everyone who so generously hosted us this year, as well as Bob and Leslie Newman for planning this whirlwind adventure, an inspiring day that will be long remembered.