By Sheila Phibbs
The Haldimand Press
CALEDONIA—The Haldimand Horticultural Society (HHS) is preparing to welcome guests to Seedy Saturday on March 26, 2022 at the Riverside Exhibition Centre in Caledonia.
The event is a showcase for all things gardening from plants, flowers, and bulbs to a seed exchange, workshops, speakers, vendors, and more. Barb Wilson, HHS Publicity Chair, describes Seedy Saturday as, “A place to hang out for gardeners and future gardeners to get inspiration while they patiently wait to get into their gardens.”
Inspiration may come from various presentations, including For the Birds by Leesa Healy and Robbin Pridmore of Armstrong Milling Company, who will discuss feeding birds throughout the year and different kinds of food (sponsored by Mohawk Garden Centre). The pair will be introducing a new hummingbird food that will be available for purchase during the show.
Horticultural Consultant Denise Hodgins will share ideas on how to incorporate the 2022 “Year of the Garden” theme with red designs in planters and gardens (sponsored by J. W. Heaslip Ltd). Other featured topics are Benefits of Native Plants (sponsored by Haldimand Motors), General Operations of a Cannabis Facility (sponsored by BR Books Inc.), and growing succulents (sponsored by Zen Construction).
Meanwhile, workshops will give participants the opportunity to create a springtime bouquet or a chicken wire plant cage from an old lampshade. There is also an all-day youth workshop entitled “Once Upon a Marigold”.
For shoppers and browsers the vendors include: The Potting Shed, Brant County Garlic Company, Don Reeder Farm, Backyard Shed Savers, Creekview Acres, Ashbury Bloom, Honey Home, Sentimental Farm, Beth Powell, Gaia Organics, CoCette and Co. Creations, and Ruthven Park National Historic Site.
This annual grower’s delight is just one of the many activities of HHS. Along with regular meetings, there is the annual plant and bake sale (May 14), Yard of the Month awards during the summer, Blooming on the Grand Garden Tour (July 16 and 17), an ongoing youth program, a Poppy Project to create poppies for the Caledonia Cenotaph in November, and a Big Yellow Bag fundraiser.
HHS members also volunteer their time to care for these community gardens: Riverwalk Caledonia, Cenotaph at Edinburgh Square, West Haldimand General Hospital in Hagersville, Caledonia Dam, Riverview/Oasis, St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Seneca Centennial Hall in York, Wigton and Renfrew parkette, the new Mickey Difruscio Pollinator Project at LaFortune Park, and the new pollinator garden at Burke Estate Park. Partnership funding through a Haldimand County Community Beautification Funding Grant assists in purchasing plant material, shrubs, and trees in Haldimand.
Seedy Saturday often draws crowds of 350 or more from the surrounding area as well as visitors from the GTA and Niagara region. Wilson says, “It has become a popular event to attend – always an opportunity to increase our membership. This year visitors will have a chance to see the new Riverside Exhibition Centre also.”
It is also an opportunity for anyone interested to learn more about the HHS, which currently has 106 members, and the work it does in the community. Wilson says, “HHS is for all gardeners. We grow friendship as well as gardens that help beautify our communities.”
Seedy Saturday runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; admission is $5 and tickets can be purchased online. Guests are invited to bring non-perishable food items for the local food bank.
For information, ticket sales, and workshop registration, visit haldimandhorticulture.com.
