President Vic Palmer welcomed over 30 members and guests and the Howick Bloomers to the Clifford and District Horticultural Society meeting on March 22 at the community hall in Clifford.
Guest speaker Linda Henhoeffer said she is proud of the Howick Bloomers and appreciative of Esther Buck for helping with the presentation on gardening. The Bloomers led a series of meetings highlighting pollinators and draw on area gardening enthusiasts for their expertise. They have created the gardens at the hall and library. A grant helped them create butterfly gardens to help the monarch population. They promote planting milkweed and encourage all to attend the farmers’ market and plant sales.
The group offers tours of their own gardens like The Purple Rooster owned by Ron and Linda Henhoeffer which is featured in the Discover the Gardens of Huron-Perth brochure. They enjoyed evenings by the washed out flats and wagon rides to see how storm water is managed. Nibbling on edible plants, touring mushroom farms, and venturing forth to view gardens and castles keeps this group blooming. Their innovative creations produce displays to capture the fall fair themes.
They are especially pleased with the blue spruce planted at the community centre that now stands 20 feet tall and boasts over 400 lights to create a seasonal display. In closing, Henhoeffer offered everyone a sample of “Uncle Dale’s dynamite compost” high in nitrogen content.
Vic Palmer announced that Arbour Day ‘Trees and Quackers’ will be celebrated on April 30 at the Rotary Park on Highway 9 to coincide with the Rotary duck race. He finds the community is blessed with magnificent volunteers who share their time with several groups, but always find time to help with horticulture and the community yard sale to be held June 3 and 4 at the Rotary Pavilion.
He announced the District 7 meeting was held on April 16 in Grand Valley.
The local spring clean up day will be on April 23. All citizens of the community are invited to meet at 10am at the Rotary Pavilion, grab a bag, pick up garbage along the street, park, or playground, and head back to the pavilion for a hot dog lunch.
Membership packages were handed out to volunteer canvassers. The cost to join is $5 and helps the society beautify the community, earn government grants, buy plants, maintain gardens, and host flower shows and information meetings. A membership card also offers privileges such as discounts at five local businesses.
In May, a spring plant and bake sale will be held as well as the spring flower show. Beverley Stableforth will discuss ‘All Things Herbal.’
