Gardens Of Uxbridge

Its time once again for Community Care to present their annual fundraising Gardens of Uxbridge Tour Saturday July 12th from 10:00am to 5:00pm.

More and more people are replacing their lawn with gardens filled with an assortment of perennial flowers hardy enough to withstand longer periods with limited amounts of water.

As development increases the demand on our water supply there is a decrease in the Town's ability to supply sufficient water to keep Uxbridge lawns green during the hot summer months. Combine that with the move away from the use of pesticides to control weeds and you see a growing return of front yard gardens.

Last year was a disaster for many lawns in the Uxbridge area. Home Owners watched in dismay as their once green lawns became brown, brittle, crackling wastelands with only the odd weed, with its deep roots, remaining green.

The number of garden suppliers and landscapers is growing to meet the demand as property owners convert what used to be lush green grass into heavily landscaped showpieces.

This spring saw a flurry of work all over town as some seeded some sodded and still others converted large portions of the wasteland in their yard into new garden space.

Some lawns are reduced to the size where the use of resource hungry lawn mowers are no longer used to keep them trimmed to that green velvety carpet that once was. Now the manicures are accomplished with a push mower and in less time than it took to run down to the local gas station to purchase some fuel for that noisemaker called a lawnmower.

Just what do you do with that space in the middle of your circular driveway?

One of the homes on this years tour features the answer with a teardrop shaped garden in the middle of the driveway.

At another home you will enjoy the feel of outdoor rooms created with hedging and wood partitions as dividers with stone knee walls and "flooring" to enhance the feeling

Still another with a more traditional look in the front yard has a wonderful pergola in the back yard.

Along with literally thousands of perennials other features you will see on this year's tour include natural settings of diverse trees and shrubbery. Twig structures, a fish pond and waterfall can be viewed at another while yet another is an eco friendly garden that fills both the front and back yard and creates a habitat for birds and butterflies.

Tickets are $20.00 and may be purchased in advance at Presents Presents, or Blue Heron Books or on the day of the tour. Your ticket to the tour includes a box lunch which can be picked up at the Uxbridge Seniors Centre on Marietta St. where you will also find washroom facilities.

Community Care provides home support, respite (caregiver relief) and COPE mental health services for adults and their caregivers who have a need related to a physical disability, aging, or mental health issues. The services are offered free of charge or for a small fee