There’s always been a strong turnout at the Cochrane and District Horticultural Society’s (CDHS) Spring Plant Sale—but nothing quite like this year.
CDHS president Anne Hayter said the semi-annual charity event saw a record number of both plant buyers and contributors.
“Nobody did a number count, but at the end of the sale, we only had a couple of tables of items left, which has never happened before—and we had a lot of items,” she said. “People were driving up with truckloads to donate until 1:30 p.m., maybe even 2 o’clock. It was phenomenal. The charities we’ll be donating to will be really thrilled.”
Among the many generous donations was a 30-year-old plant that had been grown by the donor’s parents.
“They had split it and brought it in—it was probably knee-high. It was just gorgeous and a fairly uncommon plant,” said Hayter.
It’s too early for a final tally, but Hayter estimates the event raised around $3,000. If confirmed, it would surpass last year’s record of $2,618.22, which was donated to the Îyâhrhe Stoney Nakoda Food Bank.
This year, proceeds will go to the Helping Hands Meal Program and Bighill Lodge. Traditionally, the society has supported one charity per sale, but due to last year’s overwhelming support, it was decided to divide the funds between two.
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A steady stream of people lined up to pay for their plants during the first hour of the sale. Society members were on hand to speed up the process by tallying purchases before buyers reached the checkout.
“We were all so exhausted by the end of the day,” said Hayter, “but it was a good exhausted.”
Busy summer ahead for Horticultural Society
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Horticultural Society, and they’re celebrating with a full calendar of events.
In addition to hosting six guest speakers throughout the year, they’ve organized summer field trips to Bergen Rocks near Sundre, and Doug’s Feel Good Fertilizer. In August, they’ll hold a special anniversary celebration alongside the Cochrane Community Growers, who are marking their 15th anniversary.
Throughout the summer, the society will also host its Lemonade in the Garden tours, during which members visit each other’s gardens.
“It’s good to see how other people in Cochrane set up their gardens—what grows well here, and what’s possible,” said Hayter. “New gardeners sometimes don’t know what to grow or where to plant something. They might put a plant in the shade when it needs sun, or vice versa. Connecting with other gardeners is always valuable.”
She noted that understanding growing conditions is important for everyone—not just people new to the region.
“Even between here and Calgary, there’s quite a difference. You can grow things in Calgary that you can’t grow here,” she said.
"There can be microclimates even within a single yard. We have a member in Riverview who says one side of their house is Zone 2, and the other is Zone 3. It just depends where you are.”
Joining the society offers a great way to learn from others, she added.
Membership costs $25 for individuals or $35 for families. Members receive:
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Admission to all general meetings
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Invitations to Lemonade in the Garden visits and field trips
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Priority registration and reduced rates for workshops
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Discounts at participating local businesses
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Volunteer opportunities
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Voting rights at the AGM
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And best of all, camaraderie with fellow gardeners
To learn more, visit the society’s website here.