Ecology & Castleton Gardens

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.   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 and we continue to be visited by 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.  CONGRATULATIONS ON A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN.

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The Cramahe Ecology Garden displays a variety of plants. It is not a native plant garden but there is an area where one can be developed in the future, once repairs have been made to the eroded edge of the creek. Garden “rooms” show plants among a variety of similar plants. There is a vegetable room where children will be invited to plant quick growing peas and sunflowers. Strawberry plants have been used to edge the vegetable room. There is a xeriscape garden room of sun loving, drought tolerant plants and a shade garden room for plants that like shade. As part of our purpose to educate the community, all of the plants will be labeled. A composting centre shows the community how to make soil.

We are happy to have added a year round destination to the Village of Colborne. Birds have settled into the birdhouses. As natural insect eaters, they and the snakes, toads and frogs are welcome residents. Welcome also are the earth worms as they are tilling and enriching the soil.

Stone benches are situated for quiet contemplation. Passersby can learn about plants and simply observe their beauty or they can be inspired to grow similar species in their personal gardens. Our raised beds are filled with vegetables during the growing season and we happily share the fruits of those labours with our community.   We also collect and share seeds.

And we have even more in store for 2025!

 

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!