What's Happening at the Niagra-on-the-Lake Horticultural Society
Come learn from our experienced guest speakers or share your knowledge and tips with fellow gardeners. New members welcome!
Meeting Schedule
When: Fourth Tuesday from January to May & September to November.
Where & Time: 6:30 p.m. at the Community Centre, 29 Platoff St. or local nurseries & gardens. Meeting info will be posted in the local newspapers.
2010 Membership – January – December
| Individual Membership: $10.00 | Business Membership: $20.00 | Students: (over 18) $5.00 | Visitors: $5.00 |
Meeting Schedule
Tues. Jan. 26th – Topic: 2010 GARDEN TRENDS by Theresa Forte Garden Columnist/Writer/Photographer & Design Consultant
Bringing the farm home: Gourmet vegetables; cutting gardens and chickens. Less work, lots of colour: Replacing perennials & annuals with distinctive conifers and flowering shrubs. Containers: Easy care dwarf conifers. Hot Plants: a quick preview of what’s new for 2010. Garden Travel: Visiting beautiful gardens on the Canada’s Garden Trail by train. Tree Houses: Not just for kids.
Tues. Feb. 23rd – Topic: Heirloom Veggies & Organic Gardening
by Linda Crago, Tree & Twig Vegetable Farm
Tree & Twig Heirloom Vegetable Farm has operated for 13 years and for most of those years it has been a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). For many years Linda has been selling heirloom transplants, particularly tomatoes. She is the founder of the Pelham Farmers Market where she sells her produce, as well to fine dining restaurants. Linda started selling seeds three years ago. Linda is the organizer of Niagara Seedy Saturday, past chair of Canadian Organic Growers (Niagara Chapter), and is heavily involved in numerous seed exchanges world-wide, including Seed Savers Exchange and Seeds of Diversity Canada. In 2007 she won a Province of Ontario Regional Award for Innovation in Agriculture, and in 2009 won the Niagara Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Agriculture. Seeds will be available for purchase www.treeandtwig.ca
Tues. March 23rd – Topic: Eco Gardening/Stunning Shade Collections/Low Maintenance shade collections to promote a healthy bio-diversity.
by Pathways to Perennials Inc. - Lorraine Mennen
Low maintenance shade collections to promote a healthy bio-diversity. Virginia blue bells, trillium, tiarella, dodecatheon… many great choices to spruce up a dark bed. Talk will include drought tolerant gardening tips including: how to choose water wise plants, efficient mulching practices and most importantly how to enhance your colour through all four seasons. You will enjoy a descriptive presentation with proven techniques to ease the gardening chores and maximize the colourful display with ‘flower power’. You will learn how to plant in specific groupings to bring birds, butterflies and other wildlife into your gardens. A must-see presentation for anyone interested in eco-gardening! Pick up Lorraine’s new book, Garden Great Rooms….Extending your Living Space Outdoors; or some unique treasures for interior or exterior.Lorraine Mennen is an International garden speaker, an ecological gardener and a passionate teacher. Lorraine does the Lawn & Garden Report on the Weather Network. Her wealth of accumulated gardening knowledge will astound you. www.pathwaystoperennials.com
Tues. April 27th – Behind the Scenes of the Butterfly Conservatory & the Botanical Gardens.
This is a unique opportunity to have a guided tour of some of the main and non-public areas of these facilities. A special behind-the-scenes tour has been arranged where you will be exposed to the breeding aspect of butterfly production. As an extra bonus you will see the behind the scenes plant production areas for the Botanical Gardens. Let your spirit soar! http://www.niagaraparks.com/garden-trail/butterfly-conservatory.html
Butterfly Conservatory - Location: 2405 NiagaraParkway, Niagara Falls, ON Time: 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Meet 5:00 p.m. SHARP, outside the front doors of the Butterfly Conservatory.
*Special Group Rate: $10.58 + tax = $12.16 each. *Reserve and buy your tickets before the deadline date: Tues. April 13.
This magical attraction features over 2,000 colourful tropical butterflies floating freely among lush, exotic blossoms and greenery. Paths wind through the rainforest setting, past a pond and waterfall and the Emergence window, where butterflies leave their pupae and prepare to take their first flight!
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Break and refreshments.
*PLEASE NOTE: If you do not wish to take advantage of the unique opportunity noted above, NOTL Hort Society members and visitors may attend the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens Tour starting at 6:30 p.m. We will meet in front of the Butterfly Café located near the front entrance. This tour will be followed by the NOTL Hort Society meeting in the main hall of the School of Horticulture.
Niagara Parks' Botanical Gardens - Time: 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m - Behind the scenes plant production.
NOTL Horticultural Society Meeting 7:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. - Main Meeting Hall School of Horticulture.
Tues. May 25th – TOPIC: Tips & Tricks - Tropical tips, houseplants, garden tips for peonies, lilies and more.
“Tips & Tricks for Gardeners” by Jim Mabee
Get your pen and notepad ready! Jim has been involved in Horticultural Societies for 30 years and the OHA President in 2007/2008. Member of Cdn. and N.A. Gladiolus Councils; American & Canadian Peony Societies; Ontario Regional and North American Lily Societies; and the William Saunders Rose Society. His special interests are Rare and Unusual Tropical Plants, Floral Design, especially Gladiolus and now Calla Lily breeding which has become a passion. Jim began hybridizing Gladiolus in 1989 and one of his crosses was introduced to the American Gladiolus Council in 1999, called 'Muriel Eugene”. He is a Certified Design & Horticultural Judge for the OHA, an accredited Ontario Garden Clubs Design Judge, and an International Lily judge with the North American Lily Society. As well, Jim is a member of the Oxford County Master Gardener. Since 1993 he has given floral design classes and travelled extensively to give judging update courses and is the Principal of the District 10 Judging School. Jim now plans on spending most of his time on a 20 acre flower farm, in Eden, where he grows over 4 acres of plants for his own enjoyment.
No meetings June, July or August.
Tues. Sept. 28th – Harvest Bounty – Chili & Corn Night at Kurtz Orchards
Time: 6:00 p.m. Location: 16006 Niagara Parkway, corner of East/West Line
Walk or take a scenic tram ride through the vineyards, orchards and scenic pond of Kurtz Orchards. See a land to table presentation. Stop and taste the different varieties of grapes growing as they reach their peak of perfection. Kurtz Orchards continues its long tradition of showcasing "Niagara's Edible Heritage". Their aim is to put the fresh taste of Niagara’s bountiful orchards, vineyards, gardens and farms into each of their products. Grapes ‘n Apples from mid-September are a wonderful supplement to a fall foliage tour. You won’t want to miss our Special Guest: Lynn Ogryzlo Niagara’s food, wine and travel writer.
Tues. Oct. 26th - Garden of the Year Awards Reception & Seminar on Orchids
Topic: We love orchids and it shows! By Cosmic Plants, Inc.
Are you new to the orchid world? Have you ever received one as a gift and don’t know what to do with it? This is a great opportunity to learn and ask questions from an expert orchid enthusiast and grower. CosMic Plants Inc - located in Beamsville - produces Orchids (Phalaenopsis) all year round for flower and plant wholesalers. Their greenhouses are fully automated and climate controlled and production currently averages 4500 plants per week. CosMic Plants Inc uses the Phalaenopsis breeding and selection programs of the 3 biggest European Orchid breeders and propagators. They were recently honoured with a request to supply Orchids for The White House.
Topic: Herbs, Herbs and Herbs by Ellen Mitchinson
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Growing, Harvesting and Natural beauty secrets….some traditional treatments that use ingredients from your garden and kitchen cupboard. Ellen is a master gardener from Jordan and is especially fond of her herb garden. There is lavender, chamomile, calendula and roses. For the last 20 years, she has volunteered to tend the herb garden at Ball's Falls Conservation Area. She began using fresh herbs to season her food and then explored their healing properties. “Down-home” stuff, back to those good old days. Ellen will be sharing beauty secrets from the Past exploring traditional beauty treatments using ingredients from the garden and kitchen cupboard. Learn recipes for footbath, dry skin, facial cleansers, treatments to take away the grey and much more. Join in a “Make and Take” and take home a lip balm. Everyone will receive recipes and the knowledge to make some beauty products at home.
OTHER HAPPENINGS
Sat. March 20th – Welcome Spring Celebration- Flowers for seniors in local nursing homes and hospital.
Spring has Sprung Contest – Nominate your favourite spring garden. Details in the Niagara Advance.
June – September – Garden of the Week Contest – Nominate your favourite garden. Details in the Niagara Advance.
June – August – Member Garden Stroll – Members are invited to stroll through other members’ gardens.
Sat. July 10th 2010 – Niagara-on-the-Lake Horticultural Society 19th Annual Garden Tour, call Anne Beedles, Garden Tour Director 905-262-5185.
FOR further information contact: Shirley Madsen 905-468-2325
Or
Marion Boon, Membership Director 289-868-9168.
Email: notlhortsociety@gmail.com
Website: www.notlhortsociety.com