It was a busy fall season for the Paris Horticultural Society

At this time of year, as our gardens are put to bed for the coming winter, our activities are winding down. At the OHA Convention this past July, the society earned First Place Ribbons in both the bookmark and the brochures categories. The design of these articles was a team effort.

Our Adopt a Road program has done the last clean up on Keg Lane. This one took place on September 13th, right after the Paris Fair. This is usually the biggest cleanup of the season The hard-working team members include Kim Hutton, Patti Gladding, Pat Hasler-Watts, Pat Moore, Edith Stone, Anne Vernon, Nancy Chipman and Paula Atkinson. (Photo by Serryn Stephenson)

The work in our community gardens has also drawn to a close for the winter The gardens have been cleaned up. Coordinators Doug Hanna and Dave Collins do a good job of keeping the weeding, mulching and planting up to date, with the help of other volunteers. The Hillside Garden at the fairgrounds was enhanced with 13 varieties, totalling 123 plants. There is no vacancy at the nearby “Bee” hotel

We are very grateful to our many volunteers in our society who put in many hours of their time to keep Paris beautiful and it didn’t go unnoticed This year, at the Ontario Volunteer Awards ceremony, three of our Paris Horticultural Society members received an award Larry Stewart, Elaine Sywyk and Edith Stone received recognition for their 20 years of volunteering.

Paris Horticultural Christmas decorating committee members assemble centrepieces for their Dec. 6th dinner. Starting in back row, Anne Vernon, Edith Stone, Pat Moore, Anne Wibberley and front row, Carol Reansbury, Nancy Slusarczyk, Margaret Hutchinson. Not in photo, Paula Atkinson.

Thank-you and congratulations to them!

The plant sale doesn’t take place until May of 2024, but the committee has already started to gather plants. Anne Vernon, Pat Moore, Serryn Stephenson, Nancy Burkholder and Carol Reansbury received a lastminute request from a neighbour who offered her Hostas for the sale On a damp and windy fall day they dug up four trunkfuls to prepare for next year’s sale.

Speaking of great finds, Horticultural Society members, Nancy and Gord Burkholder, while on a walk on their property, discovered an unusual plant. After some research it was discovered to be a Horse Gentian, also known as Feverwort. Dried and roasted seeds have been used as a coffee substitute

Medicinally, it’s used to treat urinary pain and applied topically to sore and swollen areas.

As the year draws to a close, we are looking forward to our annual Christmas dinner on December 6th at the Fairgrounds. Preparing for the Paris Horticultural Christmas dinner a group of members gathered to assemble centre pieces for the dinner tables. Anne Vernon, decoration chair, did a lot of prep work so when other members arrived there was just assembly to do. Pinecones, chestnuts, beads for noses and seeds were added as well

And with that, another successful year is in the books!

-Content Submitted by Margaret Collins