TAKE A LOOK....

Check out our gardens located throughout the City. The gardens at the Chamber of Commerce are looking great.

The Green Thumbs Lilac Bed at the Waterfront was great this spring.

The garden at the Capitol Centre adds zing to the back entrance.

Watch for updates on our plantings at the new hospital.

The beds at Canadore College by the pond should not be missed.

Thanks to Daphne and her team of hardworking volunteers for all their efforts to beautify our City!

The first known organization of a horticultural group in North Bay was the North Bay Agricultural Society. Its first annual meeting was held on January 21, 1921.

Operating in association with the Department of Agriculture until 1929, the society received annual grants ranging from $49 to $92 per year, after this point it apparently operated independently. The Agricultural Society was offically dissolved in 1942

The Greater North Bay Horticultural Society first met at City Hall on May 24, 1962. The local townships of Widdifield and West Ferris were not part of North Bay at this time, prompting the society to use the term "Greater" in their title. The name was formally changed to the North Bay Horticultural Society in February 1977.

From the time of its founding, the Greater North Bay Horticultural Society has belonged to District 12, which regrouped the three northern electoral districts of Cochrane, Nipissing, and Temiscaming.

The first executive of the society in 1962 was as follows:

President: Biff Gigg
1st V.P.: W.A. Montgomery
2nd V.P.: Evelyn Ahola
Recording Secretary: Beverly Kingdom
Treasurer: Mrs. Bernie LeSage
One Year Directors:
- Henry Wiseman
- Ann Selseotes(Mrs. Alex)
- Gordon Beveridge
- Harold McGowan
- Charles Pilon
Two Year Directors:
- J.M. Swartz
- Leon Burkett
- Roy Carr
- Mrs. F. Eyolfson
- Conrad Guillemette

The North Bay Horticultural Society began its first full year of operationunder that name in 1978. The white water lily was submitted as a logo by Les Van Dusen because it grows abundantly just north of here. It was voted on by the membership and accepted in 1988. A logo was designed by Gordon Hamilton and T-shirts were made.

In 1994, Martin Casey suggested the society change its floral emblem to Siberian iris. Hardy and widely grown throughout the north, it seemed an appropriate symbol. A new logo for the society using the Siberian iris was designed by Barry Burniston.

North Bay Horticultural Society holds general meetings on the 4th Tuesday of each month at the Christ Church, 890 Vimy Street, these include a Competition of the Month, a Master Gardener who will answer members questions and presentations by varied speakers. These meetings are announced beforehand in the local newspaper, on 3 local radio stations and on cable TV.

Yearly events include a Plant Sale in May, our main fundraiser, a garden tour, and a flower show. We also have workshops throughout the year.

In 1967, approval was given for the establishment of a bursary, initially set at $25, for a student going on to study in the area of horticulture, floriculture or landscape design. We now award $250 to a deserving local student each spring.

Under the Social program we have a meeting with a potluck, a Strawberry Social in June and Ella’s Picnic at the waterfront in July.