2017 January - A Virtual Visit to the Lake District

2017 January - A Virtual Visit to the Lake District 
* Notes From the Old Ottawa South Garden Club By Colin Ashford

On a particularly cold night, and with their gardens under a few feet of snow, the members of the Old Ottawa South Garden Club welcomed MaryAnn Van Berlo who reminded them of warmer days in a milder climate with an armchair tour of the Lake District and the Scottish Borders.  MaryAnn is an avid gardener and member of the Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton and editor of their newsletter “Trowel Talk”.  Her garden, “Van Berlo Gardens” is 2.4 acres located in Maitland near the St. Lawrence River.

In 2014 MaryAnn joined a party of gardening enthusiasts, led by Marjorie Mason, that toured gardens, castles, stately homes, and villages in the Lake District and the Scottish Borders.  Getting into the local vernacular, the tour began with a “coach” trip to Levens Hall in Cumbria and its world-famous topiary gardens—laid out in 1690, the gardens still retain many of their original features.  From Levens Hall, it was on to Hawkshead and Beatrix Potter’s home (Hill Top), and then to Holehired Gardens (17 acres of botanical gardens managed by Lakeland Horticultural Society and boasting some 300 types of hydrangeas) and a cruise across Lake Windermere whilst noting the stately homes nestled in the rolling hills.  From Lake Windermere, their itinerary took them into Scotland proper and the curious Garden of Cosmic Speculation in Dumfries.  The balance of the tour took them backwards and forwards across the border visiting ruined castles and abbeys, a Roman fort, Hadrian’s Wall, Alnwick Castle and its magnificent fountains, Lindisfarne (across the causeway), and the imposing Floors Castle. The tour finished with a visit to the Edinburgh Botanical Gardens and Dumfries House in Ayrshire.

In summing up the personal side of the thirteen-day trip, MaryAnn mentioned the good food they enjoyed and, even thought the area is notoriously rainy, she only reported one day of light mist.

The next meeting of the Old Ottawa South Garden Club will be on Monday 13 February 2017 at 7:00 p.m. at the Old Ottawa South Community Centre (The Firehall), 260 Sunnyside Avenue when Master Gardener Nancy McDonald will challenge us to make a statement in our gardens by embracing innovative choices of perennials.