You can enter your own container garden in the Tiny Garden Contest, which will be held as part of the Williamsville Garden Walk on Saturday, July 21. You don’t have to live in Williamsville to enter. There will be a category for children 12 and under as well as a category for adults.
The contest is still a month away, and if you’re not sure how to construct a container garden, you can learn the basics in a free demonstration this weekend at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville. Mischler’s is a sponsor of the Williamsville Garden Walk.
Tiny Garden Contest & Williamsville Garden Walk
Those small container gardens with figurines are often referred to as fairy gardens, but in the Tiny Garden Contest, you can enter a container garden with any theme– super heroes, dinosaurs, beach– whatever you like.
It’s free to enter and you may enter as many gardens as you like.
Pre-registration is encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome.You’ll drop off your garden on July 21, the day of the Williamsville Garden Walk, at the tent in front of Williamsville Village Hall, 5565 Main St., Williamsville. See the registration form and details here.
There will also be a Tiny Parade for little kids starting at 10 a.m. at the rear of the pocket park at Village Hall. They can dress up as a fairy, gnome or super hero.
Another feature of the Williamsville Garden Walk is the raffle, which is bigger this year, said Deb Habes, chairman of the Williamsville Garden Walk. First prize is a $400 Weber grill, second prize is a $250 village shopping spree and third prize is a giant garden party gift basket. Tickets are $5 each or three for $10. Proceeds will support improvements in the village municipal gardens. You can buy tickets in the village clerk’s office in Village Hall now or at the welcome tent at Village Hall the day of the walk.
That’s where you’ll pick up your map for the Williamsville Garden Walk, too, which is filled with coupons from local businesses. The walk will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 21.
Here are some gardens we visited in previous years:
- New owner tries to preserve history of the home’s landscape in Williamsville
- Upcycled items add interest to 7-year-old garden; see it on Williamsville Garden Walk
- Williamsville gardener rescues plants from demolition sites
- Williamsville yard that has sun & shade makes good use of containers
- Williamsville house came with natural water feature: Glen Falls
Container garden demonstrations & Fairy Day at Mischler’s
Get free instruction on creating a miniature garden from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, June 23 and 24 at Mischler’s, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville.
Mischler’s creative staff will present a brief explanation and demonstration of how to design and build a miniature garden at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. The demonstrations are free.
Afterward, you can build your own dish garden. The only cost is the items you purchase at Mischler’s. They carry containers, plants and fairy accessories, and you can get a 10 percent discount in the Fairy Nook that weekend.
To celebrate International Fairy Day, there will be free activities for children. Fairy Flight by Tracy Kane will be read to kids at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Free refreshments include “fairy lemonade” and “naughty gnome’s popcorn.”
Garden walk this weekend: The 21st annual Parkside Garden and Architecture Tour will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 24. Tour maps will be available for $5 the day of tour at the Hillside Children’s Center, 70 Jewett Pkwy., Buffalo.
Check our Events Page for all the upcoming garden walks and other gardening events.