Grafton Green Thumbs
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About Us
Grafton Horticultural Society is dedicated to improving the beauty of the Grafton area. Members maintain four gardens in the community - Wicklow Memorial Park, Haldimand Court Apartments, Town Hall and Grafton Heritage Park. In 2008 the Society created the Grafton Heritage Park in the centre of the village which includes native, rock, woodland and scented areas as well as historical information. We stay involved in our community through the Sunflower contest, Outstanding Front Garden award, a yearly bursary for a graduate student enrolled in an agricultural, horticultural or environmental program at a college or university, and events like the Canada Day parade and plant sales.
Our Horticultural Society was renamed in 2002 to the Grafton Horticultural Society due to the amalgamation of the Alnwick and Haldimand Townships. The original society was organized and named South Haldimand Horticultural Society on April 9, 1925 and then renamed in 1996 to the Haldimand Township Horticultural Society. We rebranded ourselves to Grafton Green Thumbs in 2018. The first President was William Heenan, a local greenhouse operator, and Mrs. J.C. Hutchison the first Secretary. The first flower show was held on August 29, 1925.
Our meetings take place the second Tuesday of the month at St. Andrew's United Church, 137 Old Danforth Road, Grafton at 7:00 p.m. for refreshments and fellowship with meeting beginning at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Membership is $20 annually. We have interesting speakers, two flower shows for our members.
Please join us at our monthly meetings and special events.
2024 Programme
January 9th – Chili supper
“Slide show - Year of the Garden”
February 13th - Isia Yeo, Durham Master Gardener
“Creating Native Gardens”
March 12th - Robert Coffin
“Everything you wanted to know about potatoes but were afraid to ask”
April 9th - Diane and Gary Westlake
“Garden Art for the Cheapskate”
May 14th - 6:30p.m.
Spring Flower Show
7:30 p.m. - David Retallick
“Daylillies”
May 25th - 8:30 a.m. - 11:30
Society Plant Sale
St. Andrew’s Church
June 11th - Donna Edmonds
“Tips for Photographing your Gardens”
September 7th – 8:30am – 11:30
Society Fall Plant Sale
St Andrew’s Church
September 10th - 6:30 p.m.
Flower Show Summer
7:30 – Joanne Howes
“Mushrooms and other Fungi”
October 8th – Hazel and Joe Cook, Blossom Hill Nursery
“Bee Amazed”
November 12th – Lisa Moore, Baltimore Valley Nursery
“Christmas Decor and Urns”
AGM and Election of Officers
December – 10th – 5:30
Christmas Pot Luck and Awards
Youth Program
We have a youth program which has been active since 1969. They currently meet at Grafton Public School in the greenhouse and are fortunate to have been given an area on the school grounds for a garden where we have seven raised beds. Vegetables grown in the garden are donated to Fare Share in Cobourg.
Awards Evening
Barbara Stanners
Youth awards are presented in October during our Society's regular meeting. The adult competition awards and prizes are presented in December during our Christmas pot luck.
Social Events
The Society's annual programme includes opportunities to share a meal with and get to know fellow members. You can enjoy delicious chili supper in January which includes a speaker. There is a summertime pot luck held at a member's home and a Christmas pot luck dinner.
Honours
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A Society can nominate one person per year for this certificate.
The criteria for this award are ten or more years of active membership in a Society, service on Society committees, contributing time or effort to community improvements, encouraging membership enrollment, inspiring horticultural efforts of individuals or groups and having shown sincere interest in and supporting the objectives of a Horticultural Society.
The following people have received this certificate:
Service Certificate Recipients
Joan Chalovich - 1978
Doug Johnston - 1989
Marianne Pitchler - 1996
Carol Cragg - 2000
Bertha Beatty - 2001
Shirley Johnston - 2002
John Liptay - 2003
Gordon Ficko - 2004
Bev Silk - 2005
Jennifer Darrell - 2006
Rosemary Dignam - 2007
Alex Ferguson - 2008
Suzanne Liptay - 2013
Anne Fenton 2014
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A Horticultural Society honour. Criteria includes long time membership in a Society, preferrably a minimum of 15 years, and continued interest in horticulture.
Life Membership Recipients
Bertha Beatty - 1998
Shirley Johnston - 1998
Doug Johnston - 1998
Mary Harnden - 2000
Murial Braham - 2001
Bea Prentice - 2001
Ted Beatty - 2002
Joyce Bryant - 2002
Carol Cragg - 2003
Gordon Ficko - 2003
Reni Parisius - 2003
Rosemary Dignam - 2007
Anne Fenton - 2016
Bev Silk - 2019
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Presented at the Annual OHA Convention to one gentleman per year from all of Ontario.
2001: Doug Johnson
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Presented at the Annual OHA Convention to one or more people or groups per year from all of Ontario.
2001: Bob Marshall
2002: Murial Braham
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Presented at the Annual OHA Convention to one or more people per year from all of Ontario.
2012: Bev Silk
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Presented at the Annual OHA Convention to one person per year from all of Ontario.
2012: Bev Silk
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Presented to one person per year from District 4 of the OHA.
2003: Bev Silk
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Presented to one person per year from District 4 of the OHA.
2016: Bev Silk
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Presented at the District 4 Annual General Meeting.
Carol Cragg
Shirley Johnston
Doug Johnston
Rosemary Dignam
Mary Harnden
Gordon Ficko
Bea Prentice
Bev Silk
Jennifer Darrell
Gail Hoskin
Vince Kely
Joan Stover
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2023 - Bev Silk
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Jennifer Darrell (25)
Shirley deNie (15)
Ollivia Gibbs (10)
Gail Hoskin (10)
Alexandra Borowik (5)
Michelle Busse (5)
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2023 Joan Stover
2022 Bev Silk
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Petr and Tina Misev
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Morgan Kelsey CCI
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Youth: tallest – Jake Macklin (9’8”) Widest head - Alex Davies (12”)
Adult: tallest – Hannah Burgess (9’ 2”) Widest head – John Wilson (9 1/2”)
Officers
President - Edith Kift
Secretary - Louise Sirtonski
Treasurer - Barbara Stanners
Directors:
Alex Borowik
June Brown
Michelle & Ralf Busse
Kathy Powell
For more information, please contact the Grafton Horticultural Society or learn more about the Ontario Horticultural Association (OHA).
Websites of Interest
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Grafton Horticultural Society
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