A Sneak Peak at the Oakville Garden Tour!

I've gone and double booked myself.  Tomorrow I'm going to the Toronto Botanical Gardens tour in the Beach and lo and behold - it just happens to be the exact same day as the Oakville Garden Tour Sunday 20 June, 2010 - Through the Garden Gate.  Sonia & Stu were kind enough to take me with them today on the preview day for hosts and garden owners.  For those of you who want to stay close to home - you're in luck - this year's tour is wonderful.  Here are just a few of my photos of what you can expect tomorrow:

For those of you without tickets, you can purchase them at Garden #1 441 Chamberlain Lane - Donna & Ted Edgar's Garden between 10:00 and 4:00 p.m.

A gracious home and garden.

The second garden owned and maintained by Christel Mahncke was organized perfection.  These vegetables wouldn't even think of facing the wrong way.

Even the Hachonechloa looks like it's wearing product.  Even I don't look this good leaving the hair salon.

Garden #3 Keith and Marion Flowers has been on the tour before - but there's always something new to see.  Some people embrace their swimming pool - others find another use for it. 

The wall bricks were stones used for ballast on old TransAtlantic cargo ships and then used as bricks for the Toronto streetcar lines.  When the old tracks were rebuilt the stones were sold off. 

Garden #4 owned by David and Elaine Lynch had some of the best Edward Scissorhands work I've seen in a long while.

They also had this beast of a rose in the back garden.  Absolutely gorgeous.

Garden #5 belongs to the Alsip Family - I adore it when folks say goodbye to grass in such a positive way and take their artistic and gardening talents right out to the hell strips in front of the house.  I'm not going to show you any of the back-yard - you'll just have to get a ticket to see all the good stuff yourself.

I'm going to skip ahead to the 7th garden - Peter & Mei Kaps - a beautifully landscaped garden in a very compact area.  You get the feeling you're in your own little part of Northern Ontario right here in Oakville.

And  lastly, here is garden #6  belonging to Helen Young and David Hawley - an little piece of enchantment, with surprises and great ideas every step you take:

If you don't have anyone to sit and talk to, no problem, David carved a friend.

Some of David's fern collection.

Here's a fun do it yourself project - these logs were supported with stone between - the pot stood over my head.

And under the category of I'd like one too..... this marvelous tub for big kids complete with Dr. Seuss-esque copper pipes.

Now there's so much more I could show you....but I won't except for these two shots:

When you look at this you could be almost anywhere....except all of this is contained in this fabulous little pocket-sized side and back garden in this new home in Oakville - just makes the wheels turn when you look at your own garden and wonder....what could I do with that little side garden that does nothing but house a hose and some old cedars?