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Farmgal80
The atmosphere was nice on the old porch and the food was delicious, however unfortunately since the service was so slow we were not able to tour the gardens. I would still recommend this place for a nice leisure lunch, but suggest you book yourself a good 2 hours for lunch.
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Shelley555257
Tom and Susan's home and property are a hidden gem. Tom provided a guided tour of the entire property that was both informative and really entertaining. The amount of work he's put into this property over the years is mind boggling, and so diverse. Ponds, rock gardens, rose gardens, an English garden, a cedar maze...even a croquet pavilion complete with replicas of real buildings. Susan and her team served us a delicious and plentiful afternoon tea that can compete with any tea I've had in Toronto. You don't have to have a green thumb to appreciate an afternoon at Spindle Tree. My group will definitely be coming back next year to see the gardens in the summer season.
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JKW333
As other reviewers have noted, the gardens are varied and the work that has gone into them is tremendous. If you are a gardener, bring your camera and take notes during Tom's tour so that you can add something special to your garden that you admired in his.We stayed for high tea and were overwhelmed by the many delicious sandwiches, scones and the large variety of desserts. Susan is the cook and she knows how to please!
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RachelleL404
We attended a wedding at Spindle Tree Gardens the first week of June.Not many signs giving directions along the way and our GPS would not recognize it. Asked in town for directions and drove right past the little tent card reading "Spindle Tree Gardens" Really could use a large permanent sign. I was expecting colourful flower gardens but was wowed by the greenhouse, the paths and the amazing garden structures. Hard hit by our difficult winter they had their work cut out for them. Quite the property to manage!The wedding ceremony space was lovely. (plus padded chairs to sit in) Would have preferred a bit of shade during the ceremony since it was very hot. Could have cooled our feet in the pool adjacent, but it needed cleaning. Washrooms could have been marked. A lot of walking looking for them, and in heels. Not pleasant. The dining room was beautiful. Very much a European country feel, (Normandy?) to the building. Beautiful large doorways and an amazing bridge entrance.We'd love to go back again for a tour, and without heels.
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PixieVancouver_B_C_
Travelled from Vancouver, B.C. to see this extraordinary garden that is a visual feast! The knowledge shared on tour is fantastic and you will be thrilled every step of the way. Children and adults alike will delight in the maze, and marvel at the curved greenhouse. The themes from Rose Garden to Herb Garden are endless....After the tour, enjoy a lovely meal (prices are indeed on the menu) that is gourmet in both taste and presentation. The Wee Gift Shop is full of garden delights to take home and enjoy or pack as great gifts.Truly a rare treat for garden and gourmet lovers!
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GraemeM486
About 20 minutes north of Hwy 401 located on county road 4.Cost is 14.00 for adults and 12.00 for students.Started 20 years ago by Tom Brown and his wife Susan Meisner.Tom was architect in Toronto and they settled in Tamworth and built a great house and nice gardens, they kept expanding and more and more people wanted to visit. They then got so many people they were a charity and then started charging a small fee. They have a team room.Most of the construction was done by Tom and Susan with some help for the bigger projects.They have taken a lot of personal interest and put a lot of passion into this and it shows.Gardens are about 20 acres.For a not corporate entity, this is EXTREMELY professional and well thought out.I am not a huge garden nut but I do admire passion and patience.Setting is stunning and even has a maze which reminds me of a bit of Harry Potter.
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DebandBill
The namesake of the garden, the "Spindle Tree" was at its glorious best in orange and red this Thanksgiving weekend. The gardens on 80 acres south of Tamworth Ontario are in progress and a work of love. Wandered by myself and first decided that hillside zigagged with shrubs was my favourite or perhaps it was "the folly", then the maze which brought out the kid in me, and then the grand allee only to have it topped by the orangerie. Or could it be the bridge reminiscent of GIverny or the walled garden? One delightful discovery after another with lots of ideas for my home garden but more importantly, lots of wonder and inspiration and solace for the soul.When you consider that the gardens were constructed on the Canadian shield, the lushness and the vision are magnificent. Not sure why such a jewel with great press from Mark Cullen, Harrowsmith, and many garden clubs isn't a major attraction in Ontario. I waited months and travelled far to visit Les Quatres Vents and Reford Gardens in Quebec. Spindletree Gardens is on the same level.Yes, the wayfinding could be enhanced, a self-pay station would make life easier for everyone, and some plant labels would be valued but just enjoy the visit as these are quibbles. The investment of $12 per person is well worth it. If you are a gardener, go.Can't comment about the food but enjoyed the small gift shop. This is a garden gem!
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PinkUnicorn
We went to SpindleTree Gardens expecting a normal garden experience: big gardens that we could roam around at our own leisure. This is not what we got at all. First of all, we arrived and stood around with another group, confused as to where we were supposed to pay. We all stood around for about 10 minutes until a lady finally came out. When she came out, she was not very friendly and seemed stressed about something. We said we weren't sure if we wanted to stay for lunch, and she informed us that we had to decide and order before the garden tour so that she could make it for when we got back. We decided that we would stay for lunch, and three of us ordered toasted sandwiches and one ordered soup. Then we were told we would have to wait for her husband to give us a tour. I was totally not interested in the tour, nor was most of our group, but it was clear that this was not optional. The husband was on a phone call, and we were all stuck waiting there for half an hour for him to get off the phone and come do the tour. I should mention we had a two and six year old with us, and it was hard to keep them entertained during these long waiting periods. Also, don't bring your kids here. The owners are not child-friendly at all (and I am certainly not one of those annoying "kids belong everywhere!!!" kind of people, but come on, it's a garden, how much more child-friendly could an activity be?). So finally the husband graces us with his presence and the tour begins. To be honest, it was really boring; all we wanted to do was wander the gardens ourselves. I ended up going off with the kids and tried to keep them entertained by the pond, because what two or six year old cares about gardening details? The gardens themselves were impressive in that two seniors made them, but weren't fabulous. Finally the tour was over (it probably took at least 1.5-2 hours to tour a few acres) and it was time for lunch...or so we thought. So we were forced to order before going on the tour "so lunch will be ready when you are done". HA! We waited a full HOUR after the tour for three stupid toasted sandwiches and a soup. What could possibly happened in that kitchen?????? We almost walked out several times but kept thinking "any minute now!" Keeping the two year old entertained for an hour was *really* fun too. The food was fine, but nothing special. Also, the ice in the drinks smelled horrible, like really old ice or a dirty freezer. So gross. In short, I would not visit this garden again, would not recommend it to anyone, but if you are going to go, don't eat here.
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InquisitiveTourist
Gardens are spectacular! Wear good walking shoes. Gardens cover a few acres with many different types of gardens. Site has a beautiful pond with fish. Tom gives a very entertaining and knowledgeable garden tour. Well worth the cost. Dining experience was very disappointing. Two of us had toasted sandwiches that were not only toasted but burned, third person had delicious chowder but served in a very small dish. Each had tea & water. One desert - serving of ice cream. No prices on menu. Cost for dining was $75. + taxes
