When we want to get ideas for our gardens, we search for those ideas in many places.
Gardening and landscape books have been the traditional sources and can still be a great help.
Turning the channel to the home and garden channel on television has been a great help and of course listening to the AM 1150 Garden Show every Saturday morning is a must.
But today, the Internet provides a wealth of information and ideas accessible with the touch of a mouse.
So what do you think my answer would be if asked which of the above would be the best way to get gardening ideas suitable for our location in the central Okanagan?
The answer is none of the above.
The answer would be to take in the two garden tours organized each year where you can see up close 19 beautiful gardens of various styles and sizes.
The first tour is June 8, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in Lake Country where 10 properties will be showcased, from flower fabulous to water miser xeriscape and edible extravaganza.
This is the fourth year the Lake Country Garden Club has put on this event to huge success.
The gardens are pocket-sized to grand, with something for everyone.
Vic MacDonald, of Bees Incorporated, will be in one of the gardens with his buzzy friends and amazing display.
Ken Salvail, my pal on the garden show each week, will offer two one-hour presentations on the tour as well.
His topic will be optimizing plant health. Tickets for the Lake Country Garden Tour can be purchased at Kel Lake Greenhouses, Woodsdale General Store, Art Knapps, Green and Bear It and other locations.
The following week, on June 15, the annual Kelowna Garden Tour, now known as Flower Power—Cool Digs and Groovey Gardens, will take place, featuring nine fabulous properties.
A self-guided tour of beautiful, unique, private gardens including a modern country garden featuring architectural finds and beautiful outdoor living spaces, a garden in the heart of the city with both formal and eclectic elements, a serene oasis in a park-like backyard complete with babbling brook, a stunning xeriscape garden, and a farm-style garden and greenhouse overflowing with fresh produce.
Mr. Salvail will be at one of the properties on this tour as well to answer gardening questions while I hold the fort at the radio station.
Also at one of the properties will be Gwen Steele, our local authority on xeriscape gardening.
The proceeds from this tour will help keep Ballet Kelowna on their toes.
The tour goes from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with tickets are available at Bylands, Art Knapp, Green & Bear It, The Greenery, Dogwood Nursery, and Rick’s Garden World.
Tickets to this event can also be purchased on line at www.flowerpowerlw.ca.
We are so lucky to have these wonderful tours so kudos to the organizers and especially the home owners that have offered their gardens for us to see who have put a tremendous amount of work to prepare for this event.
