Encouraging and supporting gardening
The Ottawa Horticultural Society is made up of over 300 members who share a love of gardening. Although the growing season in the National Capital Region can seem short at times, it provides plenty of time for growing all sorts of plants, shrubs and trees.
The various links below provide a range of gardening information to help both new and more experienced gardeners.
Whether you are interested in building a garden for annuals, perennials, vegetables or a mix, these articles prepared by OHS member Sheila Burvill provide some of the fundamentals that you need to get started. They are designed to be read as a series but can also be used as reference on a specific topic.
The OHS promotes the use of native plants in gardens. Native plants tend to be more hardy and support native pollinators when in bloom. They bring a range of colour, scent, and pollinator biodiversity to a garden and they can also be useful as cut flowers in our show classes.
The OHS presentation of April 26, 2022 focused on how to build a garden to attract birds. Attached is a list of plants to help encourage birds to your property, and you can also check out these recipes for winter treats that birds will love.
The OHS promotes eco-responsible gardening. Some invasive, non-native plants constitute a significant threat to natural spaces in and around the Ottawa region. These natural spaces include but are not restricted to forests, meadows and waterways. The linked document provides a list of plants to avoid near natural areas as well as some useful links for additional resources.
Do you have seeds that have been lying around for a while? The chart in the link provided gives guidance on the viability of seeds for common fruits and vegetables, herbs, annuals and perennials.
Previous OHS Newsletters
OHS members receive an informative Newsletter four times per year. Issues older than one year are made available to the public here.
These nurseries and businesses provide a discount to OHS members on presentation of a valid OHS membership card. Some restrictions may apply.
There are a number of specialized horitcultural societies as well as organizaitons such as Master Gardeners of Ottawa Carleton that can be an excellent source of information
Gardening questions?
If you have a gardening or plant identification question, ask a Master Gardener at: e-mail: gardeninganswers@mgottawa.ca
To sign up for Trowel Talk, a monthly garden advice e-newsletter, click here: Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton Newsletter.
