Back to School Bus Trip

BUS TRIP DETAILS:

This tour will encompass both sides of the garden gate, ornamentals and natives living and thriving together, just like in most of our gardens.  And although it’s a back to school learning experience, there will be no final exam. (We promise)

EHS BACK TO SCHOOL BUS TOUR | AUGUST 9, 2025

Bus Departure

A luxury coach will depart from Fairfield Senior Centre parking lot at 8am.

First Stop 9-10:00am Aspen Grove Gardens:

The largest private botanical garden in Guelph. A six acre garden featuring 3,000 types of plants, curated by Robert Pavlis. The garden features waterfalls, ponds, pagodas, art and garden whimsy. It contains more than 3,000 plants combining both native and ornamental species.

Second Stop 10:30am The Trial Gardens at University of Guelph:

Rodger Tschanz will guide us through the trial gardens at the University. These gardens are where new cultivars and plants are tested for changing weather patterns and zone challengers. It’s the only University operated ornamental trial garden in Ontario and is part of a network of research centres across North America, set up to determine which plants grow higher and fuller, bloom quicker, stand up in extreme weather conditions and resist common plant diseases.

Lunch at the Guelph Turfgrass Institute from 12-1:30pm

The lunch menu includes salad, wraps, sandwiches, sweet treats and asst cold beverages - all offerings use locally sourced ingredients with GF, VG options. Please advise of any dietary restrictions when you purchase your Bus Tour ticket on the EHS website SHOP.

Third stop 1:45pm - 3pm Origins Native Plant Nursery:

This is a small nursery within the agricultural land of the Ignatius Jesuit Centre, a thriving community committed to organic agriculture, ecological restoration and environmental education. The host, Zach Harris, is a botanist, ecologist and arborist. The plants available for ordering from the nursery are grown from seed collected ethically from sites throughout southern Ontario and Manitoulin Island. They also use solar power to run their water and light system.

Pre-Order plants for speedy pick up on day of bus tour:

Tour participants can pre-order native plants and pick up their orders when the bus tour stops at the nursery.
To pre-order plants, click on this link, use the search function to find each plant and place your order for a selected plant on the plant information page. Here’s the link: https://www.originnativeplants.com/shop

Jonas Spring (Ecoman) advises that he sources some of his plants from this nursery as they have some native plants that are very hard to find. Their list is extensive and the prices are reasonable. To peruse the Origins Plant List, click on this link:

https://www.originnativeplants.com/_files/ugd/f0fbe6_cae64c0b6cb84a0e959318b2eae9334b.pdf

Return to Fairfield at approximately 5:30-6pm, depending on traffic.

For Questions please contact Paula Bond at brideofbond@hotmail.com