President's Message - 1959

OHS Yearbook 1959

The President's Message

ELECTION to the presidency of the Ottawa Horticultural Society I consider to be a great honour. A long line of interested and energetic men, together with able assistants as officers, directors and consultants have guided the affairs of the Society to the place of distinction which it holds today. It is, for us, officers and members alike, to maintain in the years to come the high standards which have been set.

The early weeks of 1959 have been occupied in the customary manner of amateur horticulturists in finding entertainment in the perusal of the new catalogues with a resultant dream of the ideal garden with its multitude of perfect blooms and its maze of colour. If dreams' were ever realized, would it not dull the interest of the gardener? Let us take consolation in the knowledge that perfection is an end to be striven for but is unattainable. In the coming summer we can still experience the heights of success and the depths of failure. But failure, in the growing of flowers, is. fortunately, of a temporary and not of eternal quality. So with this 1959 issue of our Year Book may I suggest to all members that a greater number of entrants in the Society’s competitive shows is necessary to ensure continuing interest and Success,. It was with considerable regret that your Directors decided to cancel the Spring Flower Show because of the decline in the number of entrants.

Apropos of shows let us not deprecate our floral efforts. Exhibit your specimen and let competent judges decide its merits. You may not win a prize yet your flowers will bring to some patient in hospital a contact with the great outdoors. Let us be growers of flowers, not just admirers.

A few days ago a member of a well-known Horticultural Supply House, whose well-designed coloured catalogue was then in the press, stated that, notwithstanding ideas current among some customers, the catalogue colors are not in any way comparable to those of well developed blooms. It will be interesting in the coming summer to compare some of our blooms with their respective representations in colour, so that in the opening months of 1960 we will find inspiration in the knowledge that nature, with our help, can improve on the concept of the coloured print.

May you all find joy in your garden this summer.

GEORGE L. ROSSER,
President.

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