Photo Karen Graham.
Wendy Olsen unwraps a gift of thanks from the Millbrook Garden Club’s members for her 20 years as Club President.
As the days begin to stretch a bit and the Christmas décor is safely stashed away for another season, it’s natural for the gardener to look longingly out the window, envisioning a new look for the garden, showcasing one of the latest cultivars that promise to flourish in all garden conditions. You needn’t daydream alone- many local garden lovers get together once a month to share inspiration and get a reality check about the possibilities of gardening in our neighbourhood.
It might seem backwards, but let’s begin with what the club is not. The local group is neither an official member of the Garden Clubs of Ontario, nor is it a registered Horticultural Society. Members have chosen to forgo the administrative burdens required by these formal clubs and chosen a loose organization with less structure and fewer rules but no shortage of sage gardening insight and advice. The Millbrook and District Garden Club members can boast more than 1000 combined years of garden experience, however no garden experience is required. All that is required is a love of gardening and an interest in learning more about it. This group has nurtured gardening enthusiasm, sharing their tips and providing new inspiration to novice and experience gardeners in our midst for more than 26 years. Incoming President and long-time member Glen Spurrell describes the club as “simply an extension of the idea and practice of neighbours sharing knowledge, plants/seeds and passion.”
The group is financially supported by a $2 meeting fee paid at the door and two annual plant sales held in conjunction with Millbrook Farmer’s Market events the at the beginning and end of the growing season. Funds are primarily used to pay honorariums to speakers throughout the year and for coffee supplied at each meeting.
Most club meetings take place at St. Thomas Anglican Church Hall in Millbrook, where discussions are led by local experts on specific garden-related topics, ranging from caring for house plants such as orchids, composting methods and specific plant such as hostas and herbs. Speakers include professional nursery owners and garden experts as well as local amateurs. Although there are 68 registered members, regular meeting attendance is closer to 25, depending on the topic. At the club’s 25th anniversary meeting, more than 80 people came to hear Toronto gardening celebrity Paul Zammit explain how to feed the garden from the garden.
Summer meetings tend to go offsite. Host locations include local nurseries and private gardens. These experiences allow growers to showcase their passion and share their successes and challenges with local experts who can sometimes offer suggestions and always provide genuine commiseration. Better than any book or internet site, garden club members can save gardeners money and anguish with an evidenced-based answer to the critical question that should precede any exotic plant investment – Will it grow here?
Garden Club members also take on local beautification projects. Last year the group rejuvenated the circular floral bed in the centre of the Community Garden beside the Millbrook Library, and will continue to maintain that feature this season.
Gardening tends to be a solitary hobby. Club meetings provide opportunity for camaraderie with like-minded neighbours, the chance to learn from local experts and witness interesting gardens through the lens of their creators as well as fellow gardeners. Not a bad investment for $2 per meeting.
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday March 6th, when the topic of discussion is the most common invasive plant species in the area, and learn how to identify and manage them and prevent their trespass into your yard. KG
