Learn all about the amazing gardens of the interior

Gardeners don’t always have to use their hands, they can use their minds. In the Lakeshore, we garden for the curious of mind. Take a walk along the Saugeen Shore to learn over 2,000 native plants that are beloved by monarch butterflies. The trail with pod stations stretches from Southampton to MacGregor Point Provincial Park. Travel a little bit to the south to Kincardine, and perhaps after a good lunch, you’ll feed your mind with gardening resources at Ontario’s only solar-powered bookshop and nursery. A bit further south to Point Clark, and you’ll find Smeltzer’s Garden Centre, boasting a beautiful variety of trees, shrubs, perennials, hanging baskets, and more.

Bruce Botanical Food Gardens, a food adventure that’s uniquely Canadian. Reconnect your family to the food we take for granted. There’s much to learn about sustainable agriculture and the issues facing small family farms. Discover issues of food insecurity and get a real hands-on experience. Here, you’ll explore over 250 varieties of rare, endangered, heirloom and world food plants – over 10,000 plants in all with more coming every year. Learn about ancient plants and plants with crazy names. This non-profit organization promises a truly unique experience.

Folmer Botanical Gardens in Walkerton, is the largest garden of its kind in Bruce County. With 108 acres to explore, make a day of it but bring water, sunscreen, a hat and comfortable footwear. Discover rock gardens, trails through forested wetlands and a pond, shade gardens, perennial borders, ornamental grass gardens, and English gardens. Also be sure to discover the Garden Centre and Home and Garden Décor Gift Shop located in the middle of the gardens.

Test your knowledge of large caliper trees when you visit Everest Trees, a locally owned and operated tree nursery in Port Elgin. Visit their retail garden centre and ask the knowledgeable staff about zone tolerant plant material and tree care before you head out to walk the rows of young trees.

In the Interior, we have many excellent gardens, greenhouses, and nurseries to explore. Here are a few to visit:
Smeltzers Garden Centre, Ripley
Essentially Lavender, Formosa
Sunny Nook Greenhouse and Produce, Teeswater
Davishill Nursery, Walkerton
River’s Edge Garden Centre, Walkerton