This Saturday, flower fanatics flock together
By Rachel Selkirk
This Saturday, gardening secrets, tips and tricks will be revealed throughout The Golden City as Rossland hosts a self-guided garden tour. Rain or shine, 10 local gardens will be on public display to everyone from the experienced landscaper to the amateur garden enthusiast. Jackie Drysdale, organizer of the event thinks there’s something for everyone on the tour. “It will encompass 10 very different gardens in Rossland that go from narrow lots, to acreages, to complete gardening in the sense that it includes vegetables and chickens.”
Interested flower fanatics can gather at Harry Lefevre square and exchange a $6 fee for a map showing the location of each garden. The map also contains descriptions of what each location has in store. From that point, tourists can walk or drive to the gardens, ask questions, or just admire the efforts of the homeowners.
“That is the idea,” says Drysdale. “People will be able answer any questions and probably receive a lot of compliments.”
The tour, which can be completed in any order, also offers complimentary refreshments which can be enjoyed in Drysdale’s own garden while surrounded by live music.
“We’re really honoured to have Lois Allen and Laura Pettitt playing their flutes. It’s quite an experience to hear the flutes in an outdoor setting. It really goes with garden tours.”
This is the third garden tour for Rossland, and in past years it’s been met with success.
“It’s a very popular event. There are lots of people who are really interested in seeing what other people have been doing in the way of gardening. We have had a real focus in the last couple years [on vegetable gardening], and number of the garden on the garden tour will have vegetable gardens, but really the focus is on the landscaping, the perennials, and the shrubs and plantings.”
The event offers Rossland gardeners something that can’t be found on television’s various gardening show: a truly local experience that speaks to our unique climate and growing challenges.
“People will get ideas, information, and techniques that they can use. It is a Rossland Garden show, and together they represent what is flourishing and blooming in Rossland at this point in the growing season.”
Local gardens are behind schedule due to this year’s late spring, but they might not have bloomed at all if local wisdom had been followed. “There’s an old saying in town that you don’t plant your garden until the snow’s off Mt. Roberts. Well that could have been midway through June this year!”
Those who have done the tour before will have new things to see this round. “It’s not difficult to find 10 beautiful gardens in Rossland,” Drysdale explained. “People can expect different gardens than what we’ve had in the past.”
Those who would rather not get their thumbs green are also encouraged to come and see what’s in bloom throughout Rossland.
“Gardening takes a lot of time and effort and when people choose to have really nice flower beds, they are also making a commitment for time and energy. That doesn’t suit everybody, but a lot of people really enjoy looking at the results of the time and effort that people spend on their yards.”
The event is sponsored by the Rossland Museum, and ticket sale proceeds will be going to support the museum and its programs. The Rossland Garden Tour takes place this Saturday, July 23, from 9:30 am until 2 pm. Tickets will be available at Harry Lefevre Square on the day of the tour. For information, contact Jackie Drysdale at 250-362-3323
