Good Deeds
Beautification Initiative:
An important objective of a horticultural society is to encourage beautification in public grounds. The Lakefield Horticultural Society maintains all the gardens within the block of the Municipal Building Lakefield, except for the one in front of the Library.
The largest garden in Cenotaph Park, the Centennial bed, contains many hydrangea and other shrubs, various perennials and a range of annuals. The beautification coordinator, Bev Thompson, makes sure there are two people monitoring these gardens each week, for watering, deadheading, weeding and general maintenance. The attractive SunDial garden nearby is actually a standing sundial.
As well the Horticultural Society pays for 19 hanging baskets that adorn the main street of Lakefield. These are watered daily by the Selwyn township crew, and fertilized regularly. As a result they are outstanding!
In 2017 the Society asked the township for the use of a small area in Isabel Morris Park (Who was Isabel Morris?) to establish a pollinator or bee garden. This was in response to an initiative from OMAFRA based on the alarming news that the existence of many of our native pollinators-birds, bees, bats and butterflies-was being threatened. Plants in the garden are designed to feed pollinators at all times of the growing season. The garden also contains a Bee house, specially designed to provide nesting cavities for native bees. Anne Stone currently manages this garden with the help of many volunteers. In 2021 this garden doubled in size and now contains more than 50 different pollinator-friendly perennials, annuals and shrubs. Maintenance of the garden follows horticultural practices which encourage native pollinators. Read more about the pollinator garden by clicking this link.
These gardens flourish because they are cared for by many volunteers. Gardening together not only creates a beautiful landscape, supportive of many living things, but also helps us to learn about our environment and sustainable cultivation practices.
Please come and visit our gardens!
Education Award: The society also provides an Education award each year (as funds allow) for a student pursuing an education in the horticultural or environmental field.
Download the education award.
The major fundraisers for these Good Deeds is the highly successful spring plant sale, held on the Saturday of the May long weekend. See our “Sales” page for more details.
The Society also encourages local businesses to beautify their own properties. The Lakefield Pantry has decorated their store with some beautiful and long lasting window boxes
Special Thanks: We would like to thank the maintenance staff of Selwyn township for watering the hanging baskets each year. If it weren’t for this effort of the maintenance crew, the baskets would not look nearly so beautiful. Your efforts are very much appreciated by the Lakefield District Horticultural Society.