GARDENING
Saskatchewan is rich in resources to help you deal with gardening challenges, and to inspire you to create a wonderful garden space
Gardening in Saskatchewan can be challenging with our cold winters and often hot, dry summers. But we’re rich in resources to help you deal with gardening challenges and inspire you. Here are some of the ways you can gather advice and ideas, particularly in Saskatoon. Please note some events may be affected by the pandemic. Check for updates.
SOCIETY MEETINGS
There are several horticultural societies that hold meetings in the province. The Saskatchewan Perennial Society (SPS, saskperennial.ca), based in Saskatoon, has more than 200 members and holds monthly meetings (free for everyone) from October through March, with different presentations on a variety of topics. The Saskatchewan Horticultural Association was formed in 1927 and acts as an umbrella organization over all the horticultural societies in the province. There is a Saskatoon Horticultural Society, a Native Plant society, a water garden society and several lily societies that provide information on specific topics. Most societies have information booths at Gardenscape.
GARDENSCAPE
This three-day event (scheduled for March 27-29, 2020, but please check with event organizers for updated information this year), held at the Prairieland Exhibition grounds in Saskatoon, showcases plants and products suitable for our gardens. It is a great opportunity to 1) see what the different garden stores have to offer, 2) listen to some of the educational talks and demonstrations offered throughout the three days and 3) browse the booths set up by the different societies and interest groups.
SEEDY SATURDAY
This event provides information on many aspects of gardening: how to attract pollinators, edible gardening, heirloom and organic seed suppliers, etc. Seedy Saturdays are held in Saskatoon and other Saskatchewan cities and towns (listed under Events at Seeds.ca).
UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN HORT WEEK
This annual event, which used to be held in July, is scheduled for May 2-10 this year. There are workshops on many aspects of gardening through the week, as well as tours of local facilities and a book sale. The classes fill quickly, so check out the events and register as soon as possible (registration was expected to open in midmarch this year, check gardening.usask.ca).
GARDEN TOURS
These are offered by several organizations through the summer and are an excellent opportunity to see private gardens, with a range of sizes, locations and styles. There is usually an opportunity to talk with the gardener, and to take photos of aspects you might think of incorporating in your own garden. Among the sponsors are NEST, the SHS, and the SPS.
PLANT EXCHANGES
Two of these are organized by the SPS, in May and September. Gardeners with excess plants bring them to the Hall at the Forestry Farm. The members-only event (memberships are available at the door) is organized so that everyone has the opportunity to choose from the selection available. For more information, check the SPS website (saskperennial. ca). There are also a small number of plants for sale (varieties more difficult to find in Saskatoon), and these plants are show-cased at the SPS booth at Gardenscape.
LITERATURE
The Prairie Garden is a small annual publication produced by a non-profit committee in Manitoba. Each edition features a different theme, and contains many articles by prairie authors. This year, the discussion is about gardening with native plants; last year’s theme was growing vegetables (theprairiegarden.com). The Gardener magazine has four editions a year and focuses on gardening in Canadian climates. It includes articles on specific types of plants, and the cultivars suitable for our zone. There are also short weekly gardening articles in many local Saskatchewan newspapers, including Bridges (Saskatoon) and QC (Regina). These are very relevant to gardening in Saskatchewan and are written by local gardeners. Many gardening books are written by knowledgeable Prairie authors, among them Sara Williams, Hugh Skinner, Lyndon Penner, June Flanagan, Bob Bors, and Jan Mathers, just to name a few. Their books are available at your local library, bookstores and garden centres.
FINALLY
Gardeners are generally very friendly people, willing to share their experiences. If you see a garden that interests you, and would like to learn more, most gardeners would be very happy to talk with you (and will often share cuttings and excess plants too). Staff at garden centres, and local greenhouses, are usually very knowledgeable and are willing to help you with specific gardening questions. In Saskatoon, you could also help the SPS Labour and Learn crew maintain the Robin Smith Meditation Garden and the Heritage Rose Garden at the Forestry Farm, throughout the summer (see website for schedule), and “learn on the job.”