Minden & District Horticultural Society
Our Society was founded in 1977 and is a part of the Ontario Horticultural Society (OHA).
We have activities such as an annual plant sale, Flower Show, interesting speakers at monthly meetings, tours, workshops and youth programs. Our members design and maintain the community gardens in Minden.
Ontario Horticulturalists Meet in Minden
The Minden and District Horticultural Society hosted over 120 gardeners from 17 Ontario horticultural societies to conduct business and talk plants on Oct. 19 in Minden. According to long time member Elinor Kernohan “this is only the 2nd time in 45 years that the Minden group has hosted this event. The last time was about 25 years ago.” Delegates from as far away as Coburg and Port Hope were able to take in the beautiful fall colour on their drive north and enjoy a locally catered lunch.
Society President Connie Walker from Carnarvon said, “that volunteers had been working for months to organize this important event for people in the gardening community and our efforts were well received”. Walker singled out Carolyn Perks to thank her for her contributions to the success of the event.
In addition to the comradery, many came to hear from keynote speaker, Paul Zammit. Zammit is a Professor of Horticulture and Environmental Studies at Niagara College, and well-known garden expert heard every Monday on CBC Radio One. He challenged his audience to learn to work with the garden by rethinking what is beautiful. “People come to gardens for more than just pretty plants. They come to relax, to meditate, to photograph insects, and to engage in lifelong learning,” he said. To support wildlife and the food web that all life requires he encouraged his audience to stop tidying up their gardens. He asked his audience to rethink some of their garden practices such as deadheading, bagging up leaves, and growing for size and bloom. “Deadheading your flowers gives you more blooms but don’t forget your garden also feeds the birds and insects,” he said. He urged his audience to do their best to grow more native plants and avoid invasive plants. He said, “not to worry what the neighbours think and practise chop and drop composting where organic matter is left where it is pruned, rake whole leaves onto garden beds because shredding your leaves kills beneficial caterpillars and other life forms.”
The Minden and District Horticultural Society meets monthly to conduct business and hear from guest speakers. With over 70 members, the Society puts on one of the most well attended monthly speaker series in the County. Its meetings are open to non members for a nominal fee of $5 and new members are welcome. No experience required. You can thank the local Society for keeping Minden beautiful. Volunteers put in most of the plantings in Minden Village and along the Riverwalk with support from the township of Minden Hills. You can also thank Society volunteers for redoing the garden beds at the Minden Legion and the Firehall.
