The annual Shaw Guild Garden Tour is one of the most highly anticipated calendar events of the year in Niagara-on-the-Lake for those enthusiastic about nature cultivated by passionate horticulturists.
Every June, enthusiasts clamour for the chance to be in the presence of some of the most beautiful and memorable outdoor spaces in the region.
Nestled on private residential properties that are often heritage homes and featuring vibrant colours, welcoming aromas and intricate floral designs, each stop on the tour is like a trip to a conservatory, art gallery, museum and concert hall all in one.
“We like to tell people that it is more than a garden tour,” said Shaw Guild marketing co-ordinator Jo Ann Ely.
“You get to tour eight different gardens, but in all of the gardens, we either have plein artists or musicians playing. They really add to the ambiance of the day.”
The added value of the cost of a ticket doesn’t stop there. Each garden, noted Ely, is equipped with its own on-site master gardener.
“They are there to answer questions and to help with anything more (garden-wise) that you may need.”
Ely expects the on-site experts will be very busy. This year’s entries, she said, are very eclectic and quite expansive.
The property at 345 Regent St., for example, was built about 1898 and set in a double-sized lot with a variety of flowering trees and shrubs, she said.
The current owners bought the property in 2020 and have added perennials and other elements to the lanscape.
“And then if you go to Centre Street,” she continued, “that is a huge garden. If you walk along the streets you will recognize this garden from a distance — big, beautiful weeping willows in it.”
The cost of admission includes a magazine-like brochure that gives the details of each home and directions to the destinations.
The tour runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 15.
Tickets are available online via Eventbrite for the early-bird cost of $30, plus a small administrative fee.
However, Ely said tickets will be available the day-of at any of the tour’s participating locations.
Those transactions will be cash only.
