With spring coming in fits and starts, you don’t have to wait for the plants and flowers to emerge—they’re already waiting for you!
A long winter and uncertain spring weather, along with the hazardous road conditions, have kept many of us close to home since November. Late April and early May is a good time to shake off the cabin fever and take a drive to the region’s greenhouses and garden centres.
Avid gardeners have their plans firmly pencilled in, and are open to new inspirations. Others might be approaching the new season with a completely open mind, looking for the right plants and the best advice.
Local greenhouses have been open for a week already. Recent snow and cold may have cooled the call to the garden patch, but it looks like the time has come. And there’s no better therapy than walking through the rows of bedding plants, herbs, hanging baskets, fruits and flowers. The earthy smell of the soil and the fragrance of the flowers is calming, reassuring, and exciting all at once.
This is our first instalment of The Two Hour Tourist for 2026. All summer long we will encourage you to get out for a day trip or a weekend and rediscover the Lakeland. Whether you live in Elk Point, St. Paul, Bonnyville, Cold Lake, or anywhere in between, there’s so much to see and do within an hour or two’s drive.
Spring starts now: pick some plants, dig in, and get growing!
