Garden Journeys Open Days

Thanks to everyone who hosted or visited gardens in 2023. We’ll be posting a summary and stats within a few weeks. If you visited gardens in this year’s event, your feeback and comments are most welcome.

Garden Journey Open Days brings together gardeners, aspiring gardeners, and garden lovers in an open-gardens event in Hamilton Ontario over two weekends in August 2023. Under the umbrella of the Halton Region Master Gardeners, Garden Journeys is free for visitors. It’s not a tour–you don’t need to register and you don’t need tickets. Just choose which gardens you want to visit and find the dates and times that suit you, using the interactive map (below) that includes details about each garden. Then just show up! All are welcome.

Garden Journeys showcases gardens that put Nature first. Call them ecological, naturalistic, re-wilded, biodiverse, native plant, sustainable–these gardens do more than look good. They’re about the functional  connections among living things (above and below ground) and everything that affects them. Humans included! 

Native plants are the stars of these gardens. Native plants evolved here, alongside the pollinators, insects, birds, and other creatures that eat them or rely on them in other ways. It’s a web of mutual support.

On residential, public, and institutional land, these gardens are not traditional. They’re not focused on “tidy” and they’re not all about curb appeal. Their caretakers understand the important role of gardens not only around climate change mitigation, watershed health, species decline and habitat creation, but also the health of human neighbourhoods and communities, including the mental health of the people in them.

These gardens are biodiverse. There’s a lot of different (native) species, chosen for their ability to support birds and insects through the entire year.

The gardens in this event have all begun the journey towards meeting these goals. Some may be in the starting stages, some much farther along. They’re examples of the process each gardener has chosen. Change often begins with small steps!

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Shortcuts:
Info for Visitors
Map and Gardens List
“Sidewalk Showcases”
Help Us Promote this Event
Contact Us / Comments / Feedback

August 10-12 and 17-20, 2023

Not all gardens are open at all times. Check the map or spreadsheet for each host’s open dates and times. Gardens in the ‘sidewalk showcase‘ group may be viewed at any time.

Rain… gardens are open rain or shine – but if there is a severe weather warning (thunderstorms, threat of a tornado) hosts will close their gardens. Hosts will decide whether conditions are unsafe. We do not reschedule Open Days affected by inclement weather.

Someone, usually the gardener, will be there to greet you and answer questions. This person will know the plants and what’s been done to make the garden a nature-friendly space.

Making connections among visitors and hosts is a big part of Garden Journeys, so don’t be shy! Meet your fellow eco-gardening and native plant enthusiasts. Share your gardening aspirations and journeys so far. Each visit, ideally, will be both a learning and social experience.

Map

2023 map has been archived. Back in 2024!

List of Gardens

Garden lists have been archived. Back in 2024!

• Be respectful of hosts’ time. Please do not arrive just before closing time or expect hosts to stay open to accommodate your late arrival.
• gardens are open rain or shine, so be prepared for the weather. Storms, though, may result in hosts closing their garden. Read more about weather-related garden closures here.
• Hosts will be there to answer questions. Hosts may offer to give you a ‘tour’ but they’re not obliged to have one prepared
• Bring your own water, snacks, sunscreen.
• Ask permission before taking photos. If you plan to share photos on social media or on a web site, ask the host if they would like their name included.

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• Stay on pathways, lawns, decks or patios. Do not step in planted areas.
• Don’t sit on or touch garden decorations
• Leave plant tags where they are.
• If you have small children with you, please help them to resist the temptation to pick flowers or tread on plants.
• Be cautious around ponds and water features.
• Do not bring pets to the gardens.
• Do not smoke or litter.

We have a hashtag! Please show your support on Instagram using #gardenjourneys23

Here’s a page-sized, 2-up pdf handout / flyer to view, download, or print. PDF opens in new tab.
Here’s the same handout as an image.

Here’s the media release. (opens pdf file in new tab)
Here’s a promotional message as a blog post on this site–easier to copy/paste.

Here’s a page-sized sign for hosts (as pdf) to post their porches or windows to let passers-by know about the open times.
Here’s the sign as a graphic (or click on image at right).

Here’s a great article about Garden Journeys in Burlington Local News (opens in new tab)
The Hamilton Spectator did an article on August 11. If you don’t have a Spec subscription, use your Hamilton Public Library card to read it online.
Mountain News did an article and so did the the Dundas Star.