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COME TO THE ANNUAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL
SECRET GARDENS TOUR
Note: Parking is available at Empress United Church on Blackfriars Street, located between Wharncliffe and Wilson.
Links related to the Tour
ABOUT THE TOUR
The London International Children’s Festival Secret Gardens Tour is Saturday, 3 July 2010 from 10-4 and is located in the Blackfriars area of the city. 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 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 the 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 will be raffled. We will have some entertainment and M&M Meats will have their BBQ set up for drinks, snacks and hotdogs. If you would like to learn how to make a garden Faerie Chair, there will demonstrations at 11:30 and 1:30 at 2 Carrothers. Not only can you purchase raffle tickets to win Faerie Chairs, you can learn how to make your own.
TICKETS FOR THE TOUR
Passport tickets for the Secret Gardens Tour may be purchased prior to the Tour at the London Regional Children’s Museum on Wharncliffe Road. On the day of the tour, tickets may be purchased at the individual gardens by cash or cheque. Individual passports are $10.00 and CHILDREN ARE FREE.
If you would like to volunteer as a greeter 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 Amyot
2010 GARDENS
This year’s tour is centred in Blackfriars with one additional garden just across the river on Central Avenue. We will announce parking sites and details on garden demonstrations, raffles and entertainment in May.
96 Wilson Avenue, Barb MacQuarrie, with gardening “assistant” Mel Collins
Barb’s garden has been a great adventure. When she started 6 years ago, she was enthusiastic, but uninitiated. Good friend Diane was there for the start and helped to spread two yards of top soil over a front yard of well established crabgrass. The first attempt to fill in the space by scattering wild flower seeds resulted in a field of seven feet high weeds, beautiful only Barb. The garden got its second start the following year with car loads of plants hauled home from Gathering on the Green. The design was less than precise and nature has been a full partner in painting this canvass. The collaboration continues as a little more of the wild space in the backyard is groomed each year. Unexpected delights continue to intrude upon well laid plans.
81 Wilson Avenue, Susan Jory and Andrew Walker
While rich in soil and history, this garden is currently more secret than garden! The original site of the Blackfriar's Nursery, the garden was at one time comprised of more than 20 acres. Before the dykes were erected, the "spring freshets" of the Thames watered the land making it fertile and lush. Tilled originally for commercial purposes by Alexander Leslie, the garden was lovingly planted by members of the Banga family from the 1930's until March 2008. Radiant in spring, the garden brims over with peonies of every colour and type, 1,000 tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and lilacs. It is now in need of a great deal of re-ordering and maintenance which the current owners will soon have time to turn their attention to, having all but completed work on the house. Nevertheless, the garden is a wonderful secret, long and rambling right in downtown London. Its tree fort and home-made outdoor dining table have hosted many parties for family and friends, some more secret than others!
7 Cherry Street, Shelley Yeo
This small piece of heaven has been transformed over the past 3 years from an old pool needing lots of repairs to a blank canvas of beautiful soil to an ever changing palette. Everyday provides us with delight as we watch the new flowers and plants pop up. I consider it a community garden as many of the perennial plants and trees, herbs and vines have come from friends, family and neighbours or have been rescued from the end of season nursery sales. The large old maple on the east side of the property shades the gardens until mid afternoon leaving the several varieties of hosta, ground covers, sedums and ferns the perfect cool home. There are already a variety of herbs that I use for teas and cooking through the year and of course the lavender at the front walk and the back step welcome all who come to visit.
“For a moment, in that moment, flowers are simply beautiful” (Sharman Apt Russell – Anatomy of a Rose)
8 Cherry Street, Aym Ramsay and Lynn Litowski
Our ever evolving labour of love started almost 5 years ago when we bought this house and realized that with the 3 foot grass and hundreds of dandelions and weeds we were truly starting with very little. There was also a dilapidated 2 car garage right in the middle of our future garden that had to be dismantled. We have since replaced it with a beautiful shed at the back of the yard to house all our tools.
Since then we have worked with the half sun and half shady yard with the objective to have beautiful visual spots around the yard along with many daisy like flowers and grasses, working towards having continuous blooms throughout the warm weather. Given our love for our dogs, everything is done organically and with their needs in mind. Last year we added a raised cedar bed for growing organic veggies and grew an assortment of table veggies that we enjoyed over the summer. Please enjoy our garden as a work in progress.
2 Carrothers, Shirley and John Clement
This 6 year old garden surrounds a heritage home by the Thames river. It comprises 3 lots - the western of which was acquired only last year. Shirley has created a much different garden here than her previous one on Piccadilly street. Older, and hopefully wiser, Shirley has tried to make "a garden that she can go on with" - one that depends upon mulch (probably 100 cubic yards of it!), native trees and shrubs, wildflowers, bulbs and drought-tolerant natural plantings that meander from the flagstone patio through the garden proper to the new lot on which she has planted some 25 - 30 native trees and shade loving shrubs. There are no herbicides or pesticides used in this garden which has some 24" of alluvial topsoil and the bird and "critter" population loves it! A remarkable collection of lilies - which should be at their height during the tour - and a real live Narnia lamp completes this oasis in the middle of the city. Faerie Chairs will be displayed and raffled at this site.
90 Central Avenue, Blackfriar Estate
The gardens and grounds of Blackfriar are an intregal part of the restoration of this grand property which will continue over the next few years. Our goal is to create an outdoor atmosphere which Bishop Micheal Fallon (1913) would recognize and feel comfortable in. The home was originally the residence of Thomas Kent (Kent St.), a London Financier. In 1913, it became the residence of the Roman Catholic Bishops of London. It has been the scene of many gracious parties and grand receptions in a by-gone era. Guests have included Sir Adam Beck and Karol Josef Wojtyla who would later become known as Pope John Paul II. Blackfriar is the home through which the World has most touched London. There is a historical collection in the front Lobby including letters from Prime ministers, Presidents and Royalty. As we develop the property, we hope to recreate the gracious quality of this by-gone era. You will notice that the Rod Iron fences have all been replaced or restored. The original 1920's Cast Iron water fountain had not functioned since the 1950's. It is now surrounded by a Koi Pond and is once again flowing. There is a second 3 tier fountain inside the entrance. The sound of flowing water is a reminder of the new life flowing throughout the estate. The property has several sitting and dining areas which invite the visitor to enjoy a view of Blackfriars Bridge on the banks of the Thames or a Panoramic view of the entire property from the new Victorian era inspired Iron outdoor Dining area or the cozy wicker loveseats on the grand pillared porch. There is also an assortment of Iron Lawn Sculptures and a planter which transport one back to the grand homes of former days. The property will soon be joined with Raleigh house on Barton Street and the gardens will stretch all the way along the river. If you close your eyes and listen to the sound of running water and gentle breezes coming off the river, you may hear the whispers of days gone by when life was a little less complex and a little more gracious.
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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