This year is going to be a banner year for the Georgian Bay Garden Tour as the weather has been favourable for flowering plants.
"Everything is in bloom," said Kay Hawkins, chair of the Garden Tour committee.
This year 12 gardens are on the tour on Aug. 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. covering a vast area of North Simcoe including Oro-Medonte, Tay, Midland, Penetanguishene and Tiny Township.
"This year's tour, at least 10 of the gardeners had approached us because they'd been on the tour (as a spectator) before and realized they had a garden people would like to see," said Hawkins.
The tour allows people to see all different styles of gardens.
"What I like, you may not like, but among the 12 gardens you will find one at least or parts of all 12 that appeal to you," she said.
The gardeners will be present to answer lots of questions.
Hawkins said she would like people to understand that gardening is for everyone.
"I wanted gardens that if you had $20 in your pocket you could go on the tour, get an idea, and start gardening. I want people to realize you don't have to have lots of money. You don't have to know a lot. You can garden. You can have a garden."
Also on the tour will be six artisans including a potter, jewellery maker, stone sculptor and photographer. The featured local business is Shantom Farms, home of Tommy B's Honey in Vasey.
Gardens on the tour are kept a secret. They are revealed to ticket buyers as a way to reduce traffic at people's private gardens and to maintain the integrity of the fundraiser.
Tickets for the tour cost $25 and purchasers will be provided with a wrist band. Proceeds from the event will be directed to Hospice Huronia Tomkins House in Penetanguishene.
"My goal this year is to raise $10,000," said Hawkins. Last year the event raised $7,500 for the hospice. "I think we can do it," she said.
Four hundred tickets need to be sold to meet the goal. Hawkins said tickets make good "experience" gifts for family and friends and time together on the self-guided tour.
The tour has been going on for approximately 30 years. It started out raising funds for local libraries. It later became the Georgian Bay Garden Tour but the geographical catchment area was northern, North Simcoe.
When Hawkins joined the committee in 2018, she extended the boundary south.
"I came on the board to get my garden on the tour," she joked.
The tour was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID pandemic, but most of the gardeners stayed with the group and came back on the tour 2022.
Formerly run the second Saturday in July, the date was changed last year to the second Saturday in August. It doesn't clash with other events and works with the season.
"It doesn't matter how well you plan, Mother Nature always has other ideas. This time last year, half of this stuff wasn't in bloom. This year, everything is early," she said.
Tickets are available in (cash only) at the following locations:
- Norman's Garden Gallery at 830 Yonge St. Midland
- Ritchie's Feed N Needs & Garden Centre 1548 County Rd 92, Elmvale
- Wyevale Jug City, 870 County Rd 6 S, Tiny
- Wendy B's Fine Foods, 336 Lafontaine Rd W, Tiny
Tickets are also available online at gbgardentour.com
