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A Garden Gallery

The Summerland Ornamental Gardens mark the 110th a The Summerland Ornamental Gardens mark the 110th anniversary of their creation this year!  To celebrate, we're having a Farm Picnic.  The first farm picnic was held in June 1924, and more than 1200 people attended.  Some notable features in the early days were guest speakers, ciders made by the food processing section, and, of course, the ornamental gardens.  It was the social event of the season in early Summerland!  Relive those days on Sunday, July 26, as we combine with the Summerland Museum to bring back the farm picnic.  Everyone who is everyone will be there.
#summerlandornamentalgardens #picnic #anniversary #museum #social
The next time you take a visit to the Summerland O The next time you take a visit to the Summerland Ornamental Gardens, stop by the vegetable garden near the gazebo. You will find a variety of vegetables growing in large, raised beds. The Friends of the Garden harvest the crops and donate the produce to the Summerland Food Bank's Sharing table. However tempting, please do not pick. Photos đź“· July, 2026
#summerlandornamentalgardens #vegetablegarden #vegetables #foodbank #donate
Tradescantia virginiana L belongs to the Spiderwo Tradescantia virginiana L  belongs to the Spiderwort family, Commelinaceae. It is a vigorous , clump-forming herbaceous perennial. The leaves are bright green and narrow. It can grow up to 45-75cm (18-30in) tall and 30-45cm ( 12-18 in) wide. Spiderwort produces countless seeds that easily disperse and pop up unexpectedly across your yard. So, it can be aggressive but not invasive. To prevent this, deadhead the spent flowers before they go to seed. Hand-pulling works for small patches. Dig deep to get the entire root ball, and divide established clumps every few years to share or dispose of them. Photos đź“· June, 2026
#summerlandornamentalgardens #tradescantia #tradescantiavirginiana #spiderwort #perennial
Do you like this pretty white flower? It is Hoary Do you like this pretty white flower? It is Hoary alyssum or Berteroa incana and belongs to the mustard family, Brassicaceae. It is an annual to short-lived perennial and very invasive. It is on the  OISO, Okanagan Invasive Species Online, list, and the ISC, Invasive Species Council of B.C, list.  It prefers dry sandy or gravely soils and establishes well in a dry, disturbed habitat. Often, you will find it growing on the side of roads, pastures, hayfields. Horses have been known to become intoxicated after eating the plants. Hoary alyssum spreads through a long season of seed production. Do not compost it at your home or the city's. Check out your local landfill as to how to dispose of it or the OISO site for prevention and mitigation. Photo đź“· June, 2026
#summerlandornamentalgardens #hoaryalyssum #invasive #toxic #okanagan
Are you enjoying this beautiful weather? Come and Are you enjoying this beautiful weather? Come and explore the gardens early in the morning or late evening when it is not so hot. The gardens are open from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm daily. Bring a picnic or just sit on a bench. 
#summerlandornamentalgardens #gardens #explore #morning #evening
Rodgersia podophylla 'pagoda' is a flowering plant Rodgersia podophylla 'pagoda' is a flowering plant in the Saxifragaceae family that is native to Japan and Korea. This plant is found in our shade garden. A herbaceous, rhizomatous perennial that produces jaggedly-lobed palmate leaves that go from bronze in the spring to reddish-bronze in the fall. The panicles of small creamy-white flowers form beautiful arches. It prefers damp, shady, sheltered spots. Photos đź“· May/June 2025
Baptisia australis is also known as false indigo o Baptisia australis is also known as false indigo or wild indigo and belongs to the pea or bean family, Fabaceae. It is a hardy herbaceous perennial native to North American prairies or woodlands. The Decadence series comes in a variety of colours, from Dark Chocolate to Lemon Meringue to Vanilla Cream. We have a couple of varieties in the garden, Carolina Moonlight, and a white variety. It grows 90-125cm (3-4') and bloom time is late spring to early summer. Prefers full sun for a strong upright growth. Does best in zones 3-9. In the fall and winter, the plant produces charcoal black seed pods. Photos đź“· May, 2026
#summerlandornamentalgardens #baptisia #fabaceae #indigo #fullsun
If you haven't been for a walk in the Ornamental G If you haven't been for a walk in the Ornamental Gardens lately, come by and see everything in full bloom. Most people walk around the great lawns and around the Superintendent's house. Next time, start at the rose garden with the arbor by the road and wind your way down the paths towards the xeriscape area. There is lots to see. 
Photos đź“· May, 2026.
#summerlandornamentalgardens #xeriscape #walks #flowers #photoopportunity
Come out to the gardens on Saturday, June 20th, du Come out to the gardens on Saturday, June 20th, during our Okanagan Festival of Roses. Listen to an informative talk by our resident rosarian, Rick Sauder. There will also be a special guest from Fraser Valley Rose Farm, Jason Crouch. He will have roses for sale. There will also be tours of the Ornamental Gardens three rose gardens. Bring a picnic and enjoy the day. Please register at
workshops.summerlandgardens@gmail.com
Fothergilla major is also known as Mountain Witch Fothergilla major is also known as Mountain Witch Alder. This deciduous shrub is slow growing and produces beautiful, fragrant bottlebrush like white flowers in the spring. It can grow 180-300cm (6-10 ft) and spread 150-270 cm (5-9 ft) and likes full-sun to partial-sun. Low maintenance. This particular shrub is behind the bed of Lady's Mantle. The genus name honours Dr. John Fothergill (1712-1780), an English physician and botanist who grew plants from around the world in his London garden. Photos đź“· taken May, 2026
#summerlandornamentalgardens #fothergilla #bottlebrush #white #alder
Antelope bitterbrush is the common name for Purshi Antelope bitterbrush is the common name for Purshia tridentata. You might have seen these shrubs along the road coming up to the gardens and in the xeriscape area. These shrubs usually grow 122-152 cm (4-5') high, but can reach 366 cm (12'). It belongs to the Rosaceae family and loves full sun. It is a good shrub for erosion control and is drought tolerant. Photos đź“· May, 2026
#summerlandornamentalgardens #antelopebitterbrush #purshiatridentata #droughttolerant #fullsun
Mukdenia rossii 'Karasuba' Crimson Fan sounds like Mukdenia rossii 'Karasuba' Crimson Fan sounds like a food dish. Alas, it is a herbaceous perennial you will find in the shade garden. Bloom time is April to May and produces delicate white, star-shaped flowers. Does well in zones 4-9 and spreads over time by short creeping rhizomes. The leaves develop tints of red in the fall. Photos đź“· April, 2026
#summerlandornamentalgardens #mukdeniarossii #perennials #rhizome #shade
Tiarella ' Sugar and Spice' is a medium-sized, mou Tiarella ' Sugar and Spice' is a medium-sized, mounding foamflower hybrid that is noted for its white to pink spring flowers. It is a herbaceous perennial that grows to 20-30 cm (8-12 in), tall and wide. This perennial does well in partial shade to full-shade in zones 4-9. Makes for an excellent selection for shaded areas of rock gardens, border fronts, and woodland gardens. Photos đź“· taken May, 2026
#summerlandornamentalgardens #tiarella #foamflowers #perennials #shade
Bleeding heart or Dicentra spectabilis thrives in Bleeding heart or Dicentra spectabilis thrives in part shade and prefers fertile, slightly alkaline, moist well drained soils. Dicentra is a genus containing eight species of herbaceous flowering perennial plants. The arching stems are studded with pink flowers whose hearts are bleeding from the protruding white petals. Hardiness is zone 3-9 and bloom time is late spring to early summer. Photos đź“· taken May 2025.
#summerlandornamentalgardens #bleedingheart #dicentra #partshade #perennials
Get ready for our annual spring plant sale that is Get ready for our annual spring plant sale that is happening in less than two weeks!  Great varieties of tomato plants will be on hand, besides other vegetables. Besides our annuals and perennials, there will be drought-tolerant plants that are great to have, especially with water restrictions earlier this year. 
#summerlandornamentalgardens #plantsale #springsale #spring
Prepare to be dazzled by the spectacular colours o Prepare to be dazzled by the spectacular colours of this amazing cactus garden located across the lake on the slopes of Naramata.  Find out how John Schroeder created a paradise on a rocky, western exposed bank and how you can grow hardy cactus right in your own garden.  Register at workshops.summerlandgardens@gmail.com.
#summerlandornamentalgardens #cactus
#workshop #gardens

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Mailing Address: PO Box 1363, Summerland, BC, V0H 1Z0

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