August 15, 2009
Industry and the public are invited to attend the open house of the trial gardens at LO’s home office on Aug. 20. The agenda has a full-day of activities.

The morning session has been set aside for green industry members. It begins at 9:00 a.m., with words of welcome from LO’s executive director Tony DiGiovanni and executive director of the Ontario Parks Association Paul Ronan.  There will also be opening comments from garden manager Rodger Tschanz of the University of Guelph and Lorne Haveruk, who installed the state-of-the-art irrigation system (See July 2009 issue of Horticulture Review) in the LO gardens. As well, each supplier and manufacturer representative will be given the opportunity to speak about their products.  

Other activities during the morning will include viewing of the gardens and the hanging baskets, created by various municipalities.  A vote will take place to determine the winning baskets.  

Following lunch, participants will have an opportunity to attend the open house at the trial gardens at the University of Guelph. The afternoon program will provide an opportunity for the public to view the LO gardens, which will be open from 3 to 7:00 p.m. Volunteers will be in the gardens to answer questions. Members of the public will also vote for their favourite basket.