By Barb Wilson, HHS Publicity Chair
To The Haldimand Press
We are now in the fall of the 2022 “Year of the Garden.” As red was the official colour for this year we saw many beautiful gardens this summer throughout the county. Thank you to all our Haldimand Horticultural Society (HHS) members who cared for the community gardens all summer long. Special thanks goes to our very own youth group, the Green Gardians, who planted successful gardens full of vegetables for the community.
Mother Nature has blessed us with a few last warm days, but the nights are cooler and hints of orange and red are showing on our autumn blaze maples along our farm lane. Now is the time to cut your zinnias, dahlias, roses, verbena, and hydrangeas; rest them in cool water out of direct light to condition them before arranging in a vase.
In Selkirk the HHS has had two trees planted this past week in the park. A red oak and an eastern flowering dogwood are a new addition to this area. These plantings were made possible through grants received through Haldimand County.
Several members entered their beautiful flowers and plants in the Caledonia Fair this year. Congratulations to HHS member Coby Osinga. She won “Most Points in Flowers and Plants” and “Most Points in Arrangements.” Congratulations to all members who entered and received prizes. Our Green Gardians youth group also entered the Group Display Class called “Celebrating our 150th Fair” and we are proud to say they won third prize for their efforts.
Members have been busy attaching our nearly 2,000 donated poppies to chicken wire, which will be displayed at the November Remembrance Day ceremony in Caledonia at the cenotaph. Thank you to all those who spent their time knitting and crocheting these colorful poppies.
Congratulations to Darcy Beishlag, who is this year’s recipient of the Haldimand Horticultural Society’s bursary. We wish him much success in his future schooling.
The District 6 Fall Breakfast meeting was hosted by the Mount Hamilton Garden Club on September 24. Several members from the HHS attended and enjoyed the presentation given by Nancy Lee-Colibaba on Horticultural Therapy. The quote at the end of her slide show was, “The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses,” by Hanna Rose. So true! We also learned a new word – “biophilia,” or the love of nature.
Upcoming Events
October General Meeting will be held Thursday, October 25 at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Caledonia at 7:30 p.m. Speaker to be announced. All are welcome.
HHS is hosting the annual District 6 Fall Dinner on November 12 at the Lions Hall in Caledonia. Catering by Shelly’s Family Dining. Guest speaker will be Paul Knowles.
If you love gardening and nature, follow HHS on Facebook and our website. If you are interested in becoming a member or want to know more, email haldimandhorticulture@gmail.com. We are a club for all gardeners. We grow friendships as well as gardens.
