Year of the Garden - 2022 
Cornwall City Council has proclaimed 2022 "Year of the Garden" as part of a national centennial celebration to mark the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association, as proclaimed by the Canadian Garden Council. The Cornwall & District Horticultural Society invites residents to join in the celebration by planting red flowers in their gardens this year.
For morning information on upcoming events, visit Year Of The Garden online or contact the Cornwall & District Horticultural Society.
Planning What To Grow
Flowering, edible, and pollinator gardens can be fun to grow, tasty and beautiful to enjoy, and can also benefit vital species like bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, moths, beetles, and hummingbirds.
When planning your garden, it is important to consider:
- your time commitment and overall goals for the space
- garden location - sun, part-sun, shade
- soil condition - raised beds can be a great way to control your soil. Don't forget to get FREE mulch and compost from the City!
- access to water from a tap or rain barrel
- preference for annuals (grow for 1 year), perennials (trees, shrubs, and plants that grow for multiple years), or a combination of both. Most beginner gardeners will start with annuals and work to include perennials once they are more familiar with their space
Looking for more help and want to meet other gardeners? Cornwall has a lot of different gardening resources but here are a few to get you started:
- Cornwall & District Horticultural Society: cornwallhortsociety@gmail.comor join their Facebook Group.
- Transition Cornwall+ Food Action Group: transitioncornwall.com/food-action-group
- Cornwall, SD&G, Akwesasne Edible Gardening Group on Facebook
- Ontario Horticultural Association: gardenontario.org
Suggested resources from the gardening community:
- Vegetable Garden Planning Guide
- Easy 8'x4' Raised Vegetable Garden Box
- Kid's Gardening Guide and Activities
Free Wood Chip Mulch and Leaf Compost
Free wood chip mulch and leaf compost are available at the landfill at 2590 Cornwall Centre Road. Bring your own shovel and containers when picking up compost, which is available when the landfill is open: Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Residents must pass through the weigh scale in order to reach the compost pile.
Free compost is also available at Optimist Park.
Free mulch at Guindon Park and Optimist Park. Bring your own shovel and containers.
These resources are available for residents' use, and not for commercial purposes.
Click here for a map of the compost and mulch pile locations.
| Wood Chip Mulch | Compost |
|---|---|
|
Mulch is a type of nonliving, organic material that can be spread across the top of the soil to retain moisture in the soil, naturally keep the weeds at bay, and regulate temperature around the roots of perennial plants. Wood chip mulch can be mixed with leaves, grass clippings, and newspaper which are also good mulching materials. |
Compost consists of decomposed but living organic materials that help to add nutrients to the soil needed for plants to grow. For best results, compost is added into the soil at the root level of the plants. When planting, you can add a bit of compost to a hole and then plant your seeds and seedlings. For those spots with existing plants, compost can be added to the soil and mixed in to the deeper layers. |
Planting a Pollinator Garden
The City is working to support native pollinators by establishing pollinator gardens across the community and encouraging residents to do the same. In 2021, City staff and volunteers planted a new pollinator garden at Pointe Maligne. Find out more online and look forward to more garden planting in 2022.
Want to plant a pollinator garden at home? Watch a City of Cornwall "Lunch & Learn" webinar recording with Sean James Consulting & Design for more information on the benefits of pollinator gardens and what you need to know to get started.
Recommended Pollinator Plants
Native flowing plants that work well in pollinator gardens include:
- Joe Pye Weed
- Black-Eyed Susan
- Aster
- Wild bergamot
- Milkweed
- Phlox
- Violet
- Canna lily
- Spotted jewelweed
These plants are not native to the area, but are edible and attract pollinators:
- Lavender
- Parsley
- Sage
- Oregano
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Squash
Looking for more information? Flowering native shrubs and trees are also great for local pollinators. Ontario Nature, www.ontarionature.org/pollinators has a lot great information for native pollinator and garden planning.
Don't forget to ask your local garden centre to recommend native plants they have in stock to attract pollinators. They will be able to help you find the right option considering your garden space, sun levels, and the pollinators you are trying to attract.
| Garden | Location | Organizer | Contact |
| Eco Gardens | Race St | Centre de santé communautaire de l'Estrie |
tel: (613) 937-3132 x 232 |
| Brookdale Gardens | Fourth St & Brookdale Ave | Centre de santé communautaire de l'Estrie |
tel: (613) 937-3132 x 232 |
| Seaway Valley Community Health Centre |
353 Pitt St Various Social Housing complexes |
Seaway Valley Community Health Centre |
tel: (613) 930-4892 x 113 |
| Edible Cities Project Garden Boxes | Lions Club Bandshell | Edible Cities Project |
tel: (613) 930- 0211 |
| Transition Cornwall+ Community Gardens |
Lions Club Bandshell 4th St Fire Station Pitt St Police Station |
Transition Cornwall + Food Action Group |
Many local schools, social service agencies, church groups, and long-term care facilities offer community garden programs for their neighbourhoods so reach out to those services nearest you.
Looking to establish a new community garden in your neighbourhood? Contact Kat Rendek krendek@cornwall.ca in Planning, Development, and Recreation for information on how to get started in Cornwall.
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