By Deb Zynomirski

President, Dunnville Horticultural Society

After what seems like the coldest and windiest spring in recent memory, the sun is finally shining and warming things up. If you feel like your garden is slow to awaken, you aren’t alone. Seems like everyone is talking about how all their perennials are two weeks later in sprouting this year. But the sunshine and warm temperatures expected this week will warm the ground and they will soon make up for lost time!

The Dunnville Horticultural Society (DHS) held its Annual Plant Sale last Saturday – three years in the making! Avid gardeners and would-be gardeners came out to support us and purchase the many donated plants and garden tools. It was a great morning! A big shout out is due to Petra Kruis-Daly who organized the sale, and to the many DHS board members and volunteers who sorted, priced, dug plants, and assisted with the sale. We are also thankful to the many members and community friends who donated to the sale. Leftover plants will be available for sale in the parking lot before our next Program Night on May 19.

We are excited to participate in the Canadian Garden Council’s initiative called “Year of the Garden”. Our planning started last fall with the planting of 300 tulips, whose beauty we are enjoying in our downtown core right now. We kicked off the spring with a flag-raising of the Year of the Garden (YOTG) flag at our County Administration offices. We are following this up with the planting of two feature gardens, which will be predominantly red, the designated YOTG colour. Another of our creative board members, Melanie Ruigrok, came up with an idea to promote and recognize Dunnville gardeners for their YOTG efforts. Doorhangers will be handed out to gardeners who make a special effort to paint their beds with a ‘splash of red’. If you see a deserving garden, let us know!

Planting Day will once again take place over three mornings. May 24, May 25, and May 26 are the designated dates to plant all our annuals in the 23 gardens that DHS maintains. Would you like to assist us? It is a fun and rewarding activity. Contact myself if you can help. We are grateful to Konkles Greenhouses who, year after year, provide all our annuals. And special thanks to Roger Egger who provides the watering services. We are blessed with wonderful community partners!

Join us on May 19 at 7 p.m. at the Optimist Hall For our next Program Night. Our speakers will be Petra Kruis-Daly and Susan Emery, presenting on “Growing Cannabis”, therapeutic and medicinal uses, and how to grow and process plants.

I encourage you to get outdoors and get that green thumb working! And if you don’t have a garden of your own, come dig with us in ours. Keep thinking green thoughts!

DHS meets the third Thursday of the month at the Optimist Hall. 

For information, check out dunnvillehortandgardenclub.org or our Facebook page. Deb Zynomirski can be reached at debzyn@gmail.com. 

At long last, together again! Just as the weather is turning colder, we have some warm news! After 21 long months of foregoing our monthly program nights, Dunnville Horticultural Society (DHS) is set to resume meeting in person. And to kick things off with a bang, we welcome back our members for our annual general meeting on November 25, 2021. We will meet at the Dunnville Optimist Hall at 7 p.m. Although we will have to forego our normal potluck dinner, light refreshments will be served. A special speaker is also on tap, along with great giveaways. COVID vaccine passport and masks will be required. We look forward to welcoming back our members!

Many of you may also have noticed our latest addition to Dunnville’s landmarks. In the East Bridge Garden, we have erected a gorgeous red lighthouse feature. This decorative lighthouse is dedicated to Dunnville’s citizens – past, present, and future. It also pays homage to the Grand River, Lake Erie, and our nautical roots. We hope it will stand as a sentinel and gateway marker to Dunnville for many years to come.

Finally, I wish to thank the 2021 DHS board of directors who worked tirelessly to hold things together for our club throughout the pandemic: Susan Emery, Nelly Engelage, Petra Kruis-Daly, Angela Latham, Wray McLean, Sharon Sykes, and Debbie Thomas. In 2022 we welcome the following new board members: Mike Lessard, Melanie Ruigrok, and Jordan Wagter. We are looking forward to resuming our regular activities in 2022!

It’s with a heavy heart that mom May Steel, brother Tom Steel (Beth – Sarah and Matthew) and sister Karen Paterson (Graham – Sean and David) share the loss of our beloved son, brother and uncle Ian who passed away on Nov 2, 2020. He fought against a cancer diagnosis with courage and pragmatism, knowing that his time was precious.

He was hopeful as he began chemotherapy and when undergoing extensive surgery. However, his condition unexpectedly deteriorated and investigation found extensive disease throughout his body. He was admitted to the hospital on a Friday but it was apparent by then that his battle was nearly over, and Ian passed in comfort and peace on the Monday, with his family surrounding him.

We know Ian would want to thank the doctors, nurses and staff at The Walker Cancer Center in St. Catharines. Throughout this ordeal we have been blessed by those who treated Ian with exceptional kindness, gave Ian superior treatment and reached out to him in encouragement. Those supporting Ian include his friends, family, also those back home in Scotland, and his amazing neighbours in Attercliffe Station.

Ian loved hearing from his colleagues from The Canadian Armed Forces, as his time of service to our country included some of his most fulfilling years. He recently told us that he had no regrets in life. He saw so many places around the world and in retirement enjoyed the Horticultural Society in Dunnville and also making and sharing his “very good” wine. We toasted Ian following his passing with a glass of his cabernet sauvignon.

We already miss our son, big brother and uncle more than we can ever say. Ian was tenacious in maintaining relationships with family and friends. Ian was the glue that held his friends and our extended family – split between continents – together. He helped all of us all to be able to share in celebration, lend support times of struggle and commiserate in times of mourning. His contributions to friends and family were considerable, and to honour his memory we will need to work to maintain the bonds that he made and sustained.

Farewell Ian, rest in peace!

Three neighbouring schools answered the Dunnville Horticultural Society’s (DHS) School Challenge in a big way, sending over 600 students to Thompson Creek Eco Centre on October 25 for the Grand Opening.  Teachers and students were introduced to the park, while DHS promoted their vision for schools to use the park as an outdoor classroom. Everyone walked the trails and learned about the ecological diversity of this learning centre.

DHS was so pleased by the turnout that all three schools were awarded a Carolinian tree of their choice planted at their school on Oct 30th. Adam Koziel of Earthgen supplied the trees and was on hand to assist with the planting.

“New storyboard commemorates Dunnville’s Floral Clock.  Built in 1957, the Clock had not kept time since 2013. The internal workings were removed and inspected as to repairs. It was deemed replacement was the only option.

So proud and grateful to have been part of this great event today. Dunnville… this Thompson Creek Eco Centre is for you to explore and enjoy! Take advantage and get up close and personal with this unique and rare gem. Special Thanks to project co-chairs Dan MaKay and Debbie Thomas!

Mayor Ken Hewitt presented a generous cheque of $5000 to DHS President Deb Zynomirski and Thompson Creek Chairperson Debbie Thomas at Council Chambers. DHS was one of the recipients from Haldimand County’s Mayor’s Gala Fund Raiser earlier this year.  The money will be used for the Thompson Creek Eco Park Restoration.