Lakeview Gardens garden centre and farm market quietly opened for the season on Saturday morning.
“A soft opening,” said Gaynor Radcliffe, noting that it’s still too early to be planting out-of-doors, especially with this spring’s below-normal temperatures, but explaining, “We opened up early because people were calling!”
Lakeview Gardens, located at 1712 Killarney Beach Rd. in Lefroy, Innisfil, not only offers gardeners a full range of potting soils and mulches, pots and flats of annuals and perennials, succulents, and vegetable seedlings, from celery and early peas to tomatoes and onions, it also operates a market that provides fresh produce, home-made jams and preserves, and local honey.
The centre is famous for its flowering baskets, and shoppers stopped by on Saturday to place their orders, or pick up baskets for Mother’s Day.
This year, Lakeview Gardens has 5,000 baskets planted and growing in its greenhouses – determined to meet demand that, last year, far outstripped production, leading to disappointment for some shoppers.
One visitor told Gaynor, “So glad you are open. I know it’s too early, but I’m so excited!”
Lakeview Gardens is now open Monday through Saturday, closed on Sundays. The family-owned and operated business will also be returning to the Innisfil Farmers’ Market later in the spring.
But, the Radcliffes warn, don’t get too excited just yet: there’s still a chance of frost. Except for the hardiest pansies, they advise waiting at least until Victoria Day before setting out any plants in the garden.
