Mississauga urges residents to turn their thumbs green and celebrate gardens
Published June 14, 2022 at 1:16 pm
Mississauga is kicking off a year-long celebration of gardens and gardening with a special launch event this Saturday (June 18) at The Riverwood Conservancy.
Year of the Garden, as proclaimed by the Canadian Garden Council and Communities in Bloom, is being celebrated across the country in 2022.
City of Mississauga officials say they have numerous events scheduled throughout the year, starting with Saturday’s National Garden Day at Riverwood. It runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and admission is free.
“The City will be kicking off the Year of the Garden celebrations with a National Garden Day event at The Riverwood Conservancy. The event will highlight the gardens at Riverwood as well as showcase local community groups related to gardening,” City officials said in a news release.
Attendees will have the chance to participate in the Birds and Blooms or Enabling Gardens Tours on Saturday.
Founded in 1985 as the Mississauga Garden Council, today it’s known as The Riverwood Conservancy, a charity that protects and restores nature in Mississauga.
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The organization also invites people to connect with nature at Riverwood, an oasis of woodlands, meadows and ravines that spans 150 acres along the Credit River in the Burnhamthorpe/Mississauga Rds. area of the city.
“Thanks to abundant wildlife that includes deer, mink, beavers, possums and over 185 species of birds, Riverwood is recognized as one of the most diverse ecosystems in the Credit River watershed, a remarkable fact given its location in the heart of Mississauga,” Riverwood officials say.
“The Riverwood Conservancy works to connect people of all ages, abilities and cultures to the wonders of nature through programming that includes environmental education, conservation, gardening and nature-based programming for people with special needs.”
Beyond the June 18 launch, Mississauga officials say the City will be hosting events and activities, sharing information about gardening and encouraging residents to try gardening in the coming months.
“Year of the Garden is intended to be a celebration of everything garden and gardening related in Canada and everyone is invited to join the fun,” City officials say, adding Mississauga is among 58 Canadian municipalities participating in the year’s events that celebrate gardeners, gardening and gardens within various communities.
Here’s a list of some of the other activities planned this year:
- Adopt a Flower Bed: Later this month, volunteers can register online and select a flower bed they have an interest in adopting. The volunteers will receive training that will allow them to tend the beds throughout the growing season and assist Mississauga Parks and Recreation staff in duties such as weeding, mulching and removing dead plants
- Jack Darling Prairie Tour: Throughout July and August, tours will be available to learn more about the unique habitat, how prairie plants are managed by the City and more about the different plants and animals that make the prairie home
- Bloom Photography: From June to September, residents are invited to share their favourite bloom photos taken at a City park by tagging @SaugaParksRec on Instagram
- Wildflower Seed Giveaway: Residents will have an opportunity to select seeds of interest (Butterfly Milkweed, Wild Burgamot and Brown-eyed Susans, for example) for their home garden at events throughout the year. Numerous native wildflower seeds will be available at events throughout the year to promote native plant gardens and pollinators
- Moon Gates: This year, Moon Gates will be installed at four City garden parks (Riverwood, Hancock Woodlands, Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens, Kariya Park). A Moon Gate is a circular opening that acts as a pedestrian passageway to a garden. The Moon Gates will serve as artwork and a destination piece for photography and social media opportunities