Canada Blooms full of colour
Take in the artistry and craftmanship of the international arrangements in the show’s main aisle. The juried international flower show is the only one of its kind in the country. All entries in the houseplant categories are grown, and tended, by amateur g
Yesterday was the official opening of Canada Blooms, the Toronto Flower and Garden Festival. While the amazing feature gardens get a lot of attention and praise, the flower show is equally amazing — for different reasons.
The Garden Club of Toronto, a volunteer organization that has been dedicated to promoting the benefits of horticulture for more than 75 years, provides all the inspiration and horsepower for this multifaceted section of the festival program. Amateurs only: Imagine the colours, scents and pure variety of over 600 floral design and indoor plant entries from every corner of the province. This is by far the biggest show of its kind in Canada.
All entries are from amateur gardeners and many of them are grown on windowsills just like yours.
You can enjoy the current entries this weekend and come back on Wednesday for an entirely different collection of plants and flower arrangements. All entries are judged by trained, certified panellists with prizes awarded to winners in each of the five day displays plus a grand prize for the best entries over the 10-day life of the festival. Global floral artists: Be sure to look for the outstanding floral designs in the international category. Competitors from India, Barbados, France, England, U.S. and, of course, Canada are on display down the main aisle of the festival. Once again, you may be distracted by the feature gardens and many other visual treats as you wander down this aisle. But remind yourself to stop and observe the high standards of artistry and craftsmanship in each of these 10 international floral arrangements.
This is the only international juried flower show of its kind in Canada.
In the past, some of the Canadian winners of this competition have gone on to compete in the “worlds,” and several have won gold. New: Floral Artist of the Year. This year, 20 flower arranging competitors — both amateurs and professionals — compete Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the festival floor. This is a public competition for all visitors to see in an “imposed competition,” which is floralcode for “every competitor receives the exact same plant material to work with.” Certified judges will determine who will be the next Canada Blooms Floral Artist of the Year.
We think this sounds a lot like the makings of a new TV reality show. And you can be there to say you saw it all begin. Volunteers: Canada Blooms relies on volunteers to make it tick, and the Floral Hall, the Floral Walk and all the entries in the amateur floral categories are no exception. All are organized and planned by volunteers — 600 in all.
Think about that: 12 busloads of unpaid people, dedicated to creating the most exciting and colourful displays for us to enjoy. Why do they do it? We’re sure that the answer is different for each person that volunteers. However, we have no doubt that there is a common goal of creating beauty using what Mother Nature provides us.
That, and the opportunity to work together with myriad people from every walk of life and age group.
Ben volunteers with the design committee, which is charged with the task of making each edition of Canada Blooms different and exciting.
“It is incredible, the creative output I have witnessed from this team over the nine months leading up to the festival — original output by experienced horticulturalists,” he says.
Yet, ultimately, Canada Blooms is a festival, not a show. The 2019 theme is A Family Affair, and our company, Mark’s Choice, is a presenting sponsor of the show, which runs until March 17 at the Enercare Centre, Exhibition Place.
Unlike other public events of this kind, Canada Blooms is a not-for-profit organization owned and managed by two non-profit groups: The Garden Club of Toronto and Landscape Ontario, our professional trade organization.
As you indulge yourself in the colour, fragrance and artistry of this amazing event, be mindful that none of it would happen without the enthusiastic participation of volunteers. While they do what they do for the love of gardening, they also do it for us — the attendees.
It takes a lot of planning, talent and passion to pull off something this special.