The Harriston and District Horticultural Society met on recently at Harriston-Minto community centre.
There were hundreds of entries in the Spring Flower Show, with tulips, narcissus, hyacinths, pansies, and flowering branches creating a colourful display. Potted house plants and artistic flower arrangements were carefully examined and commented on by the hard working judge.
Guest speaker Brenda Heenan, from Bolton, showed interesting slides on container gardening featuring potted plants for decks, patios, and window boxes. Some newer plants for containers are Strobilanthes, known as Persian Shield; Pentas Lanceolata, called Egyptian Star Cluster; Celosia Spicata, named Flamingo Feather; and Plectranthus, with varieties called Silver Shield, and Mona Lavender which blooms mid July to frost.
Containers should be lightly fertilized with every watering, and plant bound pots bloom best. Yellow leaves on plants are an indication the plant is hungry for iron and should be fed with Chelated Iron 20-20-20.
The next meeting is June 9, with Paul Knowles, from New Hamburg, speaking on Down the Garden Path.
The annual garden festival will be held on June 7 from 8am to 2pm in Harriston, with several vendors selling interesting and unusual plants, trees, and shrubs. The mystery bus tour on July 19 has room for more passengers.
