Latest news with #inBloom
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Communities in Bloom Contest Expands to Recognize Yards Across Portage and Southport
A new local beautification initiative is set to launch this summer, aiming to recognize outstanding yards and green spaces in both Portage la Prairie and Southport as part of this year's Communities in Bloom efforts. Cathie McFarlane, a board member with Communities in Bloom Manitoba, said the idea for the contest came after learning the joint Portage and Southport application was not eligible for a national Miracle-Gro competition. Rather than let the opportunity go, the local committee decided to create a homegrown version of their own. 'We thought doing our own contest might actually work out better for residents,' said McFarlane. 'People might be more enthused when it's community-led.' The contest will run from June 23 to August 6, with six properties chosen as winners — four within the City of Portage la Prairie and two in Southport. Committee members from both communities will tour neighbourhoods to identify the standout front yards. Judging will focus solely on the front of properties. 'We're not going into anyone's backyard — just what's visible from the street,' McFarlane said. 'That way it stays respectful and simple.' This year's competition is also expanding beyond residential properties to include commercial properties and non-profit organizations, aligning more closely with the Communities in Bloom goal of fostering civic pride and community involvement. 'We want everyone — individuals, businesses, and organizations — to take pride in their spaces and help make the community cleaner and more welcoming,' McFarlane said. Winners will receive a $15 gift certificate from a local business, with the specific vendors still to be determined. In addition, lasting recognition will be planted in the form of shrubs at a public location in each community. In Portage la Prairie, new shrubs will be added to a section of Island Park to honour the city's winning participants. Southport's winners will be similarly recognized with plantings in one of the many public green spaces in that community. To mark each winning yard, custom 'Communities in Bloom' signs will be designed and placed. Portage Signs & Lettering is currently developing the signage in collaboration with a Southport graphic artist. Throughout the summer, organizers also plan to photograph each winning yard with its sign and may share the photos publicly — though McFarlane noted private homeowner identities and addresses will remain confidential to respect privacy. Business and non-profit names, however, may appear in photos where appropriate. 'There aren't strict rules,' said McFarlane. 'Judges will be looking for yards that are tidy, well-maintained, and show a bit of creativity — whether through flowers, shrubs, or simply a clean, cared-for space.' — Renée Lilley is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Portage Graphic. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
06-05-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Paris plant sale to offer blooming good deals
Garden enthusiasts should mark their calendars as the Paris Horticultural Society will be hosting its annual plant sale at the Syl Apps Community Centre from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., on Saturday, May 10, 2025. The event will feature a variety of over 1,000 non-invasive perennial and annual plant species including heirloom vegetables, herbs, flowers, trees, shrubs, ornamental grasses and several other native plants, which will all be available for purchase. Carol Reansbury, co-president of PHS and co-organizer of the event, said that all of the vegetation available during the sale has been donated from the personal gardens of their roughly 100 society members. 'It's hard to guess how many plants, and what kinds of plants, will be offered each year too because it's all of our members that donate the plants,' she said. 'We get different types of plants each year; so there may be a lot of hostas one year, or a lot of lilies another year, and then we're also more into the native plants, herbs and vegetables now because that's just what a lot of people are interested in.' Reansbury said that the benefit of having their members provide the plants is that you know what will and will not grow well locally. 'All our members are there and so you can ask them about soil and growing conditions,'' she said. 'You also have the perk of knowing that whatever you're buying can successfully grow in the area.' Reansbury also added that because the theme of this year's Communities in Bloom is edible gardens, Mackenzie Sheppard, Forestry and Horticulture Coordinator for the County of Brant, will be there with various fruit and vegetable seeds, and to talk about edible plants. As always, the PHS will also have a master gardener on site to provide tips and tricks for optimal success in transplanting and caring for newly acquired plants, and to answer any general questions about gardening as well. 'They're also wonderful at identifying plants, especially because we have quite a few that haven't bloomed yet,' she said. 'It's nice to have the master gardener there because they often know just by just looking at the plant, what they are and where they grow best, and they can help give you advice for creating the kind of garden you want.' For parents looking to attend the long-awaited event, the plant sale will also feature a Jr. Gardeners Corner where a PHS member will help the youngsters with an activity. Reansbury also said that if there are any plants left by the end of the sale, anything that hasn't been purchased will then be put up for auction. Given that the event is one of the non-for-profit organization's largest fundraisers of the year, Reansbury said that the money raised during the sale will go towards several different initiatives. 'The money we raise goes toward acquiring guest speakers for our meetings, for a bursary for graduating students from Paris District High School who are going into horticulture, environmental science or agriculture, and for public plantings around Paris,' she said. 'We're usually in pretty close contact with the County of Brant these days because we help plant trees and maintain several gardens in the area, which is nice.' The Paris Horticultural Society has been up and running since 1986 and together, members maintain the Paris Cenotaph Gardens and the Garden of Hope. As well, they hold monthly meetings with guest speakers, host several plant sales, flower shows and an annual garden tour in June every year. Reansbury said that overall, herself and the rest of the society members are looking forward to another successful event. 'The preparation for this event usually takes a full year so I think we're all really excited it's finally coming up,' she said. 'I know that for us, it's always nice to see people come in and leave with their arms fulls, especially when the younger people are coming in and asking questions; we just think that's great when we get first time gardeners or people looking to improve what they've done in the past, it's really neat.' For those looking to attend the event, the sale is cash only and there will also be coffee and muffins available for $2. Shoppers are also encouraged to arrive early as there can be a line up to get in. Kimberly De Jong's reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at .
BBC News
14-02-2025
- General
- BBC News
Guildford in Bloom competition returns with butterfly theme
A gardening competition in Surrey has returned this year centred around the theme of butterflies and in Bloom will see green-fingered residents and businesses competing to showcase their show's theme aims to highlight severely declining numbers of butterflies reported in the UK in 2024, organisers for the event are open and will close on 22 June. The event will see Guildford in Bloom team up with Butterfly Conversation Surrey and encourage gardeners to create habitats that will attract butterflies and Spooner, chairman of Guildford in Bloom, said: "This competition offers a unique opportunity for residents to showcase their gardening skills and contribute to the conservation of these vital pollinators."The charity Butterfly Conservation said in September that there had been a "hugely concerning" decline in butterfly numbers of almost 50% - the lowest figures in the 14-year history of its 2025 competition will also feature a new balcony category to promote residents living in blocks of flats to get categories include themed gardens, pubs and businesses in bloom and young gardeners aged between 11 and Schools in Bloom competition will also return with the same butterflies and moths and businesses can enter via the Guildford in Bloom website with a deadline for most categories of 22 Schools in Bloom entries close on 25 May.
