Kingston Gardening Festival 2012!

Join us in "Celebrating Growth", our theme this year, as the Kingston Gardening Festival in partnership with the Eastern Ontario Home & Cottage Expo comes together in our new location at the Kingston Expo Centre. Our feature gardens are each unique and meant to inspire both the novice and experienced gardener. We invite you to come out and stroll among the gardens; view artwork created by your local high school budding artists; relax in our lounge with the feel of the tropics; enjoy the music court; listen and learn with the many presentations and talented speakers. There's something for everyone!
We are grateful to our trusted long-time contributors Earthworx, Clermont Landscaping and Canadian Tire Cataraqui for providing mulch, stone and plants for the gardens, respectively. To extend the color and texture of the gardens this year the Cataraqui Cemetery Greenhouse and Colonnade Golf Course, with the help of Master Gardeners, were kind enough to provide various annuals and perennials. The creation of the gardens wouldn't be possible without the help of tireless and dedicated volunteers. Thank you all!

Sincerely,
Display Gardens Committee:
Irina Neverova, Pat Haslett, Kelly MacPherson, Doris Power

Welcome Garden

We welcome you to this year's garden festival with our beautiful woodland garden. A stone pathway guides you through the garden under a canopy of live trees. The bright reds and greens of dogwood accentuate an artfully planted display of springtime bulbs and perennials. Relax on the sitting stones to enjoy the performance of the artists at the Music Court. Designed by: Scott Wentworth Landscape Group Ltd.
Contributors: Scott Wentworth Landscape Group Ltd., Connon Nurseries, Canadian Tire Cataraqui, Earthworx and Display Gardens Committee

Modern Elegance

Even a small space in the garden can be made into a tranquil spot using a combination of elegant sculpture, modern materials and plants with interest for all seasons. Designed by: Nature's Way Landscaping
Contributors: DayLily Studio, Rigney Building Supplies and Display Gardens Committee

You've Got Mail!

Add curb appeal and welcome your mailman with garden interest for every season combining lush evergreens, birch trees and a winning combination of spring blooming bulbs beneath a mailbox with definite architectural style. Designed by: Kelly MacPherson and Doris Power
Contributors: David Minaker, Andrea Lynch and Rideauview Contracts Natural Stone Products

The Potting Bench

Combine utility and practicality alongside a simple garden with style and structure using a potting bench to disguise needed garbage bin storage. Beautify this small space with a graceful willow combined with bush evergreens and a splash of colour. Designed by: Kelly MacPherson and Doris Power
Contributors: Rona Home & Garden, Margaret Skolnick and Canadian Tire Cataraqui

Back to Nature

Meander along the path or sit amidst the evergreens with the view of a small water garden. See alpine garden with colourful flowers set inside a giant red wagon wheel, baskets of gourds and herbs and harken back to days of old with a display of hand-made wooden tools, wheel barrow further enhanced with an old water pump. Designed by: IN Garden Designs
Contributors: Display Gardens Committee, Rideauview Contracts Natural Stone Products, Earthworx, Gourds by Genge and MacLachlan Woodworking Museum

Over the Garden Wall

As a backdrop to our seating area for stage viewing a low garden wall separated in the centre by a walk through provides a perfect example of a solution for your garden. The posts on either side are covered in decorative lattice and provide a means of hanging ornamental metal artwork thus making use of the smallest of spaces. Plantings in a soothing combination of white and various pinks provide peaceful intimacy while a different combination of hot reds can evoke more energy depending on what you prefer in your garden. Designed by: Irina Neverova and Bill Allen
Contributors: Kelly MacPherson, Andrea Lynch, In Bloom Floral & Home Decor, Plants & Pots Flowers & Fine Gifts and Clermont Landscaping

Rhapsody in Blue

Experience the serenity a simple palette of colour can provide to the garden. The subtle tones and texture of blue colorado spruce, cedars and junipers are complimented with an assortment of luscious succulents, white campanula and a river of blue muscari. Stained glass panel offer a unique backdrop to stunning floral arrangements in large outdoor containers. Designed by: IN Garden Designs
Contributors: Neil's Flowers, Stained Glass Mosaics by Bonita Bell, Hildegard Dorosh and Earthworx

Book Nook

Meet two of our favourite authors and have your books signed in this charming display garden. Enjoy this peaceful space anchored by a flagstone patio under the pergola. The original stained glass artworks flanking each side of the pergola echo the garden's mixed plantings of evergreens, perennials, alpines and cheerful spring bulbs. Blue spruce, dogwoods, fountain grasses, hyacinth and sweet pink cyclamens offer a touch of a natural playfulness and compliment the chartreuse tones across the pathway. Have a rest on the sitting stones and enjoy the gentle sounds provided by the water feature tucked under the protection of a peaceful pine. Designed by: IN Garden Designs
Contributors: Display gardens Committee, Andrea Lynch, Rideauview Contracts Natural Stone Products, SoulSpeak Glass Art, Rigney Building Supplies

Lounge Among the Tropicals

While you wait or relax enjoy comfortable seating in the lounge at the entrance of the building amidst tropical plants and an aquarium filled with colourful tropical fish. Designed by: Display Gardens Committee
Contributors: Finaddicts Fish & Reptiles, The Plant Factory, For Every Season Home and Garden and James Reid Furniture

Youthful Inspiration

Let the talent of budding artists from your local high schools impress you as you walk down the hallway and view a wall of student art framed by a garden running along with gracefully arching fountain grasses and other delightful plants. Special thanks to committee member Pat Haslett who's efforts resulted in obtaining the art for display.
Designed by: Display Gardens Committee
Contributors: Frontenac Secondary School, Loyalist Collegiate & Vocational Institute and Regiopolis-Notre Dame Catholic High School

Speaker Room

Listen and learn as various speakers impart their wisdom in the Speaker Room decorated with life plants in hues of green and yellow.

Music Court

Throughout the festival various artists will entertain with music suited to everyone's taste in the Music Court beside the Welcome Garden. Relax on limestone seating while being serenaded by talented musicians under a pergola surrounded by a widely popular combination of lime green and burgundy plantings.

Food Court

As you enjoy refreshments in the Food Court lined with lush cedars, tables decorated with African violets and primulas and walls decorated with art and other décor, experience the feeling of sitting in the garden.

Plant Sale! - For You "Green Thumbs"

At the end of the show on Sunday, February 26th, all flowering spring bulbs in 4" and 6" pots will be for sale at $3/pot or 2 pots for $5. A limited number of perennials will be offered for sale for prices as marked.
All proceeds will go to the charities Kingston Gardening Festival is supporting: University Hospitals Kingston Foundation, Jumpstart and Cataraqui Conservation foundation.

FEBRUARY 24, 25, 26 2012

LOCATION

700 Gardiners Rd.
(the old Norcom building)

Click for Larger Map
(Google Map, new browser)

FESTIVAL HOURS

Friday 1:00pm - 9:00pm
Saturday 10:00am- 5:00pm
Sunday 10:00am- 5:00pm

ADMISSION

$8 in advance ONLINE HERE
starting Jan. 2012.
Tickets at the door $10
Kids 16 & under Free
Friday Only Seniors 2 for 1
ATM AVAILABLE ONSITE

Volunteers Wanted

We require volunteers to help with various tasks set-up of the Gardening Festival and various tasks during the show. to find out more about the exciting volunteer opportunities.