BY DUCK PATERSON
Gardeners and beginner green thumbs will be excited about the prospect of touring some of Ladysmith’s gardens of distinction.
The Rotary Club of Ladysmith is holding its annual garden tour this Sunday, May 26.
Participants will be invited to visit eight yards of mature gardens cultivated by locals in the Ladysmith and Chemainus area. Rotarian Joan Phillips said the gardens chosen for the tour each year come highly recommended.
“Some come to us by chance, some people will volunteer their garden,” she said.
Rotary club members put a lot of effort into the event and start planning based upon evaluations and recommendations received during the previous year’s garden tour.
“Many of the homeowners are quite conversant and knowledgeable regarding their gardens and they will be on site for the day,” Phillips said. “Many of the gardens will also have an artist on site.”
To guide people to the various gardens on the tour, the Rotary club provides a map and brochure that describes the garden and gives the address and any special parking considerations. Participants choose the order in which they wish to visit the gardens, so even with 200-250 people taking part, there is rarely an issue with too many people in one garden at one time, the Rotary club said.
Tickets are $25 and are available at Ladysmith Country Grocer, Juniper and Sage Decor, Nancy’s Fashions, Ladysmith WholeHealth Pharmacy and the Ladysmith Art Gallery. On the morning of the tour, tickets, maps and brochures will be available from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the upper parking lot at Country Grocer. The tour hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The club will also be selling raffle tickets at some of the gardens, with Mid Island Co-op gift certificates as prizes.
The Rotary club uses the proceeds from the garden tour along with the proceeds from their annual golf tournament and other fundraisers held throughout the year to support community projects.
The Chemainus Art Group will be holding its spring art show and sale at the Saltair Community Centre this coming weekend, May 24-26, and Phillips said “it would be a lovely stop for people on the garden tour and it’s right along the route and the same hours as the tour.”
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