HHS celebrates 35 years

By Sheila Phibbs

The Haldimand Press

HALDIMAND—A 1984 newspaper article invited gardeners to meet in Caledonia to form a gardening organization. Twenty people attended, including Mary and Bruce Edwards. Mary was the avid gardener of the pair but she persuaded Bruce to join her. Naturally, by the end of the meeting, Bruce was not only a member but the first president of the newly-formed Haldimand Horticultural Society (HHS).

With the early seeds of interest planted, it was apparent that HHS should cover an area to include Caledonia, Cayuga, and Hagersville. Membership grew and has been as high as 200, with 160 members at present. Gord Roberts joined the society in 1995 with his wife, Wendy. His story is similar to that of Bruce Edwards as he says, “My wife was the gardener and I was about sports.”  Today, he is the “membership guy”, always encouraging prospective members to join.

Meetings of the ‘Hort’ Society could be described as a gathering of “kindred souls interested in talking and learning about gardening.” Guest speakers cover a wide range of horticultural topics from gardening to trees to bees. Members enjoy a bus trip each summer and monthly competitions in which points are earned throughout the year. The overall winner receives the Wendy Roberts Memorial Trophy. A trophy for the best dahlia was donated by founding member Hugh Shipway. The dahlia is the floral emblem of the Society.