As the day grew hotter, so did the colours in the next couple of gardens we visited on our Toronto Botanical Gardens tour led by Frank Kershaw. Now we were pushing into Southern Ontario’s horse country, a verdant quilt of velvety green fields plumped on rolling hills fringed with forest. As much as the last garden we saw was a masterful lesson in making the most of a small space, now we were seeing what can be done with much larger gardens framed by breathtaking countryside. Placement of trees and flower beds was much more about taking advantage of the views. (Click on any photo to get more details.)

This hillside garden surrounded by fields and forest featured rambling paths that led from the house to informal flower beds, a pond and a collection of evergreens.

What came first, the perfectly positioned tree limb framing the view or the path that takes full advantage of it? You can just see the pond in the middle distance.

Thanks to the lilies, the pond is as eye-catching as the rest of the garden.

A trickling waterfall linked the house to the pond at the foot of the hill.

Looking down from the top of the water feature towards the pond.

Pieces of wood, rocks and plants make the water feature look almost as if it had always been there. This view is looking up from the base of the water feature.

Trees, shrubs and perennials look all the more dramatic for having a dense forest as a backdrop to throw them into bright relief.

Shade and shadows emphasize colour and texture in the beds.

A clematis shines bright in the sunlight.

The forest serves as a dark background to highlight the interesting collection of evergreens.

And everywhere, the shaded areas are punctuated by hot colours.

A vibrant lily.

Bloodgrass catches the sun.

The wooden garage with its faux window frame.

A lily reflects the colours of the hot sun.

Red Monarda in the sunlight.

Visiting private gardens on a thoughtfully curated tour like this one is so inspirational because you’re essentially invited to enjoy very personal expressions of creativity using colour and texture.

A bed planted in vibrant shades of green and gold plants.

A glass sculpture reminded me of a glistening star fish or jelly fish.

Richly coloured daylilies act as exclamation points to the gold perennial bed.

Close to where we stopped for lunch at the charming Mrs. Mitchell’s restaurant, a small garden included two very different shelters: a rectangular, open-air gazebo and a tiny, gothic-styled hideaway called “The Confessional”.

The gazebo served as a gateway of sorts between an intimate garden in front of it and a large, open lawn with a pond behind it.

Another view of the gazebo.

The “Confessional”

The heron sculpture is perfectly placed against the stark lawn in the background.

Part 3 of the OMG Summer Tour heading your way next week.