The Comox Valley Horticultural Society has announced the recipients of its 2019 Gardens in Bloom Grant Program. The CVHS has dispersed nearly $3,000 in funding to the following organizations in support of their respective projects.
Community Kitchen Garden on Hornby Island has developed a donated garden space on the Farris Community Farm to grow food for the local food bank, and for “The Kitchen” which provides hot meals to those in need. This project is well underway and the timing couldn’t be better.
Project Watershed’s goal is to teach students the benefits of native species and warn of the risk of invasive species, while engaging them in stewardship activities in the K’omoks estuary. Unable to do class presentations or field trips at this time, they have updated their online educational resources and have notified teachers that they are available to do online presentations.
Anderton Therapeutic Garden Society has plans to re-develop the former Butterfly Garden into a Shade Garden offering visitors a place to sit, relax and enjoy the quiet ambience. While they have recently re-opened to the public, commencement of their project has been postponed.
Lake Trail Community Education Society planned to host its free Summer Sprouters program in the Community School Garden. The program provides hands-on gardening experience to children and their parents while also providing community connections and support. With group gatherings in the garden now restricted it is instead pivoting to a forest- based nature program to facilitate physical distancing.
MARS Wildlife Rescue Centre is developing a natural landscape using native plants which will also provide a year round food source for their wildlife patients. Its goals are to enhance the grounds surrounding the new Visitors’ Centre and to provide information for people interested in creating wildlife habitat on their own property
LUSH Valley Food Action Society had plans to offer a series of six workshops at the Share the Harvest Community Garden that would teach and mentor on both the importance of diversity in the garden and participation in our local food systems. While unable to deliver the workshops, LUSH has launched its Good Food Box program which delivers 75 food hampers a day to Comox Valley residents in need.