Sunny skies in May bring out the admiring “oohs” and “aahs” of garden lovers and plant enthusiasts at the sight of magnolias and rhododendrons bursting into bloom. Timed to coincide with nature’s colourful displays, the Powell River Spring Garden Tour Committee offers a tour of some of the best private gardens in the area.
On Sunday, May 20, the public is invited to eight home gardens, which are open from 9 am to 5 pm, where visitors can stroll through and meet the owners who have volunteered their time to share their love of plants, flowers and garden design.
This year the gardens on display are located from Okeover Inlet to just a few kilometres south of town. Five of the gardens are located within the city.
The two gardens north of Powell River are exceptional in size and scale. On a wooded slope which leads down to Okeover Inlet, David Smith and Sari Spencer have created a flowering wonderland in the forest which has been years in the making. Hundreds of rhododendrons are blended with companion plants beneath a canopy of tall native trees. At the peak of bloom, many of these rhododendrons are rare and unusual species which are themselves approaching tree size.
Also north of town is the estate-size property of Nell Dragovan and Chet Idziszek who put garden design high on their list of priorities for rural living. All aspects of gardening, from food and fruit to groves of ornamental trees, roses and shrubs, receive loving care from the owners. Visitors can enjoy panoramic views overlooking the Strait of Georgia while walking through the grounds.
At the Westview Avenue garden of Diana Wood, the tour committee offers a selection of homemade lunch items for purchase. Lunch can be enjoyed while seated within a garden setting with live music by the flute and guitar duo of Lowell Morris and Bob Drage.
The tour is self-guided and a map is provided with tickets which are available at Springtime Garden Centre, Mother Nature and Breakwater Books and Coffee. This is the 16th annual tour and the price of $10 per ticket remains the same as the first tour in 1996. Proceeds are directed to a horticultural scholarship fund and the project to establish a public Powell River Botanical Garden.
