Music and gardens go together very well.
So says Trudy Schroeder, executive director of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. Which is why the latest WSO fundraiser next weekend feels like such a good fit.
On Friday evening you can celebrate the arrival of summer (hear, hear!) in style at the WSO's Midsummer Night's Garden Gala. The private parties will be held in three of Winnipeg's finest gardens and will feature performances by WSO ensembles, cocktails, finger foods and delicious desserts. Transportation between the three venues will be provided. Tickets are $130 per person.
On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., your $30 ticket is the passport to explore a dozen or so inspiring landscapes during the WSO New Ground Garden Day Tour.
The garden tour, originally planned for last weekend, was rescheduled due to the cold temperatures, which held plants and planting back by several weeks. Now that the heat has arrived, that extra seven days has given the gardeners a chance to catch up.
For obvious reasons, I can't divulge the addresses on the tour. But I will tell you I have visited most of them in past years and they are certainly worth seeing. Not only are they impressive, but you will take away plenty of ideas and inspiration to try in your landscape.
Here's a sneak peak at some of them:
A serene green and white garden in River Heights is a lesson in planting with monochromes, with the emphasis on colour-echoing and foliage.
Expect to see interesting plant specimens and cool container ideas surrounding the in-ground pool, plus winding perennial beds providing plenty of curb appeal in Charleswood.
East Kildonan is the home of several gardens on the tour. One prize-winning garden is the creation of a garden designer and landscaper. Another showcases the beauty of perennials. A rock-lined waterfall and pond are featured in another.
Moving over to North Kildonan, an artist blends bold tones and unusual flowers to create a tapestry of colour in her garden. Nearby, a polished plantsman has created a series of lush garden rooms, complete with a pond and a greenhouse despite the yard's small size.
In Old St. Boniface, the unique architecture of the home is highlighted by a pruned lilac that also supports a climbing clematis.
Two neighbours joined forces in Osborne Village, each creating their own unique oasis with imaginative dense plantings and a lot of sweat equity.
Gardeners struggling with a shady site will take inspiration from this St. Vital yard. As well, a swimming pool has been transformed with impressive flower beds bordered by a mosaic walkway.
The New Ground Garden Day Tour is self-directed, meaning you visit the gardens in any order and at your own pace. All proceeds support the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. You have the choice of attending one or both events. The garden gala on June 26 is $130 per person. The June 27 garden tour is $30. The discounted ticket price for both is $150. A partial tax receipt will be issued for every ticket.
For tickets or more information, call 949-3999.
linda.stilkowski@freepress.mb.ca
