The Calgary Horticultural Society has been the recipient of many wonderful gifts. We rely on a network of volunteers and partners to deliver our programs, events, and stories. We often don’t know who we are reaching, but sometimes interesting opportunities circle back to us in a request to collaborate.
It’s been over two years since the initial request to help with a Youth Corp project came in. Virginia, one of the co-initiators of the project, wanted to share the message that invasive species in Calgary’s green spaces is a problem. She and a friend were building Little Libraries to hold information about invasive species and books about the environment. The libraries would be located near Calgary greenspaces. She reached out to the Society to ask if we had resources that she could include in her libraries. The conversation evolved and now we are a host for one of the Little Libraries.
As anyone who manages a Little Library knows, more books are borrowed than are returned, so we have regularly asked our e-news reader for books for the Little Library. This in turn has also helped our in-office lending library grow, as gardeners downsizing their personal libraries of gardening books think of us. (Note: For now, having just moved, we can’t accept any books.)
Green Calgary has been a regular collaborator with the Society. Working with them to be a rain barrel pick up site has evolved into a water-wise community event held mid-June called Be YardSmart. Not only is Green Calgary at the event with their rain barrels, but the Society invites about a dozen exhibitors to share their wares and water conservation knowledge.
Talking with the Botanical Gardens of Silver Springs about their plans and possible collaborations resulted in the Society gaining a co-host for our 2025 Open Gardens Launch event and...the location for our new home! Last fall, artist Andrea Lau asked us to join her on an application for a public art grant. We now have a lovely book, Flora, that we are distributing to Little Libraries throughout the city. The book is a collection of 20 stories submitted by gardeners with an accompanying illustration created by the artist. What an exciting collaboration!
Like myself, I’m sure many of you would not think that the Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) would have a tie to gardening. Well, this year it did. We were asked to be the community partner for the screening of the film GROW. The film captured the delightful story of a young girl who enters a giant pumpkin growing contest.
Our most recent collaboration is with the Stampede City Mixed Chorus. Similar to CIFF, we are a community partner for one of their three Christmas concerts. They are looking for members and an audience and so is the Society. The concert is also a fundraiser for the Society. You can learn more about the Chorus and their concerts by visiting their website stampedecitychorus.com.
It is interesting to see the different roads that a keen passion for gardening can lead to. Who knew it could be libraries, events, film, or song? It all starts with someone asking a question or making a suggestion.
When you are working in your garden, even if it is a patio pot, remember to greet your neighbour, share your stories, and, if you need it, ask for help. Engage your neighbours and plant a seed for collaboration—you, too, could grow a beautiful gift.
Thank you to Unison News for letting me share these stories. I’m sure that some of the seeds for collaboration have been planted here.
To learn more about gardening in the Calgary area visit www.calhort.org.
