The Citizen, 2018-05-10, Page 25THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 10, 2018. PAGE 25.
Two-year tour pamphlet worked well: Hamilton -Seeger
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
Rhea Hamilton -Seeger said that an
experiment for The Discover the
Gardens of Huron Perth program
that saw last year's printing cover
two years has been a success.
Typically, the pamphlets cover one
year, outlining private and public
gardens throughout Huron and Perth
Counties that can be
visited throughout spring, summer
and fall.
Hamilton -Seeger said with events
like the homecomings in the area
and the International Plowing Match
being held near Walton last year, the
organization felt it was best that last
year's tour pamphlet cover 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. The
rest are associated businesses that
advertise with the group.
Additions to the tour made last
year include the Huron County
Museum and the Huron Historical
Gaol in Goderich, two stops
Hamilton -Seeger said are fantastic
Greener grass, better
gardens available with
eco -friendly options
MS — Spring is a season of
rejuvenation. As the cold days of
winter drift away, spring blooms
begin to sprout and grass regains its
lush green look.
Green is certainly a colour that's
synonymous with spring. Gardening
enthusiasts can find a way to make
spring even more green by
embracing several eco -friendly
gardening practices as they bring
their lawns and gardens back to life
in the months to come.
• Create a compost pile:
Composting is an eco -friendly way
to enrich lawns and gardens.
Composting helps to conserve water
because compost promotes moisture
retention in soil, reducing
homeowners' need to water their
lawns and gardens while also
helping them to save money on their
water bills.
Composting also helps
homeowners avoid the need to use
potentially harmful chemical
fertilizers because compost is a
natural, slow release fertilizer. In
addition, according to Canada's
Green Action Centre, compostable
materials make up 40 per cent of
residential waste. So composting
can dramatically reduce the amount
of waste homeowners ultimately
send to landfills
• Replace gas -powered mowers
with reel lawn mowers: Reel
mowers may seem like relics from
simpler times, but today's reel
mowers, while just as eco -friendly
as their predecessors, are unlike
those of yesteryear. According to the
Planet Natural Research Center, an
online resource for organic
gardeners, gas -powered engines
emit more than 10 times the
hydrocarbons per amount of gas
burned than auto engines. But reel
mowers are fuel -free and less
expensive than gas -powered
mowers. Planet Natural also notes
that reel mowers snip grass like
scissors, leaving finer trimmings
that can serve as nourishing, weed -
deterring mulch for yards.
• Water at the right times of
day: Homeowners who water their
lawns and gardens at the right time
of day can help the planet and
reduce their energy bills. As spring
gradually gives way to summer,
temperatures typically rise.
Watering during the coolest times of
the day means less water will be lost
to evaporation, ensuring water -
needy soil will get all it needs to
help lawns and gardens thrive.
Early morning watering before the
sun reaches its midday peak and/or
evening watering as the sun is
setting are typically great times to
water lawns and gardens, rather than
when temperatures are at their
hottest.
• Use a rain barrel: Rain barrels
provide another great way to
conserve water while tending to
lawns and gardens. Rain barrels
collect and store rain water from
roofs and downspouts, keeping
water from washing into sewage
systems where it can't be put to
good use. Water collected in rain
barrels can be used in various ways.
Many homeowners can use water
from rain barrels to water their
lawns, gardens and houseplants,
saving money on their water bills
along the way.
Spring gardening season provides
a great opportunity for lawn and
garden enthusiasts to embrace a
variety of eco -friendly practices that
can save them money and protect the
planet.
for all level of gardeners.
"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 plants native to the area in
1842, when the correctional facility
was constructed.
"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 to The Citizen.
Both gardens are open by
appointment or during their regular
operating hours. For more
information, contact
museum@huroncounty.ca or call
519-524-2686.
Private gardens are also part of the
tour, and sites can be found from
Lucknow to Grand Bend and from
the west coast of Huron County to
Perth.
Blyth hosts two gardens of note
according to Hamilton -Seeger — the
first is the Wonky Frog Studio
operated by Scott Ramsay and Cat
O'Donnell and the second is
Hideaway Haven maintained by
Jane Smyth.
The Wonky Frog Studio garden
features types of berries and proves a
good companion to the pottery and
art studio beside it. 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
Continued on page 26
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