5 minute read
Gardening
Rhea Hamilton‐Seeger is a skilled cook and gardener who in Goderich
2022: Year of the Garden
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2022 seemed so far away only four years ago! We have been distracted by the pandemic! The members of the Gardens of Huron Perth were already planning how we could participate in The Year of the Garden. We were thinking of improvements to our marketing and planning where we could put our brochure to garner the most visitors to our gardens and tourists to our community. The pandemic has forced us to rethink and be creative about the project. The Canadian Garden Council has proclaimed 2022 as the centennial of Canada’s horticultural sector, and a time to celebrate our garden heritage and culture across Canada. The theme is Live the Garden Life, which is so appropriate in light of what we have come through these past seasons. It is supported by all levels of garden organizations, horticultural businesses and municipalities all across Canada. As a simple indicator of the ballooning of gardening, I have friends who were unable to get their favourite seeds due to the unprecedented demand last spring. Anyone with access to a bit of soil, whether in a pot or in the back yard, was planting something; flowers, shrubs, fruits and vegetables. And this year looks like the enthusiasm continues.
Year of the Garden is a call to engage us to not only plant something but to learn about the benefits from nature. As gardeners we know about the benefits: fresh air, fresh local food, and improved health just from the pure joy of getting involved with the natural environment around us. This year-long event will carry more punch with an encouraging eye for local municipalities to take on bigger projects like the integration of more plants into our towns, increasing the tree canopy, working with community gardens and promoting public parks and green infrastructure. Gardening is also a way to learn about other cultures. We revel in our vegetable gardens trying out new tomato and pepper varieties as well as coloured beets and rainbow swiss chard, a wide variety of beans and so much more. It did not seem that long ago that our gardens expanded to include Asian vegetables to enjoy with new recipes. We now have AgroHaiti Ltd. in Lynden, Ontario which specializes in Asian vegetable seeds. Learning about other cultures includes our First Nations and our need to adopt a much broader change in our way of life; living in harmony with nature and plants. So aside from planting new vegetables and flowers in your garden, this just might be the year to get involved, with or without a mask, with a community project. The best place to start would be your local horticultural society and then your municipal office. What projects are in the making and how can you get involved? It might be something as simple as working in the local municipal garden, making sure it looks fine, right until the end of the season. Maybe working with a local community garden, or helping a neighbour that has become overwhelmed with their overly ambitious garden. There are still some very active Community in Blooms committees who have spearheaded some major makeovers in their communities. The impact of attractive and educational public gardens cannot be measured but always appreciated by visitors and residents alike. Gardening and gardens generate economic activity for the garden family sector. You only have to look at your favourite garden centres. A lot of them are run by families. This all has an impact on our community’s financial stability. By supporting them we support our larger community. The pandemic sure has put a damper on a lot of activities and we can only hope we will have a different summer. If restrictions are still in play, then take up hiking and set a goal to learn the names of a few wildflowers; are they native, or introduced by settlers; and what if
The Canadian Garden Council has proclaimed 2022 as the centennial of Canada’s horticultural sector and a year to celebrate gardening.
any, medicinal qualities do they have? And then there are the trees. Who is planting trees in your community? Green Goderich organized the planting of native trees at Victoria Park this past fall. They were handsome sizes, 10 to 12 feet high, and will offer shade for future children in the playground and clean the air for all of us and future generations. And while we are on the topic of trees, a company called Trees for Life raises funds to help plant millions of the right trees in the right places. The focus is on native trees and shrubs in order to support the local biodiversity and ecosystems. While you admire the bees and butterflies on the flowers, you also have to consider where their young hide and eat. That is part of the network of native plantings that support our diversity that we need to survive. It’s all part of the bigger picture.This organization raised funds to support community treeplanting. Another supporter of planting trees is the Maple Leaves Forever program. Despite their offer of a 25 per cent rebate on native maples I still see a lot of roadsides bare of the old majestic maples and few young ones planted for the future. Any road not bordered by hydro lines is a perfect place to plant native maples. With the support of this organization a maple tree for every hero has been planted along the Highway of Heroes. You can also take on reducing or eliminating invasive species in your back yard and parks. Every time I see a patch of phragmites I growl, especially when infestations have a clear path via drains and creeks to the Maitland River. Once into the environment they reduce or eliminate all access to the rivers and creeks. Think of turtles, ducks, salamanders and you! While removing patches on private land will take some conversations, one could always call the local Conservation Authority, or Lake Huron Coastal Centre to join a concerted effort to clean the species out. ◊
and it isn’t just corn.
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