Type of establishment: beach houses in two locations (Port George and Margaretville)
The garden: English-style country gardens, rose garden, and kitchen garden for guests where herbs, edible flowers, organic heirloom vegetables and fruit are grown. Scattered throughout the Port George property are miniature buildings made from architectural salvage
Zone 6
Growing conditions: loamy, granular (sand, pebbles and stones), well-drained soil. Close to the Bay of Fundy; no frost until October or early November; heavy morning dew or fog in summer
Key plants: roses, lavender, thyme, red cabbages, violas, gooseberry bush border, grapevine-covered arbour, hollyhocks, poppies
Gardening secrets: horse manure, fish emulsion and seaweed. Plants are also sprayed with seaweed extract for nourishment and protection; spring-fed pond provides irrigation. Pests such as potato bugs are ground up in a blender and sprayed onto plants as a deterrent
Best time to visit: July to September
Blomidon Inn
(195 Main St., Wolfville, NS B4P 1C3; 800/565-2291; www.blomidon.ns.ca)
Type of establishment: inn, restaurant
The garden: serpentine rhododendron garden; heath and heather provide late-winter/early-spring colour; underplanted with impatiens for summer and autumn. Small kitchen herb patch, cacti, rose hedge with gazebo, three ponds, ravine, Italian courtyard
Zone 5b
Growing conditions: heavy clay, deep sand; sun and shade
Key plants: vegetables, such as eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, beans, beets, snow peas, green and yellow zucchini, asparagus; herbs, such as chives, green and purple basil, dill, bay leaves, thyme, sage, summer savory, parsley; fruit, such as melons, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, rhubarb; sunflowers and dahlias
Gardening secrets: sunlight and water. Vegetable garden was drained and terraced; drip irrigation was installed and topsoil and compost added. Soil pH is checked (Maritime soil pH is just over 5).
Best time to visit: May to late October
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