Now that the sea of white around my house is receding, and islands of flattened brown mud and grass are larger every day, I am reminded of my long-buried garden. Soon it will be making its presence seen and felt, and in a couple of months it will be demanding a good deal of my time. I can’t wait!
In the meantime, besides poring over gardening books and flower catalogues, I need to tackle indoor spring-cleaning projects. That is not an inspiring thought.
What is inspiring is the thought of being a garden tourist. Imagine having the freedom and money to go anywhere in the world to view any public garden you choose! Where to start?
Well, how about Canada? Bordered on one side by the Atlantic and on the other by the Pacific, the variety of gardens we can enjoy is incredible. Then, across the pond, there are the beautiful gardens of Ireland and Scotland, worthy of all the attention we can give them.
In fact, almost every country in the world contains gardens that thrill us. Some of us are fortunate enough to have visited some of these famous places, but most of us do not have that luxury. Garden tourism, for most of us, does not involve a flight—unless it is a flight of fancy.
So, what do you do if you are a frustrated wannabe garden tourist? You do the next best thing: you experience these gardens virtually, through the experiences of another.
Heinke Thiessen has been to many gardens in different countries and has put together a compilation of her experiences in a presentation called Picture Perfect. Using many of her own photos, Heinke blends travelogue and garden design ideas from Canada, Ireland and Scotland in a presentation that will appeal to all, whether you have a garden or live in an apartment.
Heinke has many years of gardening experience, and founded her own landscaping company. She has taught in the Horticultural Program at Sheridan College and was an accredited Horticultural and Floral Design judge. Now retired, Heinke continues to pursue her interest in horticultural and floral design and enjoys connecting with like- minded people.
Be a virtual garden tourist for one evening and join the Flamborough Horticultural Society in welcoming Heinke Thiessen as a speaker on Wednesday, March 19 at the St. Thomas the Apostle Church parish hall at 715 Centre Road in Waterdown. Meet and greet begins at 7 p.m. First time guests get in free to the meeting. See you there!
The Flamborough Horticultural Society meets the third Wednesday of the month. Jennifer Godyn is the communications coodinator for the club, which can be reached at [email protected] or 905-977-8567.
