Great gardens can be created in any given space.
And every year, gardens large and small, hilly and flat, urban and rural are all featured in a one-day walk-through hosted by the Chilliwack Rotary Club.
"I've always referred to it as the 'great garden snoop,' says Doug Wickers, chair of the Chilliwack Rotary Club's Garden Tour. This year's tour will feature 10 gardens throughout the Chilliwack area, and once again the gardens are in wide variety.
"Each one is quite unique," Wickers says. "One of the large gardens is actually a mother and daughter who have houses side-by-side and a shared garden."
Another highlight is a hillside garden that beautifully showcases the challenges of building a terraced garden space.
Getting around to all these different types of gardens can inspire homeowners to improve their own homes, or it can just be an enjoyable way to spend the day.
"It gives people the possibility to glean ideas and planting combinations they haven't considered, and see how they can adapt them to their own gardens," Wickers says.
The tour is self-guided, and a map is available when purchasing a ticket. Garden tourists can start and end at any point on the map, and pick and choose which gardens to visit. Tickets are $25 per person, with the proceeds going toward the Rotary Club's community efforts.
This year, Wickers says, the proceeds will likely go toward supplementing their scholarships. Each year, the Chilliwack Rotary Club gives local students upwards of $33,000 in scholarship funding.
Tickets are still available at Minter County Garden, Little Mountain Garden Centre, Meadowland Garden Centre on Prest Road and the Vedder Home Hardware.
Wickers reminds those taking the tour to bring along water, and to dress for the weather of the day. There will be water stations at most of the gardens, and most of them are "all ability friendly," as well, he adds.