Ottawa Horticultural Society

OHS with the FoF Annual Mother's Day Plant Sale 2026
2026-05-10 08:30 - 13:00 (America/Toronto) | Central Experimental Farm, Neatby Bldg., 960 Carling Ave & Maple Dr, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON, Canada
DATE: Sunday May 10, 2026 (Mother’s Day)
SALE TIME: 8:30 am to 1:00 pm
LOCATION: Central Experimental Farm, Neatby Building, 960 Carling Ave. and Maple Drive
CONTACTS:
OHS/FoF Plant Sale Coordinator: ottawahortweb@gmail.com
General Info/ OHS Member Sign Up: ottawahortweb@gmail.com
QUESTIONS?
Would you like to sign-up now? Please contact ottawahortweb@gmail.com using subject line: Plant Sale Volunteer.
DAY OF SALE
Date: Sunday May 10, 2026 (Mother’s Day)
Place: Central Experimental Farm, Neatby Building, 960 Carling Avenue
Parking: along Maple Drive
Shifts:
7:00 – 10:00 am – help with setup of the OHS tables, and sales;
10:00 am to 2:00 pm – help with sales, and take-down/ clean-up of OHS tables.
BOXES NEEDED!
Members: start saving cardboard boxes suitable for buyers to carry their plants. Please bring them to our next in-person meeting on April 28, 7 pm at St. Mark’s Anglican Church, 1606 Fisher Avenue, Ottawa.
PLANT DONATION DROP OFF
From: Sunday May 3 to Friday May 8
Place: 216 General Avenue, Ottawa.
NOTE: If donated plants come from your garden, please wash roots and pot up in sterile soil. If you are unable to do so, NO PROBLEM! Just make note of this when plants are dropped off.
PREP AND POTTING-UP LOCATION AND OVERVIEW
Location: 216 General Avenue (near Fisher Avenue, west side of The Farm)
Friday and Saturday, May 8 & 9: Pot-up, Label and Price plant donations.
PREP AND POTTING-UP SCHEDULE DETAILS
Friday, May 8 – 9:30 am to 12 noon and 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm
Saturday, May 9 – 9:30 am to 12 noon.
TRANSPORTATION
Saturday May 9: Pick up plants at any time from 216 General Avenue, for delivery to the FofF Sale on Sunday May 10 morning, between 7:10 and 7:40 am.
HOW TO HELP
Contact OHS/FoF Plant Sale Coordinator ottawahortweb@gmail.com using subject line: Plant Sale Volunteer. A sign-up sheet for shifts and tasks will also be available at the OHS April 28 in-person meeting (7 pm at St. Mark’s Anglican Church, 1606 Fisher Avenue, Ottawa).
THANK YOU EVERYONE!
We look forward to seeing you there for another successful sale!

A Team Approach to Protecting Canada’s Biosecurity: How a Detector Dog and His Handler Work Together on This Important Issue
2026-04-28 19:00 - 21:00 | St Mark’s Anglican Church, 1606 Fisher Ave, Ottawa, Ontario, K2C1X6, Canada
In-person presentation by Matthieu Morin, Food, Plant and Animal K9 Officer, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)

Join us for a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) works to protect Canada's environment and agriculture. In this unique presentation, a CBSA officer-- partnered with a highly trained detector dog-- will demonstrate how they work together to prevent the introduction of invasive pests, plant diseases and prohibited soil or plant materials at our borders. Learn about the critical role these canine teams play in protecting our gardens, farms and ecosystems from biosecurity threats and discover what you can do to support this vital mission.
Speaker ProfileMatt Morin, an experienced Food, Plant and Animal K9 Officer with expertise in the subject of importation of food and plants, has over 15 years experience sharing his knowledge with various audiences. Over these past several years, he has delivered demonstrations and educational talks to a wide range of audiences, including the public at universities, high schools, fairs and other community events as well as internal stakeholders at CBSA. His experience and engaging presentation style have helped raise awareness about the importance of biosecurity and the role of border services in protecting Canada's agriculture and environment.
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Discover the Full 2026 Speaker Lineup
We invite you to explore inspiring season of presentations curated by our Speaker Series Program Leads. Follow the link below to view the complete lineup of speakers, learn about their areas of expertise, and dive into their profiles. It’s a remarkable collection of voices shaping the horticultural conversation in Ottawa and beyond.
View the Speaker Series 2026 Program

Food For Life: How Some Organizations in Ottawa Are Addressing The Food Insecurity Gap
2026-03-24 19:00 - 21:00 | St Mark’s Anglican Church, 1606 Fisher Ave, Ottawa, Ontario, K2C1X6, Canada
This panel of community leaders, experts and speakers from the Ottawa area, who are actively working to address food insecurity in our community, will be joining us to share some important and encouraging information. Learn how innovative gardening initiatives, urban agriculture and special community partnerships are helping to bridge the food gap. Discover how horticulture can play a vital role in creating a more equitable and sustainable food system and how dedication, commitment and hope can help fill the food insecurity gap.
Peter TilleyCEO, Ottawa Mission

Peter Tilley has been the CEO of The Ottawa Mission since June 2013. The Ottawa Mission is one of Canada’s largest and most innovative downtown shelters for the homeless, providing a full range of services to those in its sector.
Prior to The Mission, Peter served for 14 years as the Executive Director of the Ottawa
Food Bank, leading that organization to become recognized as one of the most visible, progressive and respected food banks in Canada.
Peter has served as a part-time professor at Algonquin College, where he taught Non-profit Management and Strategic Planning & Leadership. Peter was a 2012 and 2017 Ontario Premier’s Award nominee; in 2017, he was recognized as one of Algonquin College’s top Alumnus members at its 50-year celebration ceremony.
He currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Ottawa Inner City Health and is on the board of the Alliance To End Homelessness Ottawa. Peter volunteers with several Ottawa-based organizations.
He is the Father to an amazing daughter, Samantha, and has recently been blessed with a beautiful granddaughter, Skylar.
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Nelson CoyleCarlington Community Health Centre (Board Director) and Founding Member of the Healthful Food Working Group

Nelson Coyle is an agricultural economist and a retired professional agrologist. He held policy and communications roles at the Canadian Dairy Commission, Chicken Farmers of Canada, the House of Commons office of the federal NDP Agriculture and Food critic and the National Farmers Union. He grew up on a small egg and market garden farm near Roseneath in Eastern Ontario. He has had an allotment garden on Kilborn Avenue for 40 years and began volunteering as a gardener in the community after early retirement in 2011. He is a founding member of the Healthful Food Working Group which is a joint project of the Carlington Community Association and the Carlington Community Health Centre.
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Carla De CiccioDirector of Marketing, Growcer

Carla De Ciccio leads marketing at Growcer, where she helps scale purpose-driven initiatives that make local food production more accessible and sustainable. With nearly 15 years of experience across technology, higher education, and healthcare, she has focused her career on growing organizations that drive social impact. Carla holds an MBA in Innovation and
Entrepreneurship from the University of Ottawa and believes the most meaningful work happens when communities, ideas, and people grow together.
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Cecilia Lee: Ottawa Horticultural Society Board Member and Co-coordinator of the Community Impact Program

Cecilia Lee, is an Ottawa Horticultural Society Board member who has played a key role in the past year in co-leading the Society's Community Impact Program, where financial assistance has been provided to various organizations in Ottawa, some of which involve community gardens where food is being shared with food banks and those in need. Her interest in gardening stems from childhood where her family had a home garden to grow produce not easily found in the Maritimes, where she grew up.
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Tom Robson: Coordinator, Community Harvest Farm (Ottawa Food Bank)

Tom Robson has played a key role in the Community Harvest Farm coordination the operations for the past 6 growing seasons. The Community Harvest Farm, one of the Ottawa Food Bank's active programs, produces over 150,000 lbs of mixed produce per season, to increase the quality and quantity of fresh and healthy food that is being distributed to emergency food programs across Ottawa. Moreover, the farm is “people-powered” by engaging over 1,100 volunteers per season, who collectively provide over 5,000 hours of service to support the farm's goals. Prior to the Community Harvest, Tom spent many seasons working for vegetable farms in the charitable and education sectors.
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Discover the Full 2026 Speaker LineupWe invite you to explore inspiring season of presentations curated by our Speaker Series Program Leads. Follow the link below to view the complete lineup of speakers, learn about their areas of expertise, and dive into their profiles. It’s a remarkable collection of voices shaping the horticultural conversation in Ottawa and beyond.
View the Speaker Series 2026 Program

Seed Swap!
2026-03-24 18:45 - 19:30 | St Mark’s Anglican Church, 1606 Fisher Ave, Ottawa, Ontario, K2C1X6, Canada
Sprout Something New at the OHS Seed Swap!

Integrated into our March Speaker Series on evening of March 24, 2026, from 6:45 - 7:30 pm, the OHS will also be hosting its annual "Seed Swap!"

Swap your extra seeds, or simply come explore! Veggie and food‑plant seeds especially encouraged. Packaged, labelled seeds appreciated, but not required.

Seedy Saturday
2026-03-07 10:00 - 15:00 | Emmanuel United Church, 691 Smyth Road, 691 Smyth Road, Ottawa
Ottawa Seedy Saturday will take place March 7th 2026 10-3 at Emmanuel United Church, 691 Smyth Road, just east of the General Hospital and on bus route #5.
Seedy Saturday hosts seed vendors from across East Ontario and West Quebec selling heirloom varieties of seeds adapted to our climate and geography. At our Seed Exchange Table customers are invited to donate any seeds that they do not need, in exchange for free seeds that they do need.
Free presentations on seed saving and organic gardening will run throughout the day. Craft vendors, baking and hot lunch will round out the day.
For up-to-date information on confirmed vendors, check the Kilborn Allotment Gardening Group on Facebook, or email altavistaseeds@gmail.com
🍃 🍃 🍃 🍃 🍃🍃 🍃 🍃 🍃 🍃🍃 🍃 🍃 🍃 🍃🍃 🍃 🍃 🍃 🍃🍃 🍃 🍃 🍃 🍃
Le Samedi des Semences d'Ottawa aura lieu le 7 mars 2026 entre 10h et 15h à l'Eglise Unie Emmanuel, 691 rue Smyth, à l'est de l'Hôpital Général et sur la route d'autobus #5.
Le Samedi des Semences accueille des vendeurs de semences de l'est de l'Ontario et de l'ouest du Québec, qui proposent des semences du patrimoine adaptées à notre climat et notre géographie. A la Table des Echanges de Semences, on accepte des donations de semences, et on offre des semences gratuites en échange.Des exposés sur une variété de sujets liés à l'agriculture biologique seront offerts pendant la journée.
Pour les mises à jour concernant les vendeurs confirmés, vérifiez la page Kilborn Allotment Gardening Group sur Facebook, ou écrivez-nous au altavistaseeds@gmail.com.

Organic Gardening for the Home Gardener
2026-02-24 19:30 - 21:00 | On-Line Presentation
Pat Lucey, Gardening Instructor, Canadian Organic Growers.

Organic Gardening for the Home GardenerThis engaging talk by an experienced organic farming specialist has been tailored specifically for the home gardener. Learn practical tips and techniques to grow healthy, chemical-free plants while nurturing your soil and nourishing your health. If you are looking to be inspired and to deepen your knowledge, this session will provide practical and eco-friendly strategies for a thriving organic garden. Join us for what promises to be a very diversified and interesting session.
Speaker profilePat Lucey, a retired software engineer, grew up in a gardening family, with parents who were raised in gardening families, and they were all organic gardeners (although they would not have been familiar with this term back in the first half of the 20th century). Pat and her husband Gary have been active in the organic farming and gardening movement for over 35 years, and have raised their kids out in the country on their organic homestead farm.
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Discover the Full 2026 Speaker LineupWe invite you to explore inspiring season of presentations curated by our Speaker Series Program Leads. Follow the link below to view the complete lineup of speakers, learn about their areas of expertise, and dive into their profiles. It’s a remarkable collection of voices shaping the horticultural conversation in Ottawa and beyond.
View the Speaker Series 2026 Program

Combating Invasive Plants: Tackling the Phragmites in Ontario
2026-01-27 19:30 - 21:00 | On-Line Presentation
Matt Bolding, Ecologist and GIS Professional, invasive Species Program Coordinator, Ducks Unlimited Canada (Eastern Region).

Combating Invasive Plants: Tackling the Phragmites in OntarioInvasive Phragmites australis is an invasive grass that has had a devastating impact on the environment in Ontario and continues to cause a serious impact on both our natural ecosystems and on our human infrastructure. Phragmites management is costly and requires several years of effort, both in management and monitoring for the potential re-invasion of Phragmites into previously managed areas. A new tool for use in Phragmites management, biological control, was approved for release in Canada in 2019 following two decades of research. This presentation will speak to how the biological control agent functions, and the status of the efforts to integrate biological control into our existing Phragmites management toolkit.
Speaker profileMatt Bolding has been involved in wetland research for over a decade, working across Canada in many different habitats, including the Prairie Pothole Region, Rocky Mountains, and the Great Lakes. He has led numerous research projects in Ontario dealing with invasive species management, species at risk, and coastal wetland restoration in the marshes of Long Point and Rondeau, on Lake Erie. Matt started at Ducks Unlimited Canada in August 2023 and coordinates Ontario’s invasive species program, which includes supporting research into biological control for invasive Phragmites,the development of new tools to track aquatic invasive European water chestnut and water soldier and coordinating collaborative Phragmites management in Eastern Ontario for the Ontario Phragmites Action Program.
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Discover the Full 2026 Speaker Lineup
We invite you to explore inspiring season of presentations curated by our Speaker Series Program Leads. Follow the link below to view the complete lineup of speakers, learn about their areas of expertise, and dive into their profiles. It’s a remarkable collection of voices shaping the horticultural conversation in Ottawa and beyond.
View the Speaker Series 2026 Program

AGM & Holly Jolly Social
2025-12-09 19:00 - 21:00 | St Mark’s Anglican Church, 1606 Fisher Ave, Ottawa, Ontario, K2C1X6, Canada
Your Invitation to the OHS Holly Jolly Social
Members, please join us for our annual holiday social and AGM on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at 7 p.m. at St. Mark’s Church.
It’s the perfect time to bring out the bling, slip into your favourite festive outfit, and sparkle with holiday cheer. Celebrate friendships old and new while enjoying a spread of delicious holiday appetizers, desserts, and beverages. Please bring a festive finger food to share!
The evening will feature decorated tables, awards, door prizes, and plenty of seasonal treats. Together, during our AGM, we’ll look back on the highlights of the past year, celebrate some special volunteers and get a glimpse of what’s ahead.
We can’t wait to celebrate with you. See you there!

The Native Bees In Our Backyards
2025-11-25 19:00 - 21:00 | St Mark’s Anglican Church, 1606 Fisher Ave, Ottawa, Ontario, K2C1X6, Canada
* Effective September 23rd, all in-person presentations will be held at St. Mark's church, 1606 Fisher Avenue, Ottawa. Free parking available behind the church.* OHS online presentations will be streamed live via Zoom (link provided to members in the Grapevine newsletter), and later posted on the OHS YouTube channel for those unable to attend.* Presentations begin at 7:30 PM, following the OHS announcements and refreshment period from 7:00-7:30 PM.
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In-person meeting presentation: Dr. Jessica Forrest, Associate Professor, Faculty of Science (Biology Department), University of Ottawa
Eastern Canada is home to approximately 400 species of native bees. Many of these species manage to coexist with us in our cities and farmlands, visiting flowers and pollinating both crops and wild plants. Yet these native bees often labour in obscurity, while non-native honey bees receive most of the attention and credit. In this talk, Dr. Forrest will discuss the life histories and floral requirements of wild bees, highlighting the diversity of bees that occur, often unnoticed, in urban settings. She will end her talk with some tips on how gardeners and homeowners can become better acquainted with and support the native bees and other pollinators in our backyards.

BioDr. Jessica Forrest is an Associate Professor in the Biology Department at the University of Ottawa, where her lab (https://forrestlab.wordpress.com/) conducts research on the ecology and evolution of wild pollinators, especially native bees, and their interactions with plants. Jessica teaches upper-level ecology courses, in French and English, and serves as Co-Director of the Biology Department’s graduate program. She is also a subject-matter editor at the journal Ecology. She and her students (and her dog, Oscar) do field work in the Colorado Rocky Mountains and in the many green spaces—agricultural, urban, and natural—around Ottawa.

OHS 2025 Photo Competition
2025-11-01 08:00 - 2025-11-21 22:00 | Online Competition
Voting Now Open & View the Photo Galleries
This year’s theme was “The Garden is Your Canvas,” drew a vibrant array of entries.
Thank you to all members who submitted photos to this year’s competition! OHS Members are invited to view the stunning photo entries and cast their votes for top picks in each class and the overall “Best in Competition.” Voting closes November 21 at 10:00 PM EST.
Gallery Link: View Gallery
Voting Link: Voting Form
Good luck to all our talented entrants!
Winners Announcement:Winning entries will be revealed at the OHS Annual General Meeting (AGM) on December 9th 2025. The winning images will be posted on the website later that month.
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Additionall info from earlier this year:

Download the PDF poster: Includes key contest details, class descriptions, entry rules, and more. Click here to view
Explore the full contest webpage: To explore the contest in full detail with rules, judging catergories, and all submission guidelines, visit the OHS 2025 Photography Competition page

Fusion® Gardening
2025-10-28 19:00 - 21:00 | St Mark’s Anglican Church, 1606 Fisher Ave, Ottawa, Ontario, K2C1X6, Canada
* Effective September 23rd, 2025, all in-person presentations will be held at St. Mark's church, 1606 Fisher Avenue, Ottawa. Free parking available behind the church.* OHS online presentations will be streamed live via Zoom (link provided to members in the Grapevine newsletter), and later posted on the OHS YouTube channel for those unable to attend.* Presentations begin at 7:30 PM, following the OHS announcements and refreshment period from 7:00-7:30 PM.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In-person meeting with online presentation: Sean James, Horticulturist, Master Gardener, and owner of Sean James Consulting and Design.
Fusion® Gardening:Encouraged by many municipalities and regions, Fusion Gardening® blends LID (rainwater handling) with xeriscaping (drought-tolerant gardening) and enfolds plantings to enhance biodiversity. One of the main foci of this style is to engage the public with beauty. Since it so important that property owners take up this gauntlet, Sean James will address the backbone of each of these disciplines, and discuss how to do each artfully. With climate change, storms are becoming stronger and less predictable. Droughts are getting longer. Many of us seek to use our gardens to do ‘Good’ for biodiversity. Fusion Gardening® does all these things by minimizing water use, keeping the water that falls on our property ON our property, and, through the favoring of native and wildlife-supporting plant choices, this method of gardening supports the life that visits our yards.

Bio: Sean owns ‘Sean James Consulting & Design’. Named by Landscape Ontario as 2020 and 2021’s Garden Communicator of the Year, gardening has been Sean James’ passion and profession for over 40 years. A graduate of Niagara Parks School of Horticulture, a Master Gardener, writer, and teacher, Sean focuses on eco-gardening techniques. He has spoken at events from the Maritimes to Seattle and landscaped from Switzerland to California. He had the honor of being part of creating many important reference tools for landscapers, gardeners and educational institutions. He has chaired the Environmental Stewardship Committee for Landscape Ontario and the Environmental Committee for the Perennial Plant Association and has been featured on radio and television, including filling in for Paul Zammit occasionally on CBC’s ‘The Gardening Show’.” ~

Mini Eco Fair
2025-10-28 18:45 - 19:30 | St Mark’s Anglican Church, 1606 Fisher Ave, Ottawa, Ontario, K2C1X6, Canada
* Effective September 23rd, 2025, this Mini Eco Fair will be held at St. Mark's church, 1606 Fisher Avenue, Ottawa. Free parking available behind the church.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Be sure to arrive a little early on Tuesday October 28, the same night that well-known gardendesigner Sean James will be presenting his talk. OHS has also organized a little eco-fair thatsame night.
Members who attend this in-person meeting will be able to participate in an indoor plant exchange. Bring a plant, trade a plant, so remember to bring one with you. We are also fortunate to welcome the Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library, whose presence is always popular.
Their volunteers will bring some native seeds for winter sowing and will distribute them at no charge. In addition, the City of Ottawa will be represented that night with materials available on their Rain Ready Ottawa program, designed to reduce rainwater runoff and prevent contamination in our local waterways. Finally, Canadensis volunteers have organized a project to grow rare and endangered native tree seeds, with several OHS members assisting them. So, we have invited skilled young native tree grower, Jethro Kastner, to join us. Jethro is fifteen years old, a student in Grade Ten, who has nailed the art and science of sowing native tree seeds. We can all learn from his wisdom.
With tables set up around the room, there should be plenty of opportunity to meet our guestsand ask questions. We hope to get started about 6:45 p.m. that night, with refreshments available asusual. Our talk begins at 7:30 p.m.
Please take time to join us in person, mix and mingle, andmeet our eco-fair participants.

How is Your Garden Doing as the Gardening Season Comes to an End?
2025-09-23 19:00 - 21:00 | St Mark’s Anglican Church, 1606 Fisher Ave, Ottawa, Ontario, K2C1X6, Canada
* Effective September 23rd, all in-person presentations will be held at St. Mark's church, 1606 Fisher Avenue, Ottawa. Free parking available behind the church.* OHS online presentations will be streamed live via Zoom (link provided to members in the Grapevine newsletter), and later posted on the OHS YouTube channel for those unable to attend.* Presentations begin at 7:30 PM, following the OHS announcements and refreshment period from 7:00-7:30 PM.
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How is your garden doing as the gardening season comes to an end. Best tips and lessons learned from the perspective of garden centre owner, Mary Reid, owner of the Green Thumb Garden Centre
Mary Reid, Master Gardener and owner of the Green Thumb Garden Centre (and regular guest on the CBC weekly noon Garden Show), will share her wisdom and lessons learned that she has acquired during her busy and long career in the horticulture industry. Her unique sense of humor will be sure to entertain you.

Bio From teacher to banker to garden centre owner, Mary Reid matches the description of a multi-talented person. She grew up in a family of gardeners, worked as a gardener during her summers at university, and still finds time to garden at home. Mary uses her many skills and extensive experience to run a popular and successful garden centre, the Green Thumb Garden Centre. She is a member of Landscape Ontario, a CLP (Certified Landscape Professional) and volunteers as a Master Gardener. Mary enjoys speaking to various local groups and can occasionally be heard skillfully answering questions on the CBC Ontario Today noon show on Mondays.
~Check out this recent Globe and Mail feature on Mary Reid. An insightful article highlighting her expertise and contributions Mary Reid ~
