Ottawa Horticultural Society

http://www.ottawahort.org

An Enriched Life

As a member of the Ottawa Horticultural Society (OHS) for 38 years, I can say that membership in the Society has truly enriched my life. My husband Maurice was a member until his death in 1985 and he found great satisfaction in working for the Society, first as a member and then as Director, Vice President, President, District Director, and finally as President of the Ontario Horticultural Ass0ciation (OHA) - a great honour.

In 1959, we joyfully set about creating our first garden, making many mistakes in our ignorance. Then in 1961, our neighbour dear Elsa Dunn (who made lovely pressed flower pictures) invited me to join her in attending the OHS meetings, which were held at that time in the old Teachers' College on Lisgar Street. I began to learn how to grow flowers, shrubs, trees and vegetables, and then exhibit in flower shows that catered to the novice as well as the experienced gardener.

Speakers at OHS meetings often presented wonderful slides of famous gardens. This inspired Maurice to buy a camera and visit as many gardens as possible, taking pictures when we went on holidays. The Society's library also yielded some fascinating books, including stories on the experiences of those devoted plant seekers who traveled the world and faced many dangers to bring back trees such as the Ginkgo biloba, and plants such as azaleas and rhododendrons. A 6O-foot high Ginkgo graces my front lawn as a direct result of reading about this ancient tree in the OHS library.

In the 1970s, a speaker from the United Kingdom stayed with us during his visit to Ottawa. In return, he gave us a delightful tour of the Royal Horticultural Society's garden at Wisley when we visited my sister in England. If we had not been OHS members, this would not have been possible.

On a camping holiday in northern Ontario, we saw a flower show advertised in Iroquois Falls. Naturally we attended and had the opportunity to speak with the president of the local horticultural society, who not only invited us to his home but also gave us a tour of the local paper mill. I was amazed at both the variety of plants and how well the plants grew in such a harsh climate. I saw gentians for the first time there.

The Society also provided the opportunity to participate in trips to shows and gardens, such as the Toronto Annual Flower and Garden Show, where the flower arrangements were almost unbelievable in their size and beauty. The annual OHA convention, which is held in a different location each year, was also a great way to make new friends from other societies in Ontario. I first saw miniature arrangements at OHS flower shows and fell in love with them. Now I have a collection of tiny vases that I use every year when the English violets bloom in my garden.

Trees have a special meaning for me. Every summer my son and his wife take me to Rideau Hall to see the beautiful red oak planted by the OHS to commemorate Maurice's work in the Society. A tree was also planted in Windsor at the 1995 OHA convention in recognition of his work as President that year. In addition, a memorial garden planted by the Department of Agriculture in Guelph features a tree in Maurice's honour; I was pleased to be present at this planting. Also, I have been fortunate to attend the plantings of trees in the Experimental Farm honouring the work of Honourary Life OHS members Bill and Gwen Bell.

Looking back, I remember how Sandy Cavaye, Secretary and Treasurer of the Society for over 30 years, always made everyone feel welcome, and how efficiently he coped with the myriad tasks of his position. He truly was "Mr. Horticulture" as someone once called him!

The old and the sick are never forgotten by the Society; I have received some lovely plants from OHS. As the years pass, I think we all realize how fragile our beautiful planet is, and I believe horticultural societies show us how we can all work to save the environment and at the same time make wonderful friends for life.

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