Mount Hamilton Horticultural Society
 
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About Us

 

Badges are ancient and honourable devices originally intended to sort friend from foe on the battlefield. Classic examples are the Red Rose of Lancaster and the White Rose of York, famous in English history. These simple flowers become symbols of rival powers, and matters of life and death to the wearers.  

 

Our badge may never save a member from the law should he be caught watering his lawn on the wrong day, but it holds some meaning for all gardeners. It displays a Clematis, rampant on the handle of a digging fork, and besides making a decorative pattern, both elements have something to say.

 

Few plants are more rewarding than a well-grown Clematis, but it is a plant with likes and dislikes that are worth studying. Being at home in a lime soil, it will do well in our area, and should be a challenge to all green-blooded gardeners.

 

About the digging fork, perhaps the less said the better. Most folk prefer a shovel; but not the real gardener. A fork, they will tell you, does not act like a trowel to destroy the texture of the soil. Give a good gardener a fork, and when through turning over the soil it should not be necessary to level the garden with a rake. The big trouble with digging forks is that they usually come with short handles, and that tends to make the end where the power is applied painfully close to the ground where the action is.

 

Both elements of our badge, then, speak of excellence in gardening, and remind us that it often takes work to get the best results.

 

(Note: It was through the artistic efforts of Keith Anderson that our Society obtained this badge in 1955).

 

THROUGH THE YEARS

Sixty-five years ago, Hamilton ended abruptly at Concession Street on the mountain. Those who lived closer to the brow enjoyed the fringe benefits of city life, but south of that street lay a land of open spaces, where residents drew their water from wells and weekly visits from the “honeyman” took care of the sanitation problems.  Such conditions were the concern of the Mount Hamilton Improvement Association, and one of its lasting contributions to the betterment of mankind was the organization of the Horticultural Society of Hamilton Heights.

 

The Association called a meeting of persons interested in gardening on May 10, 1927. This was held in Brown’s Hall, located on Concession Street on the site of the present Salvation Army Hall. A week later a meeting to organize the present society was held. How many were present is not recorded, but a fifteen member executive was elected with Harry Nettleton, President, and Harry Pooke, Secretary-Treasurer. This initial meeting also set the pace with an appeal for better police protection from vandalism by dogs and children. A decision was made to participate in the Hamilton Spring Show and tentative plans were made for a fall flower show. The annual report for 1927 indicates that $107 was spent on the last named event. The income for the first year was $275, expenditures, $213, leaving a balance of $62 - - - not bad for a start. With annexation of more mountain land by the city the Society’s name took on its present form.

 

Reading the early minute books, one sees the Society blessed with a dedicated core group, happy in the knowledge that they were making a contribution to their community. Member orders for spring nursery stock were assembled and the plants distributed from a central point, and every conceivable source was tapped in the search for show prizes. The latter effort, however, was not always fully successful as witnessed by a note dated July 1945, “It was moved by Harvey Williams and seconded by Mrs. Betzner that the society pay $5 in lieu of the load of manure which Mr. Hyatt did not receive.”

 

In its own way the Society anticipated the Hamilton Beautification Committee. In the first year of its existence, the interest of Mr. George T. Webb, head of the Wentworth Incline Railway, was enlisted, and work began on a small part at the top of the Wentworth Street Steps. Mr. Webb became the first Honorary President of the Society, an office that disappeared about 1950, but in its day included such public spirited folk as the Rev. Canon John Samuel and Controller Norah-Frances Henderson. In 1938 members planted 200 street trees, and over the years many places have benefited from Society muscle. One of the most notable public plantings was made in 1953 when the late Mel Stanton promoted the beautification of a strip of land beside the Sherman Avenue cut from Crockett to Concession Street. This job made the headlines and the attention it drew to the Society’s beautification efforts was beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. The late Mayor Jackson planted the first of fifty climbing rose bushes, members of the Kiwanis club helped to dig holes for trees and bushes. Alderman Ken. Crocket persuaded the fire department to water the finished product until the planting was established. This project seemed to be a catalyst for this sort of civic endeavour, for within a year the city had a Beautification Committee and the city arborist had been appointed.

 

Today, civic plantings are the domain of the Department of Public Works.

 

In the past, work done by the Society included landscaping of Mounthaven School grounds, tree planting at Hillfield College and a Sunday afternoon effort to naturalize daffodils and scilla in an area that could be seen from cars using the Queen Street access, a project that was ruined by ‘finger blight’. Digging in the mountain clay in the busy springtime takes a certain amount of gardening gumption but this quality seems to show up every spring in a few dedicated members with the result that the Mount Hamilton Cemetery, several churches, the libraries, the St. John’s Ambulance headquarters and many other properties have been the scene of Society activities.

 

On a less physically demanding scale, funds for a bed of roses at the Royal Botanical Garden were followed by money for a planting of Golden Chain Trees to mark our Fiftieth anniversary. In 1985 100 daffodils were planted at St. Stephen’s Anglican Church in honour of the 100th birthday of our first president. Mr. Nettleton postponed a trip to Montreal to be present, and took part in the ceremony. On November 11th each year representatives of the Society gather at St. Paul’s churchyard in Mount Hope to honour the memory of the boys of the R.A.F. who died while training at the local airport.

 

THE WIDER OUTLOOK

From its early interest in the beautification of small orphan areas, the Society’s concern swung to support the conservation of much larger tracts. When the Regional Conservation Authority was developing the Dundas Valley, substantial contributions were made by members to the Save the Park Fund, a project of the Ancaster and Dundas High Schools. Later, under the vigorous leadership of Roy Dunford, attention was drawn to the imminent danger of losing the last undeveloped land on the escarpment extending from Upper Horning to Highway 403.

 

The urge to grow things is a basic one, and forms the heart of the Society’s interests. When at one time it was suggested that Horticulture was a very cumbersome word to grace our name, a wise member said “If you can water it, fertilize it, propagate it, and grow it, I presume that it has something to do with Horticulture. Otherwise it belongs with the arts and crafts crowd.” - - - Thus we never became a garden club. In spite of this, the interest in the fine art of flower arranging grew rapidly after 1950.

 

The time was when almost anyone could dig up the vacant lot next door and plant flowers or vegetables. Indeed, the latter became very important during the hungry thirties. With better times and the growth of the community, however, the real dirt gardeners gradually turned to the more urban arts of lawn care and landscaping. Apartment dwellers, without down-to-earth opportunities took to houseplants, and learned the art of growing plants in containers. An ever-increasing number have become interested in growing under lights, while an exclusive few have become owners of greenhouses.

 

The best products of individual gardening effort eventually find their way to the flower shows; an essential part of the Society’s program since its first year. The kind of enthusiasm that such shows can generate was well illustrated on the night of October 15, 1954, when 35 persons entered 50 exhibits in a Mum and Dahlia Show;  - - - after battling Hurricane Hazel all day. Some shows are quite small show and tell affairs, but others have taken on a garden party aura.  From 1964-9 they were staged on the grounds and in the recreation hall of the Hamilton Psychiatric Hospital with the Frontiersman’s Bank in attendance.

 

With our eyes on the weather and fingers crossed, the Society held one show in 1962 along the stone wall at Sam Lawrence Park. The sky being the limit, Mme. Vanier was invited to open the event. She declined with regret, but it was a nice try, and she missed a good show. In the same year some of the shows began to be held in Macassa Lodge for the benefit of public, patients and Society alike and this continued for some 20 years. In 1974 the Christmas Show was moved to Terryberry Library where the display of seasonal arrangements and decorations drew large crowds until both it and the popular spring garden clinics were crowded out by library activities. In recent years the flower shows have been held at the meeting hall in conjunction with either our June or September meeting.

 

The Society began naming a ‘Flower of the Year’ in 1986, some being coleus, clematis, and hosta. The 2007 flower will be the ‘Ruby Jubilee’, a daylily developed by Jack Kent of The Potting Shed.

 

A donation was made in memory of Keith Anderson and a beautiful trophy in the form of a crystal bowl and stand was purchased in 2001. It is presented to the member earning the highest number of points at the annual flower and vegetable show. The names of the members are displayed on a plaque which is attached to the stand.

 

In the past photography was a hobby of many members, and the November meeting has long been an occasion for them to show their best photos.

 

Two members, Rev Rigby, 1950 and John Smith, 1969, have gone on to the presidency of the Ontario Horticultural Association (OHA), our parent organization.

 

In the 1980’s as members found it difficult to negotiate steps at Olivet United Church meeting place we entered our 61st year (1988) in a new hall at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Fennell Avenue East. In November 1999, needing even larger accommodation, we moved to Chedoke Presbyterian Church at Magnolia and Mohawk Road West.

 

Horticultural work in the mountain schools began before the end of 1927, and throughout the thirties flower and vegetable shows were the annual climax of the Society’s work with children. In 1932 there were 97 entrants in the annual flower show, and 47 of them were children. Six years later while the adults were holding their regular show in St. Stephen’s Parish Hall, the Mount Hamilton Junior Horticultural Society was putting on one of their own in the Annex of the George L. Armstrong school. This group, which at one time numbered 200 in six schools was largely the product of the enthusiasm of Harvey Williams. On this 1938 occasion it is recorded that Peace Memorial scored the highest points for the fifth consecutive year, while Armstrong, of which Mr. Williams was Principal, had to be satisfied with the trophy for the best display. It is interesting to note that there have been at least 15 trophies donated to the Society for show awards, but after 1957 their place was taken by coffee spoons bearing the Society’s badge, and by its medal, which was struck in 1964.

 

When school gardening became the victim of crowded curricula, the Society turned to encourage Cubs and Brownies. Seeds to grow and special classes in which to display the products were provided. In more recent times, junior work has been confined to children of members, several of whom have taken prizes at the Royal Winter Fair for their produce. One project started by the juniors, was the provision of small plants and cookies for distribution by Meals on Wheels each spring. This gesture is still carried on by the Society. During the war we participated in the Seeds for Britain Campaign, and CARE night, when money was raised for agricultural pursuits in under developed countries.

 

Outreach probably stretched its farthest in 1971, when Duncan Cruikshank organized a series of gardening programs in co-operation with Cable Eight television. Many members got their first video exposure as they displayed and talked about their special interests.

 

The Society marked its 50th birthday with a donation of 50 laburnum trees to the RBG and a banquet at which fifteen past presidents were introduced. The presiding officer on that occasion was Sid Hurd.

 

For both the 70th (1997) and 75th (2002) anniversary garden tours of member gardens were organized as fundraisers. In 2002 $2500 was donated to the restoration of the RBG Clematis Garden.

 

In 1998 the Society took on the responsibility of the gardens at Jason’s House.

 

In 1999, with the move to Chedoke Church we had a large parking lot on a busy street, the perfect space to hold our spring plant sale. These sales are major fundraisers and have become an annual event.

 

In more recent years donations have been made to the community:

  • 2000
    • began magazine subscriptions to local libraries.
    • Yearly subscriptions to Canadian Gardening magazine were subsequently increased to go to all10 Hamilton Libraries in 2003
  • 2001
    • started providing plants to Meals on Wheels, usually at Easter each year 
  • 2003
    • began to contribute Bursaries to Mohawk College through the Trillium program – it continues each year.
    • Also a beautiful fountain was donated to the Tranquility Garden of the Cancer Assistance Program (CAP) and each year since a donation has been made towards plants 
  • 2005
    • a $500 donation was made to the Hamilton Naturalist Club to assist in the purchase of the Carver Property development.

Today members enjoy excellent speakers at monthly meetings, flower shows, great bus trips and new endeavours such as the “Gardeners Market Place”.

 

DISTRICT #6 – CAROLINIAN HORSESHOE

 

To many of the members of the societies that make up our district the name that was selected at the 1990 annual meeting was an unexpected one.

 

Those who had actively promoted this name had in fact done their homework and we as a district of over 3500 are proud of what has been brought to fruition.

 

The area along Lake Erie, extending through Hamilton and about 50 miles of the lake includes most of our district. This portion across southern Ontario is referred to as the Carolinian because its flora and fauna are remarkably similar to those of the Carolinas in the United States.

 

In general, this area is warmer than other regions of the province, with the coldest annual temperature only –18C or slightly below 0 Fahrenheit.

 

Typical Carolinian plants are tulip tree, sassafras, black walnut, flowering dogwood, pawpaw, cucumber magnolias, hackberry and redbud.

 

Typical animals of association are opossum, fox, squirrel, black rat snake, blue racer and fox snake.

 

Nature of course does not hold to hard and fast lines. We find small pockets of “Carolinian” do exist outside of the main area outlined above. The Carolinian Horseshoe extends northward along several creek and river valleys.

 

Let us all take pride in being residents of such a special geographical part of horticultural Ontario.

 

(The District wishes to acknowledge and thank Dr. H. Hedges of St. George for providing an authoritative outline for this explanation.)

 

 

Last Updated: 2010-09-01