(File photo/northeastnow staff)

By Ben Tompkins

Communities in Bloom

Communities in Bloom proclaim 2022 as the ‘Year of the Garden’

May 13, 2022 | 1:00 PM

With the help of Melfort City Council and the Canadian Garden Council, Communities in Bloom has proclaimed 2022 the Year of the Garden.

The campaign hopes to inspire citizens to learn about the connections gardens and gardening have with many quality of life benefits.

Peggy George, Communities in Bloom volunteer said it was a no-brainer to join the proclamation and promote this campaign within her community of Melfort.

“Just the whole idea of gardening, of nature and of growing your own food and it’s not just so much the gardening, it’s being outdoors being active, enjoying nature, it’s just a whole big package and absolutely we wanted to be on board and part of that.”

She also mentioned how she expects this to brighten up the area and make those who aren’t from around here come back and visit, again and again.

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“This time of the year, we really rev up our energies, and we get outdoors and we try to clean up and we try to encourage the citizens to clean up their areas, their neighbourhoods and show their civic pride,” she said.

“Soon it’s going to be planting season and we’ll see lots of floral baskets and planters around and that just makes it a happy atmosphere and shows people visiting those who live here that people care, and it just brightens up everybody’s world.”

Last year, Communities in Bloom encouraged citizens to plant yellow flowers, which was meant to signify hope. This year, however, the organization has a whole new colour in mind.

“This year, we’re encouraging people to plant red,” she said. “Obviously, you can plant whatever colour you like, but the red is the way of showing respect and honour to those that have lost their battle either to COVID or other diseases, and it’s also showing our love for our country, of Canada.”

And one last thing George was sure to note was the support her organization receives on the daily from city council and the impact it truly has when committing to projects just like this one.

“We are definitely a great partnership,” she said. “We’re all volunteers and although we do not receive money from the city, they are there to back us and to do some of the laborious work that we can’t do that takes special equipment. So, instead of us having to hire it, they help us out whenever they can.”

“The more people that appreciate what we’re doing, the more successful we are and the more successful we are, the better it is for everyone in the community. We look out for each other and we support each other, through good times and bad times. You can’t put a price on that.”

The Year of the Garden will last until the very end of the year and is the Centennial Celebration of Canada’s horticulture sector, marked by the 100th Anniversary of the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association.

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @BenTompkins_8