GARDENS CREATED BY THE CRAMAHE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY
The Ecology Garden
Rotary Centennial Park Drive, Colborne ON
As members of OHA, our motto is Keeping Ontario Beautiful.
Our Cramahe Ecology Garden challenges community to Keep Earth Beautiful.
What is an Ecology Garden? Ecology, as defined by Webster’s New World Dictionary, is the branch of biology that deals with the relations between living organisms and their environment.
In 2008, members of the Cramahe Horticultural Society decided to get involved in a large project and from the few options available to us, we agreed to look at creating an Ecology Garden. Collectively, we agreed that such a garden would contribute to our purpose as a Horticultural Society. It would educate the public about things horticultural; it would promote public beautification; it would promote the protection of the environment; it would encourage planting; and working together, we would learn from each other. From discussions with our then Municipal Consulting Committee, several site searches were conducted and the location at the Rotary Centennial Park seemed the best choice. We sought and received letters of support from the Rotary Club of Colborne, the Ontario Horticultural Association, the Township of Cramahe, Lower Trent Conservation and Community Care. We prepared a budget and applied for funding from New Horizons for Seniors. In 2009, the funding came through and we were off and running as the project had to be complete with the money spent and a report written within 6 months.
What we see today is the direct result of the volunteer labour of many members who literally created this space from what was used as an illegal dump area. The Township was a great helper by moving in the boulders to define the space thereby preventing trucks from driving through the garden. We received donations of soil and mulch. Then, at our grand opening, members all came with plants for the Ecology Garden. It was really gratifying to see this collective input and our Club is very proud of our work because we have created a beautiful garden that is often visited by area residents who “just did not know this beautiful area existed”. It is from compliments of passers-by that we are rewarded and inspired, again and again.
The Ecology Garden is located on Rotary Centennial Park Drive (off Division St., about a minute south of Victoria Square) in Colborne. There are currently 5 raised beds in the Garden, with a 6th being added in 2025. These beds are filled with vegetable plants during the growing season: beans, celery, tomatoes, herbs, garlic, lettuces and more, all harvested and shared within our community. You’re invited to come by and see what’s on offer anytime! Be sure to bring your own garden snips and only harvest what is mature, being particularly careful with the host plant. And while you’re there be sure to check out our custom built Bug Hotel as well as the Seed Library.
Make this your year to discover The Cramahe Ecology Garden!
The Castleton Garden
1780 Percy Street, Castleton ON
In early October of 2014 our group requested and received permission to establish a garden in the Village of Castleton, just a few minutes north of Colborne. That fall a few enthusiastic members of the club dug the semi-circle that exists today, on the south side of the Castleton Town Hall. Now, as a mature garden, the space is filled with gorgeous perennials. Members of the Cramahe Horticultural Society regularly maintain this garden and add and subtract as necessary. In 2024 a rather large tree that was situated in front of the garden was removed (by the Township) which has altered this garden from semi-shade to full sun. It’s not a bad problem to have. And be sure to check out the Bug Hotel in the garden. We can see that it’s well used!
