GARDEN TOUR FOR ABBOTSFORD
By Julie Ireton
The Japanese plants, trees and stone paths of Tim Davis and Nikey Impalawati’s Alta Vista landscape will be among the 17 gardens showcased during the Abbotsford Garden Tour on Saturday June 21 between 10 am and 4 pm.
The tour is a fundraiser for Abbotsford Seniors Centre, across from Lansdowne Park, which offers a variety of classes and services for active seniors over 55, as well as specialized programming for people with dementia.
“The front garden is structural planting, shrubs that rely on shape, and a Japanese maple that’s bright red all year round,” said Davis, an architect who built his Alta Vista home in 2017. “In the back, we have lots of irises, ground cover, woolly thyme.”
The couple’s gardens illustrate a combination of French and Asian influences, said Davis, inspired by visits to Europe and Japan. It also features a gravel driveway and paths around the house, rather than pavement.
Linden Holmes takes pride in her Glebe home’s unique, urban landscape which will also be featured as part of the tour. “In the back I have raised stone beds, stone pathways, landscaping with small shrubs, perennials, a gazebo,” said Holmes. “I’m really happy to participate and looking forward to seeing other gardens. I like how it’s organized by area so you can choose to see a few or the whole works.”
This year’s tour will include clusters of gardens in the Alta Vista area, some near Hog’s Back falls, as well as several participants in Old Ottawa South, Old Ottawa East and the Glebe, said Elizabeth Ballard, Abbotsford member and one of the organizers.
“We started the garden tour event last year and it was a great success,” said Ballard.
“Abbotsford is receiving a little less money from the city than it used to, so these fundraisers are intended to fill in the gap.” The tour will highlight a wide variety of styles, plants and inspire ideas, said Ballard.
“Some are of an English cottage flavour. A couple are more wild, with more native plants and pollinators. Others are more refined, such as those with a Japanese flavour that are meticulously managed,” she said.
Lesley Sibthorpe, an Abbotsford member for the past 17 years, attended last year’s tour which like this year is self directed. “It was an amazing selection of gardens. I’m a gardener so it gave me great ideas,” said Sibthorpe who is also a volunteer helper. “It’s like seeing people’s personalities in a garden. In this day and age we need to be uplifted and sometimes the simple, subtle gardens are very restful.”
Even though she’ll be showing off her own plants, shrubs and trees in her own backyard, Linden Holmes hopes to see some of the other gardens featured on this year’s tour.
“I’m interested in seeing some in Alta Vista in particular because they have bigger lots there, but I also want to see those smaller, pocket gardens.” she said.
Tickets for the Garden Tour can be purchased at Abbotsford Seniors Centre by phoning Abbotsford Reception at 613-230-5730 or by dropping by 950 Bank Street. The tickets are on sale for $28. This is an adult friendly event.
The volunteer committee would like to acknowledge and thank the support of some of their generous donors: Wholehealth Compounding Pharmacy (Glebe), Venvi Colonel By Retirement Home, Brian Lonsdale of Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management and Chartwell Lord Lansdowne as one of Abbotsford’s sustainable donors.
The committee welcomes the support of other local donors who want to support seniors in the community. The Abbotsford Café will be open on Saturday June 21. Coffee, tea drinks and treats will be available for sale, as well as some fun prizes and second hand garden décor.
Look for surprises at some of the gardens and bring cash, say organizers.
Abbotsford Seniors Centre is part of The Glebe Centre Inc., a charitable, not-for-profit, organization which includes a 254 bed long term care home. Find out more about our services by dropping by 950 Bank Street (the old stone house) Mon-Fri 9-4 pm, telephoning 613-230-5730 or by checking out all of The Glebe Centre facilities and programming on our website www.glebecentre.ca
Julie Ireton is Senior Investigative Reporter Podcast producer, contributor, and host for CBC.
