Gardening enthusiasts will soon have a chance to catch some hidden gems in Win­ni­peg’s inner city.

The Spence Neighbourhood Associ­a­tion will host its annual garden tour on Thurs., Aug. 25 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

The tour will feature eight of the most unique gardens in the city, according to Kathryn McKenzie, image and greening co-ordinator for the association.

"There will be a garden on an old hockey rink, community and school gardens as well as another with living outdoor furniture," she said.

The garden tour will begin at the Orioles Community Centre, located at 444 Burnell St. Members of the public are encouraged to arrive at 5 p.m.

The tour is free of charge, although members of the association will accept donations that will be invested in future community garden initiatives.

"We will have a bus for members of the public as well as the ability for people to take the tour on bikes if they’re interested," McKenzie said.

Windsor Park-based artist Erica Swendrowski’s work will be prominently features on the tour.

A sculptress by training, she is creating works for six inner city gardens, including furniture for an outdoor living room at 547 Furby St.

McKenzie said each of the gardens will have its own distinctive look.

"Each will be a bit of a different spin on living rooms," she said, adding that maintaining the gardens is a seemingly never-ending task.

"Keeping them watered over the last three weeks has been a bit of a chore," she said, laughing.

McKenzie said she already considers the tour a success, even though the first official visitors won’t arrive for another week.

"Some are replacing drug houses, others are growing regional food because of the ethnic make up of the neighbourhoods, while all of them are great gathering places that help beautify the areas," she said.

For more information, see. www.spenceneighbourhood.org   

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