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Kanata-March Horticultural Society |
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June 2008 |
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In This
Issue ·
President’s Message ·
Next meeting: June 3rd Ornamental Grasses ·
KMHS Events ·
Heirloom Tomatoes ·
Down the Garden Path ·
Student volunteers ·
Upcoming events Our Meetings Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month (except July and August) at the Old Town Hall, March Road, Kanata. Come at coffee and gardening chat. Guests are most welcome - $5.00 (can
be applied to membership of $15.00 single, $25.00 family) |
Acting
President’s Message for June
Great activity around the Old Town Hall. Planting
and construction is well underway, with all the major trees and shrubs now
planted around the play area. The car park will be completely asphalted as
will the footpath from the play area to the hall entrance. A new patio area
has been constructed at the hall entrance and plinths set in place for two
park benches. We have had a couple of meetings with city staff
on site and agreed on a number of changes to make the gardens easy to
maintain. A water supply has been provided from the existing watering system
over to the new garden area. All our high maintenance concrete block
footpaths will be removed. Large stepping stones inlaid in the lawn will be
used instead. A third park bench plinth will be positioned under the
corkscrew willow tree and the KMHS arbour will be erected over the park
bench. An ideal spot for that memorable photograph. The entrance from March Road will be blocked off
to vehicular traffic with an iron fence and a pedestrian gate positioned for
access to the hall. A new heritage sign has been designed to be positioned on
March Road, indicating the presence of the old building and the gardens
within the grounds. The KMHS has selected all the shrubs and plants
for the new garden area next to the hall and will supervise the planting of
these plants by the city landscape contractor. This garden is going to be a
real gem in Kanata and will really enhance the area around the Old Town Hall. At the last executive meeting we had to take some
extraordinary action. Our treasurer Robert Barta has a new job which
prohibits him from being the treasurer of any organization. whether voluntary
or paid. The executive have agreed to a switching of roles. I will become
treasurer and Robert will become President of the KMHS. The plant sale is on the 31st May at
the Old Town Hall March Road and preparations are well underway. Please make
an effort to come along and help either on the Friday evening or Saturday
morning. It is always busy and a lot of fun. You will also have an
opportunity to see the gardens that are being created around the hall. David
Davidson, KMHS Treasurer |
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Our Next Meeting: June 3rd, Ornamental Grasses: Nancy Seppala
Nancy has been a Master Gardener since 2002. She
is a retired Registered Nurse who now works as a Sales and Marketing
Associate for Green Thumb Garden Centre. Prior to this she created and
operated Blooming Care, a garden design and maintenance business With this depth of gardening knowledge and
experience, Nancy’s talk should be very interesting, as she tells us how we
can use ornamental grasses in every type of garden and how we can select
grasses that will do well in our area. NOTE: please remember to complete the
questionnaire (sent to you in the mail at the beginning of the month) and
bring it to Tuesday’s meeting. The
executive is about to start planning for next year’s activities and really
needs your input to match the 2009 program with your gardening interests. |
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KMHS Events Are you interested in
creating some one-of-a-kind artwork for your garden, Annual Plant Sale: Come
visit our annual plant sale on Saturday, May 31st at the Old
Town Hall (Klondike and March Road), Kanata, from Garden Art Workshop: Rock Wall Gardens just outside Perth is
the setting for our hands-on garden art workshop being held Saturday,
June 21st, from Annual Bus Tour:
A full day trip to the Montreal Botanical Gardens
is happening on Saturday, July 19th. Leave your car at
home and travel by air-conditioned charter bus for a leisurely guided tour of
the gardens. There will also Elizabeth
Stokely, Publicity Director |
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Heirloom Tomatoes Just a reminder of all the different sorts of
tomato plants that will be available at the plant sale on Saturday.
Norma Davidson, Parks coordinator |
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Down
the Garden Path Garden
tours: the
garden tours were started in early September 1974. Sixteen beautiful gardens were visited.
Records of these tours were kept in picture form. Alice
Wilson Woods: in 1971
KMHS became interested in the “conservation woodlot” between the Parkway and
Stephen Leacock Drive. The Council of
March Township purchased the area from the developer and KMHS identified and
labeled the trees growing in the area.
In June 1975, a contest was held to name the wood lot and “Alice
Wilson Woods” was born. A most fitting
name for the conservation woodlot, as Alice Wilson was Canada’s first woman
geologist and spent her life explaining the geology of the Ottawa area. University of Guelph Arboretum:
in 1975, KMHS agreed to make a donation for a period of five years to help in
the development of the new Arboretum at the University of Guelph. This 300
acre block of horticulture would benefit all the horticultural societies for
years to come. The project was endorsed by OHA . Kanata
Produce Market:
KMHS sponsored the Kanata
Produce Market which started in the summer of 1979. The Market was held each Thursday from 6 to
8 p.m. at the Earl of March High School through July, August and September. Eggs, knitwear, preserves, baked goods,
etc. were offered for sale along with plants, flowers and fresh produce. The Market was closed permanently in
September 1983. Gisele Robertson, KMHS Historian |
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Contact
us: Email us at KMHS with your ideas and comments |
Student
Volunteers Do you have a teenager
who needs to complete their volunteer hours? One great way to get in their hours is by
volunteering to help with the summer maintenance at one of the three community
gardens that the Kanata-March Horticultural Society maintains. Or, if
you are an adult who just enjoys gardening and likes the idea of contributing
a few hours in the garden in the company of other Society members, please
contact the Parks Director, Norma Davidson. She can be reached at |
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Key links |
Upcoming Events: June June 12-15th The Ottawa
Valley Rock Garden and Horticultural Society will host the June 14-15th The Ottawa
Botanical Garden Society provides “Over the Hedge”: a country garden tour
with a twist. Visit ten beautiful country gardens located in
Manotick, Merrickville, Kemptville, and Burritt’s Rapids. The “Twist” factor
is the exciting option of participating in a Car Rally (slightly modified) on
your own or with friends while you make your way to visit the gardens. June 17th 7:30
p.m. “Ponds” The Ottawa Horticultural Society presents Richard Inchley, (Richard Inchley, Ponds & Aquaria).
In conjunction with a visit to the Richard Inchley, Ponds & Aquaria site,
also: Peony/iris/early rose/spring flower show. Tom Brown Arena, 141, Bayview Avenue. June 21st,
The tour features six unique homes and six
original gardens in and around Kanata. You are also invited for Afternoon Tea
from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Kanata United Church, 33 Leacock Dr., where you may
browse in our Fifth Avenue Shoppe. Tickets,
which include the tea, are $25 each or two for $40 and are available at
the following outlets: Kiddie Kobbler, Signature Centre, Kanata; Zu Hair
Designs, Van Leeuwen Centre, 420 Hazeldean Road, Kanata; Pretty Pots Flowers
& Gifts, 1528 Main St., Stittsville; and Art Mad, 1300 Main St., near
Napoli's in Stittsville. Tickets are also available by calling June 22nd, |
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Newsletter During
July and August there are no regular meetings and no newsletter—we’re all too
busy in the garden. Your next newsletter
will be up online just before we start our meetings again in September. Happy
gardening to you all, Margaret
Turner KMHS
Newsletter Editor |
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