The Collingwood Garden Club is gearing up for its annual plant sale — except this time, it will be held online.
Hundreds of hostas, daylilies, homegrown tomato plants and perennials will be available for purchase starting this Saturday, June 5, and continuing throughout next week.
The local club, more formally known as the Collingwood Horticultural Society, holds the plant sale every spring to raise funds to support the club and its activities throughout the year.
“The plant sale is our major fundraising opportunity to support all of our initiatives in the community, as well as the upkeep of the Arboretum,” said Barb Collinson, past president of the Collingwood Horticultural Society and the Arboretum director.
To purchase plants, members of the garden club and the community can browse a catalogue posted on the club’s Facebook page or email the club directly to receive a copy, and then send their order request to a dedicated plant sale email account.
The club will confirm the sale and reply with the total cost, as well as details about when and where the order can be picked up. Payments are made via e-transfer and masks must be worn upon pick up. The catalogue was distributed to club members on Wednesday and will be available to the public late Friday or early Saturday morning.
The average cost of a plant in a one-litre pot is $5.
“We are able to keep our costs low because all of the plants have been donated,” said Lynn Murray, plant sale director. “But we want people to be able to buy more things.”
“We believe in community-friendly pricing,” added Collinson. “Realistically, the money is to help our programs carry on during the year. But the fact is, we have all these plants and we want everyone to be able to access them.”
Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, the annual sale was held in person at Trinity United Church. The fundraiser was moved online last year but was only available to club members, so Murray and Collinson are excited to open it up to the community again this year.
“Although we did end up doing it on a small scale last year, this year we are confident in our system to open it to the public,” said Collinson.
Last time the sale was held in person, the event attracted over 700 people in one day, raising a total of approximately $6,000.
“Our goal is always to beat the previous year,” said Murray.
All of the plants for sale were grown in Collingwood and have been donated by members of the club and the community. Some members of the club grow plants with the intention of donating them to the annual event, while others simply want their garden cleaned out. Instead of getting rid of the plants, they donate them to be re-homed.
“They are pre-loved plants and are basically looking for a new home,” said Barb. “We believe in the plants that are grown in Collingwood by our gardeners.”
The Collingwood Horticultural Society itself has been in existence in some capacity since the 1880s. Its current iteration started in the early 1970s and now consists of over 100 members.
The club is in charge of the Collingwood Arboretum, maintaining memorial tree and shrub donations found in the five-acre area, as well as undertaking the gardens at My Friends House, Barbara Weider House, Breaking Down Barriers and other special projects in the town.
The yearly membership fee is $20 for a single membership or $30 per household. Members meet monthly (with some exceptions) and have the opportunity to participate in various events and activities throughout the year.
“We have a lot of knowledge in our membership,” said Murray. “My family laughs because as soon as the nice weather is out, I am out in my garden. To me it is my way of de-stressing. I love the satisfaction of it. What grows, how it goes, and sharing my knowledge with others in the club.”
For Collinson, gardening is a spiritual practice.
“Lynn is right, it’s a great way to de-stress,” said Collinson. “And sharing knowledge. Also, what we have noticed, at least gardening at our house, is you get to meet so many people walking by. You can talk to people and relate to people on a gardening basis.”
To request a catalogue or purchase plants come Saturday, email [email protected].
