If this message is not displaying properly, view this email in your browser
Gardeners' Corner at the
Calgary Horticultural Society
Community Gardens—Just Built!
Amidst Stampede celebrations, the sound of drums and birdsong mingle together to create the perfect soundtrack for welcoming a new community garden in the downtown core. The Calgary Chinese Elderly Citizens’ Association and partners have come together to green up a little corner of Chinatown. Raised beds and in-ground perennial gardens provide an oasis for visitors and residents intent on growing healthy vegetables and beautiful flowers. Situated across the street from the river pathway, this new garden site is surrounded by a lush park with playgrounds and lots of space to enjoy the community. All ages can come together here and enjoy all the good things growing in Chinatown. (Joanna Tschudy)
Now Open!
On Saturday, July 10, the Chinatown Community Garden was officially opened with much fanfare. With Stampede celebrations happening around the city, it was fun to make this event part of the festivities. The garden was built by the Calgary Chinese Elderly Citizens' Association (CCECA), but they see it as a community resource to make Chinatown a great place to make a life. Funding for the garden was provided by the Calgary Foundation. The Calgary Horticultural Society provided guidance about materials and bed and garden creation. 

The Chinatown garden was opened with a dragon dance, speeches by honourable guests, a ribbon cutting ceremony, and petunia planting in the first raised bed. After the opening, Joanna Tschudy, the Society's Community Garden Coordinator, led a planting workshop for community members, and leafy green vegetables were planted between the petunias. 

Plans are already in place to expand the garden by adding two more raised beds and a perennial garden on the north side of the site, close to Riverfront Avenue.

It was a beautiful day to open the garden. We look forward to watching it grow.
Photo note, left to right: 1) Liza Chan, Executive Director, Calgary Chinese Elderly Citizens' Association, welcomes guests and shares the story of the importance of the garden for the community. 2) Ribbon cutters (left to right): Natasha Guillot, Executive Director, Calgary Horticultural Society; Sauching Leung, Chinatown Resident, CCECA; Liza Chan, Executive Director, Calgary Chinese Elderly Citizens' Association; Greg McLean, MP, Calgary Centre; Josphine Pon, MLA, Calgary-Beddington, Minister of Seniors and Housing; Aldous Wong, President of Calgary Chinese Elderly Citizens' Association; Joe Ceci, MLA, Calgary-Buffalo; and Julie Black, Calgary Foundation; 3) Petunias—first plants in the garden; 4) Joanna Tschudy joins members of the CCECA gardening team for a photograph. (Deborah Maier)
Bug of the Week!
Let us introduce Tehreem Chughtai. She has joined the Society through a Canada Summer Jobs grant and will be supporting the Society with her background in entomology. As part of her role with the Society, she will be providing a segment about bugs in each Gardeners' Corner e-news. Tehreem, welcome to the Society!

I am thrilled to join the Calgary Horticultural Society team as entomological adviser! What garden pest is better to kick off the “bug of the week” segment than the leaf miner? The term “leaf miner” is behavioural one, referring to insects that lay their eggs on or in leaves so the larvae can feast on the leaf after they hatch. Leaf miner damage is easy to spot on plants—you will see squiggly brown or white lines on your leaves. These trails mark the paths of the larvae in their quest for nutrients.  

Leaf miners love to attack beans, peppers, cabbage, lettuce, trees, ornamental flowers, and shrubs. Although damage can restrict plant growth and decrease plant attractiveness, healthy plants can tolerate considerable injury. At the first sight of leaf miner trails on your leaves, you can pinch the trails between two fingers to effectively remove the larvae from your healthy plants! 

Photo note: Leaf miner trails on (top to bottom) poplar tree, garden pea, and vetch leaves. (Deborah Maier)

Join our Team!
The Society is seeking an Educational Program Assistant to help with our fall and winter programming. The role will support both our in-person and online programs, and special events. To learn about the details of the position and to apply, please see the Indeed posting.
Calgary Gardening—Perennial Herbs
If you've ever had the opportunity to use home-grown fresh herbs in your cooking, you will likely agree they are a treat. However, the bright light needs of tender herbs make them a challenge to overwinter. Have you tried growing hardy perennial herbs instead? Are you intrigued? Read Elaine Rude's article Perennial Herbs for the Garden in the July issue of Calgary Gardening to learn which herbs are hardy here.

To access the magazine, log in to the Members Only section of the website and visit Calgary Gardening. Open the 2021 July issue. 
Garden Myths and Lore—Members Sneak Peek
Mid-July has most gardeners in maintenance mode. It's a great time to be reflecting on the successes and challenges in the garden, and starting the planning for next year. Some gardeners plan by the calendar, some by the moon, and others by changes they observe in the garden. These triggers for gardening activities were discussed by Kath Smyth and Joanna Tschudy during the Garden Myths and Lore session at the 2021 Garden Show. If you weren't able to attend the Show, Society members can watch a video of the session on the See It Here First page under the Members Only Section. The video will be available to all viewers on our YouTube channel in a week. 
Friends and Foes of Your Garden
Join Master Gardener student, Rhonda Schroeder, as she walks around her garden and shares information on the insects and bugs that are part of the ecosystem. This video is now available on our YouTube Channel
ATCO Giving Gardens
We first reported on this project in the June 4 Gardeners' Corner e-news, when Joanna Tschudy (the Society's Community Gardens Coordinator) attended the ATCO Giving Gardens launch to provide advice on planting and caring for the gardens. Gil Tucker (Global News Calgary) recently visited the Giving Gardens and provided a video update that was broadcast on Global TV on July 8. With our warm weather and ample rain, the gardens are growing well. The carrots are about 10 cm tall, the zucchini are flowering, and radishes are being harvested.  Everything looks lush and green. Visit the Global News Calgary website to watch the video
2022 Calendar
Are you pleased as punch with how your garden is growing?
Submit a Photo!

A huge "thank you" to everyone who has already shared their photos and stories. We are looking forward to seeing entries from our members throughout the summer.
Did you complete a garden project? Are you pleased with how it turned out? Did you add a special plant or ornament? Have you harvested your first crop of radishes?

As part of the 2022 Society calendar project, we would like to see a picture and hear about your gardening story—what worked, what you've learned, and what's been inspiring for you! 

Visit our 2022 Calendar Project page under What's Happening to submit a photo that captures your gardening venture and tell us your story. We'll be accepting calendar project submissions until Saturday, September 18 at midnight.

Contributors whose photo or story is used in the calendar will receive a free copy of the calendar. Be part of the 2022 calendar project and share your joy of gardening!

Note: Only one free calendar will be provided to each selected contributor.
 
Summer 2021 Activities!
Visit the What's Happening Calendar for Program Details
To see the calendar, visit calhort.org | What's Happening.
Have questions about programs? Call the office at 403.287.3469 ext.0 and leave a message for Gail.
Open Gardens Videos
We've recently visited a couple more Open Gardens. We will have a new video available by the end of the month.
Visit the Open Gardens Videos page of the Members Only section to watch the video of Cathreen Chow's garden. 
Garden Coaching
Thursday, July 22 from 7:00 to 8:30 pm
Online: Zoom Cloud Meeting
Cost: Free for Society members
Registration is not required
To access the Zoom link, visit the Garden Coaching page in the Members Only section of the website.

Not a member? Join us!

This year, we’ve taken Garden Coaching back to the garden! Join us virtually in the garden as we coach you through the practical gardening tasks during the growing season. (We’re growing our program delivery knowledge as we help you grow your gardening knowledge, so please be patient if we encounter challenges offering “from the garden” broadcasting.)

Watch a live feed of some garden tasks as they are performed and discussed. Share your ideas and ask your questions by participating in the program using Zoom.

Topics for July may include:

  • cutting back annuals
  • harvesting vegetables, onions, and garlic scapes
  • side dressing with compost
  • making compost tea
  • staking all plants
  • what is "bugging" your garden?
Hosts: Michelle Edworthy and guest.
ALCLA Nursery Visit
Saturday, August 7 from 1:00 to 2:00 pm
in-person
Cost: Free for Society members
Register 
OR
Saturday, August 7 from 2:00 to 3:00 pm
in-person
Cost: Free for Society members
Space is limited to 8 people.

Register

These are members only events.
Not a member? Join! 

Members, are you interested in learning more about native plants, specifically those that will do well in Calgary gardens? Join us for this members only nursery site visit. At the nursery, you will be able to see a good selection of native plants propagated by ALCLA Native Plants and have your questions answered by owners Latifa Pelletier-Ahmed and Ben Hartney.

Note: Members may book two tickets when completing their registration, so bring a friend!

Registration closes on Tuesday, August 3.

Affiliate Members
Do you have upcoming events?
Message us on Facebook @calhort and we will share your post.
Yard-Smart Gardening Contest—Only Two Draws Left!
Are you a water-wise gardener? Have you selected plants that are hardy in the Calgary growing environment? Have you installed a rain garden that captures rainwater and keeps it in your yard? Then tell us about what you're doing to make your garden yard-smart by entering our contest.

The contest runs until September 15, 2021. A winner will be selected at random on the 16th of each month for the months of August, and September from the entries received in the period between draws. You may enter only once during each draw period. The prize for the August 16 draw is a copy of the Growing Journal (the Society's gardening journal), a floral tea cup, and a $25 greengate Garden Centres gift card. Please note that you must be willing to pick up the prize from the Society's office.

The Society will use the information gathered from the contest submissions to help with program planning and water-wise gardening awareness. Want to learn more about creating a water-wise garden? Then sign up for a Design Your Yard (DYY) workshop. See the Classes section for dates and more information. The next DYY workshop will be held in September.

To enter the next draw, visit the What's Happening Yard-Smart Contest page before August 16 and complete the entry form.
Plant Share
Join the Society's Plant Share Facebook group and Plant Share Forum to share plants and gardening tools. Being able to participate in these member-to-member exchanges is a benefit of being a Calgary Horticultural Society member. Not a member? Join!
 
Let's Share Plants!
Help us Spread the Word! 
Share the love of gardening! If you enjoy receiving this weekly e-news note filled with workshop highlights, tips, and upcoming events, please invite your friends to subscribe. It's for everyone!  

Forward this email and ask your friends to select this SUBSCRIBE link. They will receive their own copy of Gardeners' Corner in their inbox.
 
Thanks for helping us grow.
Use the buttons below to share the
Gardeners' Corner on Facebook
or email it to a friend.
Share Share
Forward Forward
Have Gardening Questions?
  • Visit the Resources menu on our website and open the Gardening FAQs pages. New questions and answers are posted each month.
  • Society members can sign in to the Members only section of the website and submit their questions to Ask an Expert.
  • Members can post their questions in the Members' Forum and start a member-to-member conversation. We're sure that there is a topic already defined to post your question.

Garden Scout
Now that it's summer, it's time to enjoy the beauty of our gardens. A stroll around the neighbourhood may reveal gorgeous gardens that have were just waiting for warm weather to burst into bloom. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to visit those gardens? 

One of the Society's popular summer activities is Open Garden tours. We are always looking for new gardens to visit. This year, we are offering video tours, but hopefully next year we'll be able to offer in-person garden visits. Now's the time to scout out new gardens for next year's tours.

For more information about being a Garden Scout, visit Get Involved/Volunteer on calhort.org or email volunteer@calhort.org.

Volunteers are a valued resource of the Society. The safety and well-being of our volunteers is important to us. The Society regularly reviews and follows Alberta Public Health measures.

Membership
Need help activating your membership? Give us a call!
The office is open for telephone assistance (403.287.3469), contactless pick-up, and appointments. Office hours are Tuesday–Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Please leave a message if your call is not picked up right away. Gail will return your call. You can also email the Society using office@calhort.org or by visiting Contact Us on the website and completing the form.
Membership—Great Gift for All Occasions!
Consider giving a Calgary Horticultural Society membership as a gift. It's a gift that gives throughout the year—free Member Talks, workshop discounts, merchant discounts (including garden centres), online resources, e-news, e-magazines, and Open Gardens tours. Gift memberships may be purchased online—
visit Membership/Join the Society—or over the phone by calling 403.287.3469. Membership cards are mailed, unless you call the office to make arrangements to pick them up. The individual membership fee is $55 and the senior (65+) membership fee is $35.
 
Society Membership has Benefits!
Summer is here. If you are planning on visiting a garden centre, check out the 'Find a Discount' page on our website to see if they offer a discount to Calgary Horticultural Society members. If they do, be sure to have your valid Society membership card on hand to present at the time of purchase. (Always confirm any promotion with the store before you make a purchase.) If you need to renew your membership and you do not have your renewal reminder email, or need to renew quickly, call the office at 403.287.3469 for assistance and speak to Gail.  
 
Donate
Help Us Grow!
The Calgary Horticultural Society is a registered charity dedicated to cultivating Calgary’s gardening community. Your support helps us continue our mission to enrich the lives of Calgarians by supporting gardening and enhancing the environment through our programs of talks, workshops, and courses. Donations enable the Society to engage Calgarians in Gardening for Life—every donation is appreciated. Thank you for supporting the Calgary Horticultural Society. Donate online.

If you would like to stop by the office (208 50 Avenue SW), please call us at 403.287.3469 to arrange an appointment, and we will be happy to assist you.
 
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Website
YouTube
Email
LinkedIn
Copyright © 2021 Calgary Horticultural Society, All rights reserved.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp