Summerland: These ornamental gardens will delight you, and so will the admission fee

If you live to garden, or simply believe in flower power, you’re going to want to visit the Summerland Ornamental Garden.

These gardens — all six hectares (or 15 acres) of it — come from what was originally the Dominion Experimental Farm. The gardens were reportedly modelled after a scene on a Wedgewood plate, and features trees and shrubs from around the world.

The gardens, now more than a century old, were very nearly destroyed in 1984, when they were slated to be plowed under. But then FOG (Friends of the Summerland Ornamental Gardens) happened, leaving the gardens to be maintained by the non-profit society.

Things to do at the gardens? Well, besides enjoying the amazing horticulture, you can learn about conserving water in the Xeriscape Garden, or learn about native pollinators, or possibly enjoy a leisurely picnic in the Weeping Beech Garden, the serenity of the Shade Garden, or a brisk hike along the Canyon Trail.

For more than 25 years now, volunteers have kept these exceptional gardens alive, and admission is simply by donation.

Although the gardens were closed at the time this article was posted due to the COVID-19 crisis, be sure to check this website when planning your future garden adventure in Summerland.

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