Over 7.5 acres of breathtaking gardens
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About
Seven Willows – Tolley Gardens was home to A.T. “Trevor” Tolley (1927-2018) and his wife Glenda, who now lovingly maintains the garden. It has been designated by her a Memorial Garden in his honour and in recognition of his persistent effort in the expansion of the lawn. The 168-acre property was purchased in 1973. However, only 7-1/2 acres are devoted to an ornamental garden which has been in continuing development.
The Gardens
The multiple gardens comprising Seven Willows are overwhelmingly about hostas. Between 1998 and 2014 a new hosta bed was created annually. The primary driving force behind its creation was an attempt to showcase hostas in varied landscape and design settings; it is this focus on hostas that is the major attraction. There are eight distinct sections or eight separate gardens, with each consisting of a cluster ranging between 6 to 12 flower beds, making a total of 50 beds featuring over 900 different varieties of hostas. Daylilies are also in abundance, of which at least 175 different varieties are to be found.
Victoriana
Garden
Creek Side
Garden
Centre Point
Garden
Northwestern
Garden
Summer House Garden
Japanese Style
Garden
Woodland Garden
Cottage Style Garden
Tour
Garden visits are by appointment only.
Hours: 11 am to 5 pm. June 1st to September 30th.
Admission is Free!
The Hostas
A new hosta bed was created annually between 1998 and 2014: the final hosta bed, #49, involved clearing away woody shrubs and ground cover in this old bed and adding fresh soil to facilitate new plantings of 107 hostas, the vast majority survived, with a few more added in 2018. This single bed now contains at least 137 different varieties of hostas and over 70 different varieties of daylilies.
