Trails End Iris Gardens, Ontario, Canada


 
Our Story

My name is Ann Granatier and my background includes many years in various horticultural careers - a garden designer, teacher and consultant - and I have finally come full circle. Having retired several years ago, I returned back to the countryside where it all began...in my own garden.

My husband, Bob, started out pleasing his wife, trying to keep up with her demands for yet another garden, adding more compost, moving more plants, improving that soil, "tote that barge, move that bale". Guess what!! Now Bob has caught the bug and is steering the ship. Most of the photographs are Bob's work and his patience has paid off. Our children, a good friend and now Bob himself continue to improve and add to this website filled with even more stunning pictures.

Canadian Iris Society (CIS)
We are Board Members and serve as Secretary and Treasurer for the Canadian Iris Society (CIS), a group that promotes the cultivation and development of Irises. We are also members of the American Iris Society (AIS) and Co-Presidents of the Brantford Garden Club.

Speaking Engagements
We are often invited to speak and visit with a number of groups. If you are in need of a speaker please get in touch with us. Thank you to all who have been able to visit our gardens the last few years. We really enjoy chatting with you about your favourite Irises and hearing your positive comments.

Reblooming Iris
A few years ago, we were delighted with a wonderful show of re-blooming Iris that began flowering again in mid-August and continued this second bloom until a hard frost after Thanksgiving. We researched and then planted more of these wonderful varieties. They refresh our gardens when everything else is tired and ready to close up for the season. Our customers are both surprised and delighted to see their favourite flowers blooming when they pick up their Iris orders in the fall.

Award Winning Iris
There are thousands of Iris varieties to grow and since we can't grow them all, we have decided to focus on Award Winners and New Introductions, ensuring that we offer the best to our customers.

Trails End Iris Gardens offers only high quality plants, grown with tender loving care. Bob is so fussy he insists on doing the planting and digging of our Irises (which is fine by me). This ensures no mix-ups and allows us to provide our customers with true to name varieties guaranteed to give you the most beautiful flowers in a rainbow of colours.

Open Gardens
We are very proud of our Iris Gardens and we welcome you to spend some time browsing our site, either by the web or come for a pleasant drive and pay a personal visit.

Our ten acres of gardens/property is located in the rolling countryside between Hamilton and Brantford, Ontario (Canadian Hardiness Zone 5b). We have lots more land to develop and Bob is talking about digging yet another large growing bed for this year's increases. The monster I've created lives on!!

If you live nearby, come visit us in May and June. We have thousands of plants and over four hundred different varieties; including historic, award winners and the latest exciting introductions.

New Hours of Operation - May 2nd thru June 21st
Come and see the Miniature Dwarf and Standard Dwarf Bearded Irises the first 3 weekends in May. Afterwards during the peak bloom period, we will be open Monday to Thursday from 10:00am until 4:00pm; Friday from 10:00am until 8:00pm. Saturdays and Sundays we will be open from 9:00am until 5:00pm.

Hours of Operation - 2009 Varieties in Bloom
Early Bloom Period

Weekends Only

Sat. May 2nd thru Mon. May 18th

9am - 5pm
Miniature Dwarf and Standard Dwarf Bearded
Peak Bloom Period

Monday thru Thursday
Fridays
Saturday and Sunday
May 19 thru June 21

10am - 4pm
1pm - 8pm
9am - 5pm
Late Standard Dwarf, Intermediates, Miniature Tall Bearded, Border Bearded, Tall Bearded (Early, Mid and Late)

For you weekenders, our weekend schedule and varieties in bloom, (subject to Mother Nature) are below.

Weekend Schedule Varieties in Bloom
Saturday May 2
Sunday May 3
9am - 5pm Miniature Dwarf Bearded
Saturday May 9
Sunday May 10
9am - 5pm Miniature Dwarf and Standard Dwarf Bearded
Saturday May 16
Sunday May 17
Monday May 18
9am - 5pm Standard Dwarf Bearded and early Intermediate Bearded
Saturday May 23
Sunday May 24
9am - 5pm Intermediates, Miniature Tall Bearded and Border Bearded
Saturday May 30
Sunday May 31
9am - 5pm Early to Mid Tall Bearded, Miniature Tall Bearded and Border Bearded
Saturday June 6
Sunday June 7
9am - 5pm Mid Tall Bearded and some Border Bearded
Saturday June 13
Sunday June 14
9am - 5pm Mid Tall Bearded and some late Tall Bearded
Saturday June 20
Sunday June 21
9am - 5pm Very Late Tall bearded