•A National Treasure •Tame Your Temper •Diet Mistakes

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in the garden Abkhazi Garden, a National Treasure By Georgie Kennedy, Lake Simcoe South Master Gardener In the summer, our Master Gardener meetings are socials rather than business meetings. We enjoy the opportunity to explore each others’ gardens and converse like the friends we have become. In August, when I told the group that I was booked to fly to Victoria to visit my parents, one of our members suggested that I take my mother to a special garden, one that a friend had highly recommended. I had been planning to go to the much larger, more wellknown garden outside the city, but Dad was concerned about tiring Mom out. From the flyers and the website, Abkhazi seemed so appealing that my mother, 87, and I felt it would be ideal for an outing. Abkhazi Garden was easy to find. It is in a beautiful shady neighbourhood of gorgeous Victoria, near the sea. It is actually on Fairfield Road, which goes through downtown and then loops around to connect to Beach Drive. One thing I learned that day: always check a garden’s hour of operations. Thinking that a garden looks best in early morning when the light is softer, we arrived at 10 am, but we had to occupy ourselves for another hour as it did not open until 11. Abkhazi operates eight months of the year, from March 1 to October 31. There is plenty of parking near a wide sidewalk, perfect for the citizens of B.C.’s capital city, many of whom sport walkers and canes. There is an admission fee for those who are not members of The Land Conservancy, with $1 off for those who arrive on foot or by bike or bus. At one time the land was privately owned. It was originally the home and life project of Marjorie (Peggy) Pemberton-Carter and an exiled Georgian prince, Nicholas Abkhazi. The story of their lives and marriage is incredibly daring and romantic. Friends before the war, they each survived prisoner-of-war camps in World War II and reconnected afterward. For over 40 years they nurtured the property and gave it a unique shape. Now the garden is managed by The Land Conservancy, which has taken out a large mortgage in order to pay for the renovations needed to get it in shape for public viewing. According to its website, TLC is a charitable land trust modeled after the British National Trust. With a little research I learned that this garden has been featured as the TV show, Recreating Eden, in an episode appropriately entitled The Garden That Love Built (2004). A few days ago I asked my mother, for her impressions of the garden. She told me that she liked the location, size and layout, as well as the relaxed atmosphere and the lunch. A city garden is convenient for urban seniors. The arrangement of the property, on just over one acre, was just right for her: the small garden rooms with winding pathways were easily manageable. Photo: Jeff de Jong We explored just three of the six spaces. The sheltered Rhododendron Woodland Garden is right at the entrance. The walkways are mulch covered but easily navigable. Around each corner is something deliberately placed to attract the eye, a little clump of hardy cyclamen or a large, exotic hosta. My mother felt that the most fascinating and memorable features here were the old Garry Oak trees, twisted and bent in unusual shapes. From this area, we came to the South Lawn, an open and sunny space alive with 30 “LIKE” East Gwillimbury’s Bulletin Magazine on FACEBOOK
colour and variety, winding around the steep rock face. This is where the ashes of the Abkhazis were scattered. From the House Terrace, a short hike up the driveway, we were able to admire the entire property below us. The trees and shrubs combined with the flowing annual and perennial beds made a colourful vista. There were three turtle ponds, definitely appealing for children, and more enticing wooded areas just a short walk away. This is where we took our break for a delightful homemade lunch. The Tea Room gives on to the Terrace so we had a lovely view from our table. The friendly staff gave it a family feeling. This heritage garden is so peaceful and serene. If you would like to visit, check on the website for garden classes, jazz concerts and art displays. The gift shop offers temptations from mainly local artists. You will enjoy this quiet gem of a garden with family and friends of any age. Lake Simcoe South Master Gardeners provide free gardening advice. Send your questions to our gardening hotline at lssmastergardeners@gmail.com 19124 Centre Street, Mount Albert 905-473-6588 Paint Specials $7 OFF Regal & Aura Customer Appreciation Friday, October 14 9 am to 6 pm Saturday, October 15 9 am to 5 pm FREE Draws Wallpaper Order Specials In-Store Specials on Home Décor TheBulletinMagazine.com October 2011 31
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•A National Treasure •Tame Your Temper •Diet Mistakes

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