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Moncton Season of Garden and Lawn Care Has Arrived for 2008.by Heather Ferguson “When you plant a garden, you plant happiness.” – Confucius The return of the summer birds to our neighbourhoods and the green shoots in our flower beds herald yet another gardening season in Southeastern New Brunswick. A garden encompasses different meanings to each gardener. As individual as its owner, a garden can be cultivated simply to add curb appeal to a property, to address the senses in aroma and beauty, or to be utilitarian as in a kitchen garden or vegetable plot. Whatever the reason, a garden speaks to that holy place within us where the ancient bonds of nature still lie buried – a remnant of that vital relationship that existed between man and nature before the industrial revolution displaced working with the land in the human psyche a little over a century ago. For millennia before that, man depended on the natural world for his existence in a true unison of heart and mind intricately interwoven with his natural setting. As is often the message on the television show, “Recreating Eden,” a garden may have less to do with its contents than in its role as a healing place. Today, it is a well proven fact that gardening is the number one pastime and a growing hobby for a population increasingly in need of the restorative powers of green things that grow. To that end, area nurseries and garden centres are already gearing up for a new season of the colours and wonders of the garden. Early May is the month to prepare the garden for a triumphant summer season. Clearing debris from the previous fall, pruning dead foliage due to winter kill, separating existing perennials, raking up lawns to aerate and make room for new grass shoots are all tasks that will beautify our properties, provide lots of fresh air, and contribute much needed exercise to limbs stiffened by winter chills. May is also a great month to undertake more cosmetic procedures in the garden such as edging flower beds and re-aligning brick or stone borders in readiness for enriching the soil with a fresh layer of peat moss, black earth or the new varieties of soil mixes available on the market today. Springtime is perfect for fertilizing the lawn too! Don’t forget to stop into the nearest garden centre to check out the latest selection of soils, fertilizers, ornamental pool kits, garden tools, perennial shrubberies, and, of course, the ongoing shipments of annuals. Don’t plant your annuals until offer the first full moon in June, though! Until then, frost can stunt their growth and retard full blooms. As early as mid-April local department stores, hardware locations and grocery outlets open their seasonal garden centres. Kent, Home Depot, Walmart, and Canadian Tire all have seasonal greenhouses, and Sobey’s and SuperStore expand their services and hours to accommodate the local gardener. Kent and Home Depot offer How-To Tips and weekly seminars. Check in-store for details. A host of local nurseries includes the brand-new Green Village Home and Garden Nursery recently opened at 50 Lewisville Road in Moncton. Call them at 1-800-450-3388 and inquire about their in-house and guest seminars to take place throughout the summer (there is no schedule available as yet but check their website at www.greenvillage.ca for updates). Others are The Co-op Country Store at 200 Collishaw Street (858-6600), Carrington Gardens at 882 Pine Glen Road (387-6016), Audubon Organics at 655 Mapleton Road (388-8111), John’s Garden Centre at 890 Hillsborough Road (386-1234), and MacArthur Nursery at 232 McLaughlin Drive (859-2727) which is open all year round. Corn Hill Nursery is a favourite destination at 2700 Route 890, Corn Hill, at 756-3635. Enjoy their summer seminars on various topics and call ahead for inquiries. Love flowers? It’s a good idea to contact the Westmorland Horticultural Society as well. See below for their 2008 schedule of events. For perennial and annual bedding plants and container gardens a novel venue can be found at our local farmers markets. Each spring, seasonal vendors expand their wares into the outdoors with area farms providing lovely additions to any garden. At the Marché Moncton Market, Northern Arrow Farms brings in two-year-old flowering perennials by the truckload converting the sidewalk into an earthly paradise in lilies, phloxes, daisies, and a host of other wonderful varieties. Got a special request? Drop in and peruse their lineup of offerings. For one-of-a-kind stone, wood, and metal garden furniture and decorative accents, visit Casual Garden Accents also at the Marché Moncton Market and call ahead at 384-2728 for inquiries. At the Marché Dieppe Market, Tansy Lane Herb Farm has a wide variety of fresh herbs just perfect for rounding out your kitchen garden. Call them at 734-3006. As the summer season draws near, look for other garden additions to the local market scene. Here, you’ll find warmth and camaraderie and an easy shopping environment. The Greater Moncton Area is home to dozens of professional landscape companies which offer a range of services from providing complete lawn and garden installation and maintenance to the design and construction of commercial and industrial lawns and gardens. For commercial organizations, elderly private citizens, or the “green thumb challenged,” the services of a professional landscape company can certainly be the answer to pleasing surroundings with little or no fuss. Lawn Rangers Landscaping at 254 Halifax Street at384-5296, La Rocaille Landscaping at 58 Purdy Avenue at 859-9699, R. Fraser Landscaping at 14 Halifax Street at 858-1107, Price Landscaping Services at 47971 Homestead Road at 858-7800, In Designs at 388-9423, Riverview Lawns and Gardens at 387-5110, and Signature Landscape Ltd. at 121 MacAleese Lane at 854-8733 are just a fraction of top landscapers in the immediate are who can ensure that the joys of a lovely garden and well-groomed lawn can be enjoyed by all. For more information on garden and lawn suppliers, consult the www.localintheknow.com listings of garden centres and landscaping companies in the Greater Moncton and Southeastern New Brunswick Region. Summertime is all about “taking time out to smell the roses” as the age-old saying goes. This summer, surround yourself with the joys of a garden. If you do not own a garden, visit the lovely Bishop’s Park at MacArthur’s Nursery, the breathtaking Cornhill Nursery’s winding garden paths which weave magically through wooded glens and their vine-covered trellised sanctuary, or stop by the grounds at Fair Haven Cemetery which is not just a place of rest but a vibrant life-affirming garden and a popular place to take photographs of wedding parties, graduation events and family gatherings. Lovely blooms can also be found everywhere in Downtown Moncton as the city is an award-winning member of the “Communities in Bloom” program, and don’t forget the Annual YWCA Garden Tour which takes place each July. This summer, relax, unwind, and immerse yourself in a garden somewhere. As all gardeners know, a garden is the place where one can truly look into the face of a flower and see a part of one’s soul reflected there, Happy gardening! Corn Hill Nursery Seminars:
Westmorland Horticultural Society Events:May 2008June 2008July 2008
August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
If you have any questions or would like any further information about up coming events e-mail the Society President (mary.lee.dawson@rogers.com). |
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