A Sneak Peak at the 31st Annual Toronto Botanical Gardens Tour

There are many fine garden tours in the G.T.A., but this one is my all time favourite!  Yet again, the Master Gardener volunteers have convinced a group of exceptionally talented and generous homeowners to share their gardens with the public in support of the Toronto Botanical Gardens.   This year Mark's Choice has taken a lead sponsorship role to the newly christened "Mark's Choice Through the Garden Gate".

The headquarters of this year's tour is at the Toronto Botanical Gardens.  So many people have enjoyed the TBG tours in the past, but believe it or not, have never been to the Gardens.  Well, this year, that will all change.  New or returning visitors will be amazed at what has been achieved in such a small 4-acre garden:  There are learning gardens, vegetables, woody plants, bulbs, perennials, annuals, tropicals, containers and more.   Even more exciting news, this little garden is now the jumping off point for the newly approved 35 acre garden!

So between, the TBG gardens and Mark's Choice Through the Garden Gate, you will have a fabulous floriferous time.

Here are just a few of the gardens you'll see:

Who needs grass when there are so many good plants out there?  This garden on Chelford Road has lots of natives and stylish specimens in a lush natural setting.  Here are a few that were performing when we visited.  No doubt there will be something special for you to see in June:

Halesia carolina

My first Syringa lacianata (cutleaf lilac)

What to do with that ghastly area where nothing will grow?  Here's a great idea:

Pay no heed to that vehicular backdrop....but feast your eyes on the peony!

From the natural to the tamed - looks like Paul Zammit has been working overtime on beautiful containers:

What an absolutely lovely sentiment:

More of the back garden:

A very cool original home - always find it remarkable to see just how large those evergreens can grow in over 40 years!

Here's a beautiful Brian Cliff garden I visited last August again last week.  Layered planting at its best.  Gorgeous at every point in the season.

Last August:

Now:

And then:

The back garden last year:

I really like the Galium odorata with the river stone - it really is sweet (bad horticultural pun, guilty as charged)!

And then, there are those gardens that would require bank robbery and teams of men with clippers for me to ever have -- never going to happen, but so much fun to visit.

There are lots of fancy woody plants:

This old architectural element is made from a new material.  The rebar is covered in different varieties of Clematis.  Please keep your fingers crossed that on the day of the tour, you'll be at face level with lots of blooming blossoms. 

Yet another cool specimen:

And one last photo of the grounds of the TBG that I snapped on the way to the car.  The ride was slow, as it always is, but fortunately I had lots of great memories of my day in the gardens of Windfields Estate.

For more information on this great event, please visit Mark's Choice Through the Garden Gate!  Hope to see you there. #MCTTGG18