Published by Communications and Public Affairs 519 824-4120, Ext. 56982 or 53338

News Release

September 22, 2005

Dinner to Benefit Italian Garden at U of G

A dinner to benefit the Italian Garden at U of G's Arboretum will be held Oct. 2 at 5 p.m. at the Italian Canadian Club. The evening will include entertainment provided by the Italian community and a raffle.

Organizers hope the event will raise some of the $25,000 needed to complete the garden, which was started in 2000.

The Italian Garden, the Edna and Frank C. Miller English Garden and the David G. Porter Japanese Garden and the OAC '56 Park in the Garden are linked by an arbour covered garden path as well as a two-acre park that contains a diversity of specimen trees and shrubs as well as benches, statuary and pathways.

All of the gardens illustrate the features of traditional garden design. Italian gardens are unique in their use of hedging, statues, ornate fountains and edged flowerbeds, said Arboretum director Prof. Alan Watson.

"People will find the garden interesting," he said. "It will help them understand the cultural roots of some of the things they do in their own gardens. It's a really wonderful way to acknowledge Guelph's Italian community and will add to the atmosphere of the gardens."

Tickets for the dinner are $20 for adults, $10 for child aged six to 12 and free for children five and under and can be purchased by calling The Arboretum at (519) 824-4120, Ext. 52358, or the Italian Canadian Club at (519) 821-1110.