Sooke Garden Club Celebrates Productive Year

Getting ready for the spring plant sale is a big job. Shown here are 16 Sooke Garden Club members who came together weeks ahead of the annual May event for a ‘pot up’ party. 

Getting a vote of confidence from Ken Chekerda, Ron O’Brien shows off his winning entry in the Club’s ‘Biggest Squash’ contest. 

It has been a busy and rewarding year for the Sooke Garden Club. On November 27, the Club wrapped up its 48th year with the annual general meeting, the presentation of trophies and prizes, and plenty of time for socializing around holiday refreshments. 

While 2018 was all about bees, 2019 was the ‘Year of the Soil.’ As President Lori Kirk reminded everyone, soil is the foundation of every garden. The better the foundation, the stronger and healthier the plants. It’s that simple. She sees the same relationship applying to the Garden Club itself: The Club is thriving because it has such a strong foundation. For the first time in over a decade, membership hit the 100 mark and currently stands at over 120. 

She also payed tribute to the many individuals who “made things happen” throughout the year: the educational presentations, parlour shows, contests, the Mentorship Program, garden tours and excursions, the annual plant sale, refreshments, publicity, and the everyday minutiae that are part and parcel of any robust community organization. 

And robust it is, thanks to a culture that exudes generosity, positivity, and curiosity – you know, traits that tend to describe gardeners themselves. It’s a sad fact (according to my daughter, anyway) that gardeners like nothing better than being in the garden – in anyone’s garden! Their second favourite activity (apparently) is talking about plants, gardens, and gardening. So where better to share this passion than at gatherings of like-minded enthusiasts? 

The Sooke Garden Club takes the month of December off, but regular meetings resume in January. In the meantime, gardeners will undoubtedly continue tackling outdoor tasks as long as the weather permits. Many will also spend time contemplating the year ahead. What will they be doing differently next year in light of such issues as climate change, physical limitations, food security, and so on? Books will be read, tools will be cleaned, seeds will be bought, garden layouts/containers will be designed … the inside gardener is never still. 

From the Sooke Garden Club to you, Happy Holidays & Happy Gardening!