The 1000 Islands and Rideau Canal Garden Trail is introducing five new gardens to explore this season throughout the Leeds Grenville region.
"The gardens are simply beautiful, unique, well designed and educational," Garden Trail Co-chair Dave Cybulski told the crowd gathered May10th at the Rideau Woodland Ramble, one of 14 host gardens on the trail and the 2015 recipient of the Garden Centre Destination of the Year Award.
"I can tell you I talk about this trail a lot," said guest speaker Michel Gauthier, Executive Director of the Canadian Garden Council and Ontario Garden Tourism Coalition board member. "You've come together and taken it to a whole new level," he said to organizers and host gardeners of the Trail's highly successful inaugural year in 2015.
Joining the tour this second season are the Diane and Keith Haskins Garden in Portland; the Norgaard Garden in Kemptville; A Labour of Love Garden in Oxford Station; the Ivy Lea Club in Ivy Lea; and Wilstead Manor Gardens near Gananoque.
The nine gardens who opened their doors and backyards to hundreds of guests from around the world are returning this season as well. Laurie and Ed Wight, creators of Chillane Gardens near Mallorytown, called the first Trail season a "wonderful experience."
"I learned so much from the people who came through our garden and we made many friends," Laurie said, adding they had visitors from as far away as Australia and Poland.
Dave Dunn, of Rideau Woodland Ramble, and Mary Ann Van Berlo, of Van Berlo Gardens, outlined how the inaugural Trail had an immediate economic impact with increased visitation and expenditure on overnight stays, shopping, dining and garden centre products.
The Trail gardens each attracted between 300 to 650 visitors, including a growing number of groups arriving by bus. Several bus tours have booked for 2016, including a Quebec group bringing a travel writer and staying four nights and five days.
Hours vary from garden to garden. Learn more about the gardens on the 1000 Islands and Rideau Canal Garden Trail by visiting our Leeds Grenville website. Brochures are available at all gardens and regional tourism centres. |