The meeting was held on April 20, 2024, and was hosted by Valley Gardeners Club, and was well-attended with 65 attendees from five of the six district clubs: Charing Cross Garden Club, Forties Garden Club, Haliburton Garden Club, Mount Denson Garden Club, and Valley Gardeners Club. Upper Vaughan was absent, but we hope to meet them next year!
We were fortunate to have in attendance Deb Bowes-Lyon our NSAGC Chairperson, and Lori Reid, our District 5 Director. Pat Mora, Valley Gardeners Club President, was Master of Ceremonies.
The day started out with a casual meet and greet. Deb Bowes-Lyon welcomed everyone to the meeting, and then the individual clubs provided their reports.
Carolyn Green & David LaPierre
David LaPierre was our first of three speakers. David spoke about Building Good Soil in the Valley. Over the past six years, David and his family have developed a small farm with his family on their Kentville property. Embracing various permaculture practices, David is passionate about building good soil as a foundation for the garden. They incorporate plant materials from field and forest, various animal manures, and food waste using traditional composting and other techniques such as Hugelkultur and sheet mulching to amend soils, based on simple testing. This work is done to minimize costs and simplify labour needs. David's presentation described these efforts, rooted in soil science and sustainability principles, to promote healthy soil in gardens across the Valley.
Our second speaker was Carolyn Green, a Master Gardener with over 30 years of gardening experience. She spoke to us about Transitioning to a more Sustainable Garden. Gardeners are hearing the message that our gardens should be sustainable and pollinator friendly. But what if you have an existing garden with non-native plants and lawns? Carolyn's presentation outlined a series of steps to help gardeners make changes over time to create a garden that is more diverse, sustainable, and appealing.
Melanie Priesnitz
Our Keynote Speaker was Melanie Priesnitz, Conservation Horticulturalist at the Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens at Acadia University. Her presentation was Gardening for People and the Planet: Discover the beauty of the wild flora of the Wapna'ki Forest and learn why ecological gardening is essential for people and the planet. Gardening with native plants is a great way to give back to the planet and make a difference during this time of climate chaos and biodiversity loss. Introducing native plants to home landscapes helps increase biodiversity, supports wildlife, eliminates the need for pesticides and fertilizers and increases the soil's capacity to store water. During Melanie's talk we learned more about our unique and at-risk forest region and were introduced to a selection of indigenous plants that are great additions to home gardens. Melanie reminded us that how we treat our gardens has an impact on the planet as a whole.
NSAGC Outstanding Members Awards
The NSAGC Outstanding Members Awards were also distributed at the meeting. These awards allow clubs to celebrate members who have made outstanding contributions to their club and/or community. This year's awards went to:
Charing Cross Garden Club has been an active gardening club for 70 years, and received a Recognition Award. Congratulations for achieving that milestone.
The Valley Gardeners Club would like to thank the many local businesses and club members who donated to the silent auction and door prizes. As well, thank you to the District 5 Planning Committee for making the day a success. The Planning Committee included Carolyn Green, Janet Alsop, Susan Taylor, Patti Dexter-Peck, and Carol Dewar. It was a full and informative day!
