A group of Creemore gardeners is busy making last minute preparations for the upcoming open garden event, July 22 and 23. At the corner of Mill Street and Edward, Paul Vorstermans is putting final touches on a water wall to be unveiled next weekend. Paul looks after the hardscaping while wife Charlotte is in charge of plants. Over the past 25 years their garden has evolved into a series of seven rooms covering most of their half acre lot.
Highlights of the Vorstermans garden include 45 to 50 varieties of clematis and hosta. Lest that sounds overwhelming, Paul says there are 7,000 named varieties of hosta. This year, artist Norma Lee will be painting a plein air at the Vorstermans and the stained glass works of Victoria Huntley will be on display.
Just a few steps down the street, the gardens of Bev Stableforth at 3 Elizabeth St. W. and Jaki Skillings at number 17 will welcome visitors again this year. A new addition to this year’s line up is Sona Vancour-Sist’s garden at 19 Edward St. W.
This is the eighth year for Creemore Open Gardens. Paul anticipates at least one new location will be added next year. He says there are many special gardens in the area but some people find the notion of displaying their efforts just too stressful. After manyyears he has come to accept that while his garden will never be perfect, it will be better than the gardens of most of the people who come to inspect it.
Emails promoting the event are sent to 16 horticultural societies throughout Simcoe County. Last year 185 people visited Creemore Open Gardens. The event runs next Saturday and Sunday (July 22 – 23) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.