What makes us Canadian? A few nights ago we held our regular monthly garden club meeting.
The meeting room was filled with people of all ages, different ethnic backgrounds and plenty of chatter and laughter. The room was also filled to the brim with plants, fruits and vegetables proudly shared with fellow members.
As president, I stood up front taking in all the activity while “trying not so hard” to keep to a tight agenda. Strangers were gleefully chatting with each other. Our 13 year old member was sitting right in amongst members in their senior years gleaning gardening knowledge for his own garden. One of our mason bee aficionados was sharing his passion for the wee pollinators.
English as a second language is very prevalent in our group. How joyful I feel about this! What better way to communicate with each other than through the love of gardening.
On Canada Day, Richmond Garden Club will be hosting a table at the Steveston Salmon Festival Horticultural Show. This will be our second year participating in this marvellous event. We are surrounded by astounding bouquets of flowers, beautiful freshly grown vegetables, fruit and many different plants, all submitted by folks in our community. Professional horticulture judges adjudicate winners of each category and determine the best in the show.
Our role for the day is to answer gardening questions and showcase all that Richmond Garden Club does to help educate and bring together like-minded people. We showcase best practices in sustainable gardening and help beautify our community.
Participating in Richmond’s Canada Day celebrations behind a table in the Horticultural Show solidifies all that we should be very proud of as Canadians.
The opportunity to share our passion of a gorgeous bouquet of unbelievably fragrant roses with someone who speaks very little english is so delightful. Congratulating a 16 year on her giant thornless raspberries she grew herself, gives us hope for future generations.
To be part of a day where colour of skin, age, abilities and language have no bearing on the love of the natural world, makes me proud to be Canadian.
Richmond Garden Club will continue to work in our community to bring all of us together in a garden so we can talk to each other, respect each other and learn to take care of mother earth through our gardens.
Happy Canada Day.
Lynda Pasacreta is the current president of the Richmond Garden Club. Visit her and her team at Steveston Salmon Festival Horticultural Show at the Net Shed building (indoor tennis courts) at the Steveston Community Centre, 4111 Moncton Street, 12 to 5pm. For more information of upcoming Garden Club events visit richmondgardenclub.ca.
