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Published: October 16th 2020
Hidden by the green-belts along Crowchild Trail and Silver Springs Gate is the almost miraculous community project of the
Botanical Gardens of Silver Springs. There are a lot of determined, persistent gardeners in the neighbourhood.
We entered from the south into a broad treed and grassy expanse beside the tennis courts, giving the pleasant sound of the ball bouncing to take over from traffic noise. In the woodland setting, special flower gardens are named.
The Oak Grove first entices with the classic leaves on oak trees along the pathway and then invites walkers to rest a while at the picnic tables. The Oval Garden catches attention with multitudes of showy blooms, carefully planted to look like an English country garden. More restrained is the Shade Garden, which nevertheless draws the eye to modest dark-red leaves and tiny flowers. Shining in a patch of incidental sun was a perfect, pale orange rose.
Further on in a clearing, dark purple clematis and bright pink geraniums led us through a series of arches to a labyrinth described by paving stones and creeping thyme. Surprising to me was the Fruit Grove, with tiny apples on a thriving tree.
Climbing upwards and within sight of Crowchild
Trail were the dryland gardens. In the Alpine Crevice and Native Plants Garden, a constructed rock “hill” was stuffed with quite small plants adorned by jewel flowers. Nearby in the Swan Garden, bees were hurriedly sampling every bloom, small and large. Their buzzing accompanied us up a long path on the quiet side of a noise barrier where hardy flowering plants softened the concrete and helped the bees make delicious honey.
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Isabel Gibson
non-member comment
Good heavens
Another new-to-me garden - and an impressive one at that. In the scheme of things, this is close to where Mom & Dad lived, of course. I'll add it to my list for my next non-winter trip to Calgary, whenever that might be. Thanks!