Page 9 - Giv'er Miramichi Magazine - Spring Giver 2025

Learn, Share, and Grow

with the Miramichi Garden Club by Carol Campbell, President

For the past twenty-three years, the
Miramichi Garden Club has been a
welcoming community for gardening
enthusiasts from around the river. Many
members are seasoned gardeners eager
to share their wealth of knowledge,
while others are newcomers exploring
the joys of planting and harvesting their
own food.
The club’s February meeting
featured an engaging discussion with
member John Colborne, who has been
gardening since the age of four. John
shared his expertise on building and John Colborne shared his Gwen Geikie’s early summer garden, bursting with
maintaining a thriving garden, covering knowledge gained as a lifetime colourful iris, peony, sedum, Japanese willows, roses,
everything from soil preparation to the gardener at last month’s meeting. and shades of green- all now hybernating under the
snow.
benefits of using a greenhouse.
Among his key recommendations, John emphasized the Thanks to generous donations of hundreds of china cups and
importance of pulling weeds before tilling the soil and saucers, club members created over 400 floral arrangements,
collecting worms for composting. He advised tilling the soil which were delivered to residents in long-term care facilities
to a fine powder, noting that “carrots will just travel around and hospices throughout Miramichi.
any lumps, which is how you get misshapen vegetables.” Upcoming meetings will feature an Ikebana
Checking soil pH is also essential, and testing kits are readily demonstration by Kozuè Uchiyama, showcasing the centuries-
available at most garden centers. Depending on the crop, old Japanese art of floral design, and a session with longtime
adjusting pH levels with lime powder may be necessary. member Gwen Geikie, who will share her passion for
To ensure the best growing season, John encouraged succession gardening—a technique beneficial for both
members to order seeds early and always use fresh seeds. He vegetable and flower gardens, with a special focus on
suggested using the first full moon in June as a planting guide, continuous blooms. The Miramichi Garden Club fosters a
while some members time their bean planting to coincide with spirit of learning, sharing, and community while cultivating
the blooming of lilacs. For those starting out, John friendships and a love for gardening.
recommended cool-season vegetables such as carrots, New members are always welcome! The club meets on
radishes, lettuce, and peas. the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm at Saint
Beyond gardening discussions, the club hosts a variety of Samuel’s Parish Hall in Douglastown. For updates and more
activities and community projects throughout the year. One information, please visit the Miramichi Garden Club on
standout initiative was last year’s Teacup Arrangements. Facebook.

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