Paris Garden Showcase
Paris Horticultural Society's Annual Tour Reveals Unique Transformed Paradise and Art
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The Paris Horticultural Society held its 23rd Annual Garden Tour on June 6 and 7, 2026, drawing visitors to five private properties across Paris, Ontario. The highlight was a one-of-a-kind "Stone Garden Labyrinth" built by designer Brenda Wivell and horticultural therapist Lynn Leach on Robinson Road, according to Brantford Expositor.
Tickets cost just $15 for the two-day event. Proceeds fund a bursary for a Paris High School student studying horticulture or environmental sciences, as well as the upkeep of downtown Paris gardens, Brantford Expositor reported.
Stone Labyrinth Built for Meditation and Reflection
The centerpiece of the Wivell property is the "Stone Garden Labyrinth," designed by Lynn Leach of Bird's Foot Design Studio in Glen Morris. Unlike a maze, a labyrinth follows a single winding path. Leach built it to encourage "meditation, reflection, and stress relief," according to Woodstock Sentinel Review. The labyrinth features blue granite columns and dry stone sculptures.
Wivell moved onto the Robinson Road property in 2006. She found the gardens overgrown and started rebuilding them one section at a time. "It was already a beautiful piece of land... Every year we've developed another piece," she told Brantford Expositor. "I'm always thinking about colours and textures and having things match."
2,700 Indigenous Trees Planted in Major Ecological Push
In 2023, Wivell and Leach planted 2,700 indigenous trees on the Robinson Road property. Experts say that density is unusually high for a residential site. It makes the land function more like a private woodlot and carbon sink than a traditional garden, according to Brantford Expositor.
The property also features drought-resistant and pollinator-attracting plants. These serve as a real-world example of sustainable gardening suited to Ontario's changing climate. The garden uses no generic filler plants — every species was chosen with care.
Black Walnut Trees Force Creative Planting Solutions
One of the biggest challenges on the property is its 17 Black Walnut trees. These trees release a chemical called juglone into the soil. Juglone is toxic to many common plants, including tomatoes, azaleas, and lilies. Leach had to select only juglone-tolerant species for the garden to survive.
"Species selection is important; there are 17 walnut trees on the property, and they produce juglone, which many plants will not grow with," Leach told Brantford Expositor. "So we have to be really careful." The challenge shaped nearly every planting decision on the site.
Tour Spans Five Properties and Celebrates Paris Community Pride
This year's tour featured five properties, stretching from Glen Morris to Brantford. The stops ranged from historic 1883 brick homes to modern pollinator gardens. Local musicians and artists performed inside the gardens, giving visitors a full sensory experience, The Observer reported.
PHS member Cathy Mayled summed up the spirit of the event. "It gives a sense of pride for Paris; it's such a beautiful town," she told Brantford Expositor. "It's fun to sit in a garden, people are friendly, it's a great day." The PHS, founded in 1986, has run the tour for 23 consecutive years.
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