How does your Garden Grow?

I could not keep up with the watering after the first couple of weeks and by the end of July, well...it was beautiful while it lasted. Anyway, with my cats, anything I grow just screams buffet. My brother, on the other hand, can take any fried brown crispy poor excuse of a plant and bring it back to life. He has grown everything from lemons to figs to olives in his garden. Unfortunately, our Townie squirrels can rat out the goods, so it is a rare opportunity if we get to taste his exotic offerings. Funny, they don’t touch the habaneros.

I am partial to the gerbera. Love the colours they come in, and their happy daisy like appearance. One of the highlights of my summer is enjoying all the creative and colourful gardens that grace TMR.

Do you know how the haven of a garden in Connaught Park came to be? It is thanks to the TMR Horticultural Society, an organization that has actually existed here for over 80 years. It is this group of flora fanatics that gave us this showpiece of a centrepiece of town, and at some point, it was handed over to the municipality. A few years ago, the Society paid for the labelling of all the specimens in the garden, going so far as to work with a consultant from the Botanical Gardens to ensure accuracy.

Last week, they held their annual Flower and Rose Show at Town Hall. Winning the People’s Choice Award was Dawn Kennedy, while her grandson Ryan Kennedy Amstutz placed second in the Junior Category. I remember learning how to garden from my grandma! Good memory. We grew all kinds of veggies with her, and it was so exciting to plant, reap and eat! Beatrice Arsenault won first prize in the Junior Category. Frances Kalil won for most points in the Flower Specimen Section. Kathy Elie, the group’s president for the past 6 years, and her husband John, won the Princess of the Show trophy (donated by Roberta Mcalpine) which was awarded to the best non-hybrid tea rose, in this case one called the Graham Thomas. Clearly a rose just isn’t a rose.

The name of the group sounds formal but their passion is as simple as the good earth. They would love to welcome anyone with an interest in gardening to join them. Fees are a modest 10$ per family for residents of TMR and TMR adjacent ($12 for others). Members are privy to reductions at nurseries listed on the green flyer which can be found at the Library & Recreation Centre. In addition to hosting spring and fall speakers and the Flower & Rose Show, they also do a perennial exchange in the spring.

(Photo: Courtoisie)

(Photo: Courtoisie)