by Catherine Johnson
I said it last month but I will say it again, I think we have had enough rain already! What a spring it has been. The weeds love the weather, especially since we cannot get out there to dig them out. That being said, as I write this article the sun is shining and the birds are singing. Hopefully the good weather is here to stay.
The Kemptville Horticultural Society welcomes all men and women, from novice (or wannabe) gardeners to master gardeners. Some members have well established gardens and some come to get ideas on where to start. The society meets the third Wednesday of the month at the Kemptville Pentecostal Church (1964 County Road 43) at 7:30 pm. Each month we have a guest presentation following our short business meeting.
At our May meeting I gave a slide presentation showing some beautiful gardens from my recent trip to Spain. Everyone seemed to enjoy the presentation that highlighted some beautiful tropical plants and unusual topiaries. At our June meeting we will welcome Bill Bitz who will give a presentation called “Turf Talk”. Our June meeting will be the last monthly meeting until we meet again in September. Despite breaking until September, we still have a busy summer planned.
Do not forget to mark your calendars for our upcoming 2017 Bud to Bloom Garden tour to be held on June 24, 2017. Tickets are selling for $15 and are available to be purchased at both Brewed Awakening and Home and Beyond in Kemptville. This year we are offering 8 outstanding gardens as part of the tour, as well as a tea to be held at the Community Hall in Burritt’s Rapids. We hope that you will be able to join us on June 24, 2017 for this amazing collection of gardens. All proceeds from this tour will go towards our bursary programs awarded annually to local area students.
On Tuesday, July 25, we will also be going on our 2017 Bus Tour. This year, we will be making stops at four gardens on the 1000 Island Garden Trail. The trip will leave from Kemptville around 8 am and return in the afternoon around 5:30 pm. The cost of the trip is $45 for the day, plus the cost of an optional lunch. You are welcome bring your own lunch. The trip will be offered to KHS members and their guests first and will then be offered for sale to the public. If you would like to get on the waiting list for these extra tickets please feel free to contact me (Catherine Johnson) at 613-866-1961 or cej212@gmail.com.
During the summer, members will meet informally at each other’s gardens on Wednesday nights. This is a great way to get ideas for your own gardens, and the garden owners are able to get free advice from the wealth of knowledge available from the gardeners attending the gardens.
This month I am pleased to offer a Jean Sears Tidbit of Gardening Advice. Jean is a lifetime member of KHS and is still gardening in her 90’s. This month’s advice is about pruning. If the shrub blooms in spring – prune it in the fall. If it blooms in the summer, leave pruning until next spring, otherwise you will have tender growth unable to deal with our winters. This is especially true for roses.
You are welcome to be our guest at your first meeting. Our next meeting is on Wednesday June 21 at 7:30 at 1964 County Road 43. If you are interested in joining, yearly membership fees are $15. Whether you are an experienced gardener or someone moving into one of the many new homes being built in North Grenville, we will have something of interest for you. There is also plenty of free gardening advice available during coffee and refreshments. We look forward to meeting you.
