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.