July 31, 2008
Kathy Renwald
The Hamilton Spectator
(Jul 31, 2008)
It's 3.3 kilometres from the old Green Gables trash and treasure palace, to the Welcome to the Beach Community sign at the other end of Hamilton's Beach Strip.
The end of July seems the perfect time to do a strolling inventory of gardens and gossip. Well, there wasn't a lot of gossip.
I noted the screaming yellow Sandboni machine pulling into its garage at the start of my walk. A city parks guy said they named it that in an inspired moment. The Sandboni grooms the beach so that pets and people have a smooth stroll.
Walking along Beach Boulevard it's evident that ponds, fountains and ferns are strong trends here at the edge of Lake Ontario. That explains why so many blue heron seemed to be loafing over the lake; they can pick off fish in front yard ponds, or in behind on the beach.
Decorating ponds and gardens along the beach were lots of ornamental grasses, or grassy lookalikes. A bronzy-burgundy plant with leaves like swords was the focal point of one garden.
From my perspective on the sidewalk it looked like phormium, also known as New Zealand flax. It's a dramatic plant, sadly not hardy here, but worth growing even just for a season. Phormium also comes in rose, yellow and limey green varieties.
You can't help but love the architecture of the Beach, the picket fences, frilly trim work, scalloped shingles, well-used screen doors, and whimsical birdhouses nailed to gnarly trees. At the old Dynes Tavern site, the signs are up for the proposed new Beach House development. Scuttlebutt on the sidewalk says there's a waiting list.
When I reach the far end I find Debbie Levo weeding a small garden that announces you have entered the Beach Community. She's a volunteer and a new transplant herself from North Vancouver.
"We loved the size of the yards here, and the panoramic views of the water," she says as she tugs on lamb's ears gone wild.
Just a few doors down, Levo and her husband have a lovely house with a deep back yard framed by willows and black locust trees. Phlox, coneflowers and veronica lean through a graceful fence that faces the lake.
Even coming from the majesty of the British Columbia landscape, the Beach manages to cast a powerful spell. "We just kept coming back here when we were looking for a house." So she's jumped in with both feet and a trowel to help keep the Beach blooming.
The walk back is along the lake, on the trail that is dancing with cyclists, joggers, mom's with kids in strollers. From here you can peer into the back yards.
One garden uses a faux castle as its backdrop. It is thick with tomatoes, sunflowers, beans, roses, and basil. Butterflies are landing on perfect patches of dill, and in the far corner the ching- ching of clippers comes from a woman cutting back grapevine.
There are tree houses, widow's walks, hammocks, swings and bonfire remnants that say "this is beach life." And when you get tired of peeping into backyards, you can rest your eyes on the great expanse of the lake, and wait for the Sandboni to sweep by.
Kathy Renwald is producer and host of Gardener's Journal. kathyrenwald.com.
Kathy Renwald
The Hamilton Spectator
(Jul 31, 2008)
It's 3.3 kilometres from the old Green Gables trash and treasure palace, to the Welcome to the Beach Community sign at the other end of Hamilton's Beach Strip.
The end of July seems the perfect time to do a strolling inventory of gardens and gossip. Well, there wasn't a lot of gossip.
I noted the screaming yellow Sandboni machine pulling into its garage at the start of my walk. A city parks guy said they named it that in an inspired moment. The Sandboni grooms the beach so that pets and people have a smooth stroll.
Walking along Beach Boulevard it's evident that ponds, fountains and ferns are strong trends here at the edge of Lake Ontario. That explains why so many blue heron seemed to be loafing over the lake; they can pick off fish in front yard ponds, or in behind on the beach.
Decorating ponds and gardens along the beach were lots of ornamental grasses, or grassy lookalikes. A bronzy-burgundy plant with leaves like swords was the focal point of one garden.
From my perspective on the sidewalk it looked like phormium, also known as New Zealand flax. It's a dramatic plant, sadly not hardy here, but worth growing even just for a season. Phormium also comes in rose, yellow and limey green varieties.
You can't help but love the architecture of the Beach, the picket fences, frilly trim work, scalloped shingles, well-used screen doors, and whimsical birdhouses nailed to gnarly trees. At the old Dynes Tavern site, the signs are up for the proposed new Beach House development. Scuttlebutt on the sidewalk says there's a waiting list.
When I reach the far end I find Debbie Levo weeding a small garden that announces you have entered the Beach Community. She's a volunteer and a new transplant herself from North Vancouver.
"We loved the size of the yards here, and the panoramic views of the water," she says as she tugs on lamb's ears gone wild.
Just a few doors down, Levo and her husband have a lovely house with a deep back yard framed by willows and black locust trees. Phlox, coneflowers and veronica lean through a graceful fence that faces the lake.
Even coming from the majesty of the British Columbia landscape, the Beach manages to cast a powerful spell. "We just kept coming back here when we were looking for a house." So she's jumped in with both feet and a trowel to help keep the Beach blooming.
The walk back is along the lake, on the trail that is dancing with cyclists, joggers, mom's with kids in strollers. From here you can peer into the back yards.
One garden uses a faux castle as its backdrop. It is thick with tomatoes, sunflowers, beans, roses, and basil. Butterflies are landing on perfect patches of dill, and in the far corner the ching- ching of clippers comes from a woman cutting back grapevine.
There are tree houses, widow's walks, hammocks, swings and bonfire remnants that say "this is beach life." And when you get tired of peeping into backyards, you can rest your eyes on the great expanse of the lake, and wait for the Sandboni to sweep by.
Kathy Renwald is producer and host of Gardener's Journal. kathyrenwald.com.
