About Us
We have news about our monthly meeting date - it will now be the last Thursday of the month. Join us each month at the Grimsby Livingston Activity Centre at 18 Livingston Ave. We begin at 7:00 p.m. with social time. Whenever the pandemic is active, meetings will be on line via Zoom.
The mission of the Garden Club is to further the knowledge and interest in horticulture, and related environmental issues in the community, along with being dedicated to the beautification of our community’s public and private spaces.
We are affiliated with the Ontario Horticultural Association, which has led Ontarians in all things horticultural since 1906. There are 19 Districts, with 285 local societies and over 40,000 members. We have more than 100 garden club members who contribute thousands of hours a year to public service.
Grimsby Garden Club 2022 – Year in Review
The Grimsby Garden Club enjoyed many accomplishments this year and met the on-going challenges of today’s environment with continued determination and cooperation. Many thanks to all our members, old and new, our volunteers and our community partners for participating in this highly successful season.
Speaker Series
The Club was able to seamlessly transition from internet (Zoom) meetings to in-person gatherings as health restrictions were eased throughout the Province. Throughout this well received series, we were informed and entertained by an excellent array of speakers touching on a wide variety of topics that were stimulating and practical. An essential component of our monthly membership meetings, the Speaker Series is our vehicle to explore the many avenues of horticultural interests and permits a penetrating examination of various areas of interest.
Annual Plant and Tree Sales
Once again, the Annual Plant Sale and Earth Day Tree Sale were great successes because of the tireless efforts of our Chair, Liza Fuller, whose expertise and commitment enables the Garden Club to connect and engage with the community and produce highly successful outcomes. Many thanks to Liza and to the many volunteers that helped make this possible. And a special thanks to our community partners and the Town of Grimsby for their continued support of our continuing efforts to maintain and enhance the beauty of Grimsby.
Grimsby Garden Tour 2022
After a three-year hiatus, the highly anticipated Grimsby Garden Tour brightened the summer season with a spectacular display of Grimsby gardens. Ranging from the elaborate ornamental to the elegant and functional, these gardens gave visual testimony to our Club’s commitment to the beautification of Grimsby. With over 400 attendees from the GTA and Niagara region, Grimsby was wonderfully showcased for all to see. Many thanks to the Tour chair, Deena Errampalli, and the host of volunteers that made this Tour so special.
Trillium Awards Program
The annual Trillium Awards Program, in collaboration with the Town of Grimsby, enjoyed another year of recognizing the beautiful gardens of Grimsby. A special thank you to the many gardeners who participated in this annual event and for the ceaseless care and attention of their gardens which enhances the beauty of our Town. Many thanks as well to the Trillium judges who were able to enjoy these horticultural wonders during the selection process and a thank you from this year’s Trillium Chair, Club President Stephen Hargrave, who was tasked with the truly delightful duty of delivering the Trillium Award medallions to the winners.
Civic Improvement
Many thanks to our Directors of Civic Improvements, Karen Gough and Denise Carter, for their continued commitment to enhancing the beauty of Grimsby with the selection and maintenance of the Downtown hanging baskets, planters and, in particular, the Elm Street beds transformations by Denise and the volunteer team. And a special thanks to our community partners for their on-going support of these efforts.
Volunteer Recognition
A special thank you to Marylin Cornwell for her tireless efforts in maintaining the Club’s social media presence and support of our extensive activities and to our Club Membership Chair, Mary McLaren, for her continued, indispensable assistance, guiding us to our present level of 160+ members. And to Susan Rigato, our Club Secretary for her invaluable contributions and guidance and to our Treasurer, Joe Fisher, for his ceaseless, successful, efforts to maintain the sound, healthy finances of club and his sage advice. And finally, and most importantly, a grateful, heartfelt thank you to our many volunteers who enable the Club to energetically engage in the myriad of programs and activities that we undertake. Because of their generous support, the Grimsby Garden Club can look back at a highly successful year and look forward to an even brighter new year.
Thank you all for your continued commitment to the Grimsby Garden Club throughout the year and let us look forward to the many opportunities that await us in the next.
Stephen Hargrave
President, Grimsby Garden Club
Minutes of Annual General Meeting 2022, prepared by Sue Rigato
Monday, November 28, 2022 at The Livingston Activity Centre
CLICK HERE
Message from our President Stephen Hargrave January 2022
The Grimsby Garden Club wishes to welcome everyone, current members, new members and potential members, to another year of horticultural celebration.
This will be an exciting, and very busy, year for the Club and our supportive membership. 2022 is the “Year of the Garden” throughout Canada as well as the 100th Anniversary of the Town of Grimsby.
The Grimsby Garden Club will host the Monthly Speakers Series at our General meetings which are held on the last Monday of each month at the Livingston activity Centre located at 18 Livingston Avenue Grimsby ON. And yes, beginning Monday, April 25, 2022 we will be holding in-person meetings starting at 6:30pm. For those who are not comfortable with attending at this time, we will be offering a virtual simulcast on Zoom so that you can continue to partake in the informative and always entertaining Speakers Series. Please join us to meet, discuss and enjoy tea, coffee and baked goods!
There will also be many events and initiatives this year which will include:
Earth Day Tree Sale April 22
Annual Plant Sale June 3
Trillium Awards July 8
Grimsby Garden Tour July 16
National Tree Day Sale September 22
We ask all members to participate and perhaps volunteer your time and efforts to help ensure that each of these popular events are an outstanding success! Your continued help and support are the reasons for the Grimsby Garden Club’s continued horticultural achievements.
It will be a fun and exciting time for everyone enjoying this year’s offerings and we hope you will join us and help celebrate another glorious year in your garden!
Thank you all and see you soon!
Stephen Hargrave
President Grimsby Garden Club
Grimsby Garden Club
Minutes of Annual General Meeting 2021, prepared by Sue Rigato
Monday, November 29, 2021, Online via Zoom
January 18, 2021 A message from Roberta Blackie, our President: What a year 2020 was for organizations like the Grimsby Garden Club. We changed the way we conducted all of our activities - and completed them all. I remember feeling confident that in 2021 we would be able to meet in person once again, plan all the events we enjoy so much and continue to help beautify Grimsby; just as we always had in the past. Well, didn’t 2021 come roaring in with a different idea! I would like to reassure you that we are working hard to stay connected. You will be able to enjoy our monthly speakers via Zoom. If you haven’t had the opportunity to attend a meeting via Zoom please give it a try. I have no doubt you will enjoy it. Our presence on Face Book and Instagram are other ways to stay in touch and get some great gardening ideas. Be sure to follow Grimsby Garden Club on either or both! In fact, invite friends to like our pages and share our posts. As much as the Board is working to keep things going we need your help. Over 80% of our members rejoin from January to March at our meetings. Even though you can’t renew in person this year, we do need you to renew as usual. Membership numbers are very important to the future of Grimsby Garden Club. You will be hearing more about how to rejoin from our Membership Chair, Mary McLaren. When I say we need you it isn’t just for your membership fees (although this is critical to sustain our various programs). We always need volunteers to help with our events. I know we can count on all of you to keep Grimsby Garden Club strong. You can be sure that when we can all mee Yours in Gardening Roberta Blackie, President |
Report for 2020 from Past-President Stephen Hargrave
The Grimsby Garden Club had an outstanding 2020 and we want to thank our members for their invaluable support and the good citizens of Grimsby for their interest and participation in our yearly events and programs. I encourage everyone to embrace our Club mission to maintain and beautify our home of Grimsby.
The Monthly Speakers Series of 2020 presented entertaining, informative speakers on a host of captivating topics. Although in-person meetings had to be suspended due to the pandemic, the club successfully pivoted to an online format and carried on. Thank you to Joe Fisher, the club's treasurer, for taking the technical lead and facilitating our online Zoom meetings.
The Annual Plant Sale was a great success in 2020 despite the challenges of the pandemic. A special thanks to our Plant Sale Chair, Liza Fuller, for her perseverance and quick adaptation to pandemic social distancing protocols. Liza’s innovative use of online pop-up plant sales and traditional sales resulted in one of the most successful plant sales for the club. Many thanks Liza and to all the volunteers who donated their time and efforts to make this such a success.
Our Trillium Program recognizes the outstanding gardens of Grimsby. With the support of the Town of Grimsby, this year's event received over 200 nominations, with 70 winners. Thank you to our Trillium Chair, Sue Rigato, and all the judges and volunteers and sponsors for making this happen.
Thank you to Wendy Frank and Beth Sommers for continuing to award the Garden of the Month to tireless gardeners who demonstrate a love of gardening.
Our community gardens were maintained through our hot dry summer - thank you club volunteers! With Town and DIA support, our downtown was beautified with seasonal planters and baskets. Thank you to Betty Repa for heading up civic improvements.
Special thanks to Mary Mclaren and Marilyn Cornwell for ongoing support, where-ever needed. Thank you to Emma Parkinson for taking on our social media presence this year. Please follow us on Facebook or Instagram @grimsbygardenclub.
As this year comes to an end, so does my two year term as Club President. I will continue to support the board and new President, Roberta Blackie. It has been my delight to represent the Grimsby Garden Club.
Please look through our pages to see what events are coming up and discover the joys and beauty of gardening. We invite you to come to our monthly meetings and enjoy engaging presentations, friendship and learning. Looking forward to seeing you!
Stephen Hargrave, 2020 President
November 30, 2020 Annual General Meeting Minutes can be found Here
