The Citizen, 2017-05-11, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017.
Discover Garden tour aims for two-year coverage
Taking a look
One of the farms that can be visited as part of the Discover
the Gardens of Huron Perth tour is Falhaven Gardens on
Orchard Line south of Goderich. (File photo)
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
The Discover the Gardens of
Huron Perth tour is in its fifth
official year of operation and aiming
for a successful two-year program
this year.
Typically, the pamphlets cover one
year, outlining private and public
gardens throughout Huron and Perth
Counties that can be visited through
summer and the shoulder seasons,
however, organizer Rhea Hamilton -
Seeger said with such great
opportunities, it didn't make sense to
focus on only one year. With events
like the homecomings in the area
and the International Plowing Match
being held near Walton, the
organization felt it was best that this
year's tour pamphlet covers two
years instead of one to encourage
visitors to the community to return
in 2018.
The map includes 42 different
labelled stops throughout Huron and
Perth, 29 of which are gardens and
tthe remainder are associated
businesses that advertise with the
group.
Lee wants new home to
help cut oil dependancy
Continued from page 15
he feels he can no longer ignore our
need to improve the environment.
Last year he took his cues from
Canada's most prominent
politicians. In speeches both by
Premier Kathleen Wynne and Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau, they hinted
at leading Canada away from its
dependency on oil.
Lee says he feels this isn't simply
something to ease carbon emissions
or to stimulate the renewable energy
economy, but rather highlighting the
lack of sustainability of the energy
landscape as it sits right now.
Much of that energy consumption
comes from the day-to-day running
of an average residential house, he
said, in addition to cars, machinery
and industry.
"We take that energy and we blow
it out the walls of our homes," Lee
said. "We can't keep living that way
indefinitely."
So while he said he felt he was
doing his part by recycling and
cutting energy consumption when
he could, building a passive house is
a way to take a huge bite out of what
had been his family's carbon
footprint for decades.
For more information on the
passive house concept, visit the
Passive House Institute's website at
www.passivehouse.com.
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Among the newer additions to the
tour are the Huron County Museum
and the Huron Historical Gaol in
Goderich, two stops which
Hamilton -Seeger said are fantastic
for both green greenthumbs and
master gardeners alike.
"There is a community garden at
the museum," she said. "Visitors can
learn how to handle their garden
there and take a tour and see what is
growing."
The gaol, on the other hand,
features period plants from when the
correctional facility was constructed
in 1842.
"The food from there will be
donated to a local food bank, which
is great, and the site is definitely
interesting to visit and see what
they're doing," Hamilton -Seeger
said.
The two sites are open by
appointment or during their
regular operating hours. For
more information, contact
museum@huroncounty.ca or call
519-524-2686.
Locally, gardens can be found
from Lucknow to Grand Bend and
the west coast to Brussels.
Blyth hosts two gardens of note
according to Hamilton -Seeger — the
Wonky Frog Studio operated by
Scott Ramsay and Cat O'Donnell
and Hideaway Haven maintained by
Jane Smyth.
The Wonky Frog Studio garden
features 150th Canada tulips this
year as well as types of berries and
proves a good companion to the
pottery and art studio it is beside.
The garden is open when the shop is
open. For more information, visit the
studio on Facebook or call 519-440-
2717.
Hideaway Haven provides a mix
of deciduous and coniferous trees
and pet -friendly plants with a stone
bridge. The site is open by
appointment or chance. Contact
auzziewannabe@yahoo.ca for more
information.
Auburn and the surrounding area
features four different gardens
including Gwen Richardson's
Donnybrook Flower Farm,
Rainstone Farm maintained by Ron
and Elfi Enns, Karen Redmond's
Whimsical Grass Gardens and
Jacqui LaPorte and John Empson's
Escape from Chaos garden.
Baanrae Gardens in Brussels is not
to be missed, according to
Hamilton -Seeger. The site features
a large vegetable garden as
well as perennial gardens. For
more information, contact owners
Don and Monique Baan at
dmbaan@tcc.on.ca or call 519-887-
6998.
Overgrownus, a garden near
Listowel, should also be taken in
according to Hamilton -Seeger. The
mature country garden includes a
pond, waterfall and sitting areas. For
more information, call owners
Wayne and Marilyn Williams at 519-
291-4776.
Hamilton -Seeger also pointed to
Smokey Hollow Farm near
Dashwood as a unique experience.
Owner Joan Brady will cut
her flowers and make arrange-
ments if visitors contact her ahead of
time.
"It's not just a garden, it's a
great place to get cuttings and
arrangements," Hamilton -Seeger
said.
For more information, contact
Brady at jbrady@hay.net or 519-
237-3198.
In the east, Hamilton -Seeger said
Fryfogel Tavern Museum and
Arboretum is also a great stop.
"They're working hard to promote
Continued on page 17
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