The Carman Garden Club held its “Celebration of Gardens Tour” event on July 20, which was a big success. Guests from all across southern Manitoba and Winnipeg visited the gardens all day.
The Garden Tour is hosted by the Carman Garden Club, but many of the homeowners and volunteers are not members, as the Tour is for the community, by the community. The funds raised from the cost of tickets cover the basic operating fees of the Tour. Anything left over goes to projects for the Club, specifically the Junior Gardener Program and donations within the community that support garden-related activities.
Each year, six or seven local gardeners open their properties to the community to share their gardens, and each year’s Tour is different from the last.
Saturday’s event featured Ev Hoogerdijk, Susie Stewart, Elsa Vanlaar, Tina Klaasen, Alex Sandulak and the Community Gardens, where folks came out all day long to visit and check out their respective gardens.
“While the Carman Garden Tour is a wonderful community event, it also attracts guests from all over the Pembina Valley and Winnipeg, which is also a great opportunity to showcase our lovely town,” said Charlene Veenendaal of the Carman Garden Club.
The Tour hosts local musicians and artists, offers a lunch provided by Belle Aura, and highlights other local interests in its Tour Guide.
Anyone interested in participating in next year’s Garden Tour can contact Veenendaal at norm_char@hotmail.ca.
The first Carman Garden Club meeting in the Fall is Sept. 23, 7:30 p.m., at the Carman Pentecostal Assembly. For information about next year’s tour, visit the website (www.auctria.events/gardentour).
“We will be learning about taking cuttings, saving seeds and overwintering tender plants,” said Veenendaal. “Everyone is welcome.”
Standard Photos by Charlene Veenendaal
