Garden lovers, admirers and enthusiasts, whether they be from across Canada or around the world, have even more incentive to travel the VIA Rail Garden Route this summer, as the program, now in its fourth year, is growing by leaps and bounds. Anchoring the VIA Rail Garden Route are 15 magnificent Feature Gardens, and 30, 5-Bloom (top award winning) Communities in Bloom destinations stretching from Vancouver Island to Halifax.

“In order to increase visitors’ level of garden satisfaction, this year,local garden attractions in each of the Feature Garden destinations have been added to the VIA Rail Garden Route so that travellers can enjoy the beauty of a variety of gardens in each city they visit,” said Tony DiGiovanni, executive director of Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association, organizers of the Garden Route. “VIA has been bringing travellers up close to some of the most breathtaking views and beautiful landscapes across the country,” said Steve Del Bosco, VIA’s chief customer officer. “It was natural for us to collaborate with some of the country’s spectacular gardens by providing a relaxing and comfortable way for visitors to get there.”

From June 12th to September 8th 2009, travellers can take advantage of VIA’s special Garden Route ticket offers to visit any of Canada’s best known public gardens and delightfully floriferous Communities in Bloom destinations. Visitors to each participating garden along the Garden Route and the viarail.ca/garden website can enter a contest for the chance to win a round-trip for two in VIA 1 first class to Montreal in the summer of 2010.

Winners will stay at the Hôtel Place d’Armes in Old Montreal, a 5-bloom Communities in Bloom destination. At the Montreal Botanical Garden in Montreal, visitors can fill out ballots for a chance to win a round-trip for two in VIA 1 first class to Toronto in April 2010. This prize includes two nights accommodation, tickets to Canada Blooms, ‘Total Tower’ tickets to the CN Tower and dinner for two at the CN Tower’s 360 Restaurant.

For a complete listing of featured gardens, garden attractions and Communities in Bloom destinations, visit www.viarail.ca/garden

About Communities in Bloom

Communities in Bloom is a Canadian non-profit organization committed to fostering civic pride, environmental responsibility and beautification through community involvement and the challenge of a national program. For more information visit: www.communitiesinbloom.ca

About VIA Rail Canada

As Canada’s national passenger rail service, VIA Rail Canada’s mandate is to provide efficient, environmentally sustainable and cost effective passenger transportation services, both in Canada’s business corridor and in remote and rural regions of the country.

For more information on train schedules or to book a trip in the VIA system, customers can visit VIA’s Web site at viarail.ca. Passengers also can book their tickets in most Québec City-Windsor Corridor stations, by calling 1 888 VIA-RAIL (1 888 842-7245), TTY 1 800 268-9503 (hearing impaired), or through their travel agent.

For further information: Media Contacts: Carol Cowan, Zebra Promotions Inc., (416) 929-1066, zebra@passport.ca; Nadia Seraiocco, VIA Rail Canada, (514) 871-6619, nadia_seraiocco@viarail.ca

Source Link: CNW news Group