I can’t think of a better slogan for 2021 than the Hope is Growing competition held this year by Communities in Bloom. The ever-present stress of living life through a pandemic has me eager to get into the garden more than ever before.
The Communities in Bloom annual competition was established in Canada in 1995. Based on European competitions in England, Ireland and France its mission to foster community strength, involvement and continuous improvement by nurturing environmental sustainability, enhancement of green spaces and heritage conservation in cultural and natural environments.
This year’s competition is open to everyone and asks gardeners and their family to send in photos of their Hope Garden. This can be an already established garden or a newly created one, or whatever offers you strength, beauty and pleasure as we move on.
The Colour of Hope is Yellow as in yellow ribbons to support our troops or the yellow daffodil of the Cancer Society. Photos entered should have some or a lot of yellow in the picture; yellow can be in flowers, fruit, vegetables or leaves. Incidentally, the first flower out in my garden this year was the tiny yellow aconite, so I’m taking that as an omen that the year ahead is something to look forward to.
I like the idea of using a colour to connect me with friends, family and neighbours. Yellow in a garden will tell me the people who live there are hopeful too, offering strength and comfort to us all. Perennial plant guru Dr. Allan Armitage leaves us with this message “If anything defines a gardener, it is his belief in the future. Planting bulbs in the fall turns one’s thoughts to Spring, planting a small tree today transports us to its cool shade tomorrow.”
Grow some hope today.
To learn more: https://www.hopeisgrowing.ca/
Garth Davey
April 2021
Email: Questions@kbfarms.ca