Ladner Seedy Saturday and Garden Expo returns on March 3, 2018. This is a fundraiser for the Ladner Community Garden Society. The Ladner Community Garden opened in 2011 and each year they grow food for charitable organizations. In 2017 the community garden donated vegetables to the community meal program held each month at All Saints Anglican Church. In past years they have donated to the local food bank, the mental health society and to school gardens in the community. Come celebrate the kickoff to the new gardening season. There are garden presentations, garden vendors and a seed swap.
What is a seed swap? It’s a place to trade seeds you have saved like the ones shown above. Perhaps you only used half a package of seeds last year and decided you didn’t care for them. To trade seeds you need to place them in small envelopes and label them carefully. I like using paper coin envelopes as they are recyclable and easy to write on. Be sure to add the name of the plant, the year the seeds were saved, number of seeds in the package, colour and any growing information you can supply. Please note the seed swap will not accept large bags of seeds, seeds that are not cleaned and hybrids. Large bags of seeds that come in are often put aside as the volunteers are too busy to repackage them at the event. That means they lose a year of seed viability. This year all large bags of seed will be turned away. Hybrid seeds do not grow true to type so other seed traders could be disappointed in the results if they grow the seeds. Try to bring in seeds that are open pollinated as they are the best for the home gardener. Seeds can be brought to the seed swap where you will get a ticket for each package dropped off. Trading begins at 10:30 a.m. once the seeds are organized by the volunteers. You will exchange one ticket for a package of seed. There will be a section for flowers, vegetables and herbs at the seed swap. I am bringing tomato seeds to trade and look forward to seeing some unusual seeds at the swap.
Don’t forget to enjoy the garden presentations. Janis Matson will be talking about how to use ornamental grasses in the landscape at 10:30 a.m. They are such fabulous easy care plants that add movement and a tactile experience to the garden. Who can resist touching the soft feathery seed heads of grasses? I know I can’t.
In the afternoon Randal Atkinson from West Coast Gardens will be demonstrating how to design a spring container. After all this snow it will be a welcome sight to see some flowers, won’t it? Last time I heard Randal speak he did several variations on a winter container using plants that added amazing colour all winter long. I look forward to seeing which plants he uses for his spring container. Randal is the head buyer for plants at West Coast Gardens so expect to see some new and exciting plants.
Come visit Ladner Seedy Saturday and Garden Expo this weekend, March 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the All Saints Church, 4755 Arthur Drive in Ladner. Make a day of it and grab a coffee from nearby Stir House Coffee across the street and enjoy the gift shops along 48th Avenue in historic downtown Ladner. Hopefully you will find some plant treasures and inspiration at Ladner Seedy Saturday and Garden Expo as spring is only a few weeks away.
