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COME TO THE ANNUAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL
SECRET GARDENS TOUR
Links related to the Tour
ABOUT THE TOUR
The London International Children’s Festival Secret Gardens Tour is Sunday, July 5, 2009 from 10-4. The purpose of the tour is to raise funds for the Children’s Festival Child Fund which provides subsidized tickets for performances and workshops to children, families and community service groups, enabling all children to fully experience the Festival. The 2009 Garden Tour will provide subsidies to enable more children to participate in the 20th Anniversary celebration of the Festival.
The Secret Gardens Tour is a unique tour of gardens at the peak of the Ontario summer garden season. As in the children’s novel, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, the “secret gardens” on the Tour are private , home made gardens, untouched by professional landscapers. The most unique part of the Tour is that there are supervised craft activities for children, allowing all members of the family to enjoy the Tour. At some of the homes, garden art, garden Faerie chairs and other items are raffled. In addition, there will be a container garden demonstration at 1:30 by Margaret Martion at 1060 Colborne Street and a BBQ will be set up on Princess Ave to allow visitors to buy refreshments.
TICKETS FOR THE TOUR
Passport tickets for the Secret Gardens Tour may be purchased at the Children’s Festival box office on Richmond Street until the end of June, at the London Regional Children’s Museum on Wharncliffe Road and at the individual gardens on the day of the tour by cash, cheque or credit card. Individual passports are $10.00 and CHILDREN ARE FREE.
If you would like to volunteer as a gatekeeper on the day of the tour, we would welcome your help for the full day (10 to 4) or for half day shifts (10-1 and 1-4).
You may contact us at secretgardenstour@rogers.com. Thank you for your support.
Committee Members: Betsy Reilly, Susan Webb, Alison Ogilvie, Susan Booth, Susan Allan, Christie Amyott
2009 GARDENS
487 Dufferin Avenue, Linda Whitney & Mickey Apthorp
In the spring of 2006 after a winter of waiting and planning, we were finally able to form and plant our new garden. We began with lots of structure, stone and gravel, some classic symmetry and a beautiful screened porch. Then we added our favourite plant material all loose and colourful. When you come through the long narrow walkway we hope you will be as delighted as we are...but our biggest joy is always our very close and wonderful neighbours!
507 Princess Avenue, Joey & Rod McDowell
Our Victorian home was first built by a piano tuner for his bride in 1885 and their daughter, Gertrude, lived here until she was ninety-one years of age. There is still a connection to the past through some of the plants and vines Gertrude and her family planted. The gardens at the front were recreated to create a cool, calming effect of the north-facing exterior of the home. As you walk through the gate into the backyard, one begins to imagine they might be in the south of France. The simplicity of the gardens is intentional as we strive for that perfect balance between work and home.
A BBQ WILL BE SET UP ON PRINCESS AVENUE TO ALLOW YOU TO PURCHASE REFRESHMENTS.
522 Princess Avenue, Wendy Dickinson & Wes Kinghorn
Looking down the long drive, your first glimpse of “Wendy’s Secret Garden” is a cedar gate with a large, strange keyhole, set between two tall brick pillars. As you get closer to this, perhaps Woodfield’s tiniest garden, you will see the 7’ tall metal gates cast in hearts and vines which seem to crawl through the pillars to the shoulder iron fences. You will find many surprises within this tiny space, including two pergolas, a raised parterre garden, a tented dining patio, a back porch swing and a deep fish fountain. Don’t leave without asking Wendy or Wes about little William, the dormouse/adventurer who has made his home here.
524 Princess Avenue, Hazel and Peter Desbarats
When we arrived from Ottawa in 1981, an unsympathetic real estate agent kept trying to steer us into Old North. And when we stumbled upon 524 Princess Avenue, he was plainly dismayed. "You don't want to go there, " he said, "it's full of boarding houses." But then our two children discovered the full-size swimming pool in the backyard and it was no contest despite the rickety wooden back porch soon to be replaced by a comfortable family room and the towering black walnut trees that killed most of the other vegetation in their immediate vicinity.
Eventually Jane and Jonathan left for university, the poisonous trees were felled and carted away by a sculptor from Ottawa and Hazel and I got serious about the garden with the help of designer Richard Crossman. Looking at his plan the other day, we were surprised at how enduring it has been. The old swimming pool pump house continues to enjoy its new incarnation as a garden shed which earned it a place in a national garden magazine . The stone patio and low stone walls of the garden foster a tranquil atmosphere. We think the garden is at its best in the spring with flowering dogwoods, red bud and serviceberry trees but every season has its charm as our 1894 dream house introduces us to its second century.
527 Princess Avenue, Peter Arnold & Irene Say
This heritage home and garden have gone through major changes over the past 19 years. The gardens accentuate the private courtyard containing a deck, hot tub and shed and the wraparound veranda where many hours are spent with neighbours. The shade gardens grow in the shelter of a a 100 year old Maple and contain a fish pond and private bistro sitting area. In the front, the triangular garden can be viewed through an arbour. Hanging baskets and container gardens bring colour to many areas of the garden. Welcome to our garden.
713, 711, 707 Central Avenue, Bill Hodgson & Andrea Surich
When we bought this 1/2 acre property in July 2007, it was overgrown with weeds and Tree of Heaven, had a couple of abandoned cars at the back, 2 dilapidated houses and a shop. The summer was spent renovating both houses, building a limestone retaining wall, clearing the debris and turning the shop into a studio for Bill's metal work. We then carved garden beds into the gravel parking lot, planted 14 trees and placed Bill's sculptures here and there. The gardens have been planted with mature perennials moved from our former residence in Ingersoll. We maintain them with collected rainwater and compost. No chemicals are used. Birds, butterflies and wildlife are returning to this East end lot and the transformation continues.
FAERIE CHAIRS AND OTHER RAFFLE ITEMS WILL BE FOUND AT THE HODGSON-SURICH HOME ON CENTRAL AVE. BRING YOUR TOONIES!
570 Victoria Street, Claire Callaghan & James McDermott
This north-south facing 6 year old garden is comprised of 4 distinct areas. The gardens flow from a side garden viewed from the street, followed by a breakfast nook area (hanging potted plants and container pots), which leads into a larger patio garden and the main garden. The gardens are designed to provide a peaceful transfer from the busy world into a restful, calm haven. These include gardens in full shade most of the day and others with part sun, part shade. The main garden is surrounded by deep flower beds containing perennials and annuals. The side garden has a variety of heucheras, lilies, hostas ,holly hocks and ground ivy, bordered with rose begonias. The patio garden contains hostas, hydrangeas, phlox, Asiatic lilies, perennial hibiscus and small rockery
1060 Colborne Street, Margaret & Bob Martin
This mature garden, predominantly in shades of green and white, features living walls of eunonyous sarcoxie, a manicured bent grass lawn and eighteen original container plantings. A waterfall and pond near the screened gazebo contribute to the serenity of this well-established garden. Unusual clematis, hosta and hydrangea are among the perennials planted here.
AT 1:30PM, MARGARET MARTIN WILL CONDUCT A 20 MINUTE WORKSHOP ON CONTAINER GARDENS FOLLOWED BY A Q & A PERIOD.
click here for more information about Margaret’s work
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In support of the
Children’s Festival’s CHILD FUND
Our CHILD FUND provides subsidized tickets for performances and
workshops to children, families and community services groups.
It enables all children to fully experience the joy and wonderment
of the London International Children’s Festival.
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