Yorkson Community Garden Society
207A & 84 Ave Langley, BC, Canada

> Hello everyone! The Community Gardens in Langley City and Langley Township will be re-opening starting April 24th. Thank you to those that emailed the Mayor and council. It definitely made a difference!... There are conditions, though, that must be followed. Below is the email from the Emergency Operations department. Please read, and if you have any questions let me know. I am asking for a few volunteers to help compile a schedule for working in the garden, and volunteers to be at the garden between April 24 and Apr 30th to monitor people getting their personal property. This needs to be done ASAP. Here is the email from the Township: While we continue to navigate through the evolving COVID-19 crisis, it is important that community garden coordinators, members, and volunteers adhere to all current and future public health directives. With that in mind, we are moving forward with a plan to re-open community gardens starting on April 24, and need your commitment to work with our garden members to ensure safe practices. We look forward to receiving your confirmation of commitment to the following by the end of this week to allow us to proceed with the next steps: Circulating Township information, to be provided under separate cover, to your garden’s members advising of next steps in relation to community garden usage during COVID-19. Contacting members by phone if they have difficulty using, or do not have access to, a computer. Maintaining a schedule of garden plot access effective April 24 to limit the number of people in the garden at one time, and to ensure physical distancing requirements are met. Allowing a schedule of individual one time access to garden sheds so that personal items can be removed. This should take place at their regularly scheduled garden time, prior to April 30. Removing shared garden shed locks by end of day April 30. They will be replaced with Township locks at that time to prevent further access. Reminding members and volunteers to follow the social distancing practices, cleaning/disinfection, handwashing/hand sanitizer provisions outlined in signs. Ensuring that Township-installed signs remain in place, and if not, contacting us for replacement signs. Canceling all planned, in-person meetings and holding all future meetings virtually. Cancelling any large work parties Communicating any issues with the Township of Langley at [email protected] The Township will post appropriate signage and ensure water is turned on April 24.

Good sunny day everyone! Firstly, I would like to say, please confirm by hitting a reply to this email, that you have received it. Just hit reply, with a 'yes' if you don't have anything to say.... Community Garden Coordinators - please feel free to forward this email to your Community Garden members! Thank you to those who reached out and emailed the Township Mayor and Council, thank you. I know 5 people did from our group, but we have signed up more than 5 gardeners! Please, consider your email to Township Mayor and Council as a vote YES, that you want to garden. Letting them know, that if they send out protocols for COVID, we will follow them as we want to garden. I alone cannot speak for the group. They have to have to hear from us as a collective! Your emails act as vote, as it tells them how many people care. Upon messaging, my suggested guide is speak from your heart about why you need to garden. Whether it is a financial reason, a mental health reason, or a healthful choice. We all need to band together, and now act as a true community garden. We need to talk to each other, and respect each other, and align to this. We need to have them understand that community gardeners would follow any protocols put into place to keep community gardens open. I want to get our our garden open for May, but I need your help. The email again is: [email protected] Thank you again, Kathy Vandermeer Yorkson Community Garden

Hello everyone, It seems the Advance/Times article was a bit presumptive. The gardens are still closed. According to Niall at the Township, opening the gardens is still only being considered. We hope to hear a final Yay or Nay this week. If you click on the article it will show an updated story. Keep your fingers crossed! Kathy

Worth checking out

Soon it will be time to direct sow pea seeds and sweet pea seeds. The green pea is a home garden specialty because peas really have the very best sweet flavour and nutrition when they are freshly picked.

Hello everyone. Here is the info on the AGM.

Wonderful creations on the show bench tonight for our special arrangement show! Well done everyone!

We are beyond thrilled to announce that we have won the "Destination Garden Centre of the Year" Award, presented during the North American Garden Tourism Confer...ence earlier this week! Thank you to all who voted for our store and our team... we truly appreciate it, and we will keep working hard to connect people and plants in a fun and inspiring way, every day! "The Garden Tourism Awards are presented to organizations and individuals who have distinguished themselves in the development and promotion of garden experiences as tourism attractions and motivators. The awards are proudly supported by the @CanadianGardenCouncil, the @publicgardens American Public Gardens Association and the @amjbotanicos Mexican Association of Botanical Gardens and sponsored by the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association." The Destination Garden Center of the Year Award was sponsored by the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association. Thank you! For the full awards listing, please see below: WINNERS OF THE 2019 CANADIAN GARDEN TOURISM AWARDS Victoria, Canada, November 5, 2019 Today at the North American Garden Tourism Conference, in the spirit of the conference theme: Taking Garden Tourism to the Next Level, the recipients of the 2019 Garden Tourism Awards were announced. Garden Tourism can be a significant component of a destination’s tourism offering Over 25 million people travel annually in North America to see gardens, and the global market of garden visitors exceeds 250 million. Research indicates that 46 per cent of garden visits result in an overnight stay, and the demographic of garden visitors includes all age cohorts. Destination British Columbia estimates the value of garden tourism in the Province of British Columbia alone exceeds $300 million annually. Latest research in the UK show that Garden Tourism generates almost 3 billion of economic impact. Gardens not only have a significant economic impact but also enhance the tourist experience of a destination, while providing positive social and health benefits. Garden Tourism Awards The Garden Tourism Awards are presented to organizations and individuals who have distinguished themselves in the development and promotion of garden experiences as tourism attractions and motivators. The awards are proudly supported by the Canadian Garden Council, the American Public Garden Association and the Mexican Association of Botanical Gardens and sponsored by the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association. The 2019 Canadian Garden Tourism Award winners are . . . The Canadian Garden Council is honoured to announce the following award recipients: 1. Garden of the Year Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, ON Sponsored by: Canadian Nursery Landscape Association 2. Botanical Garden of the Year VanDusen Gardens, BC Sponsored by: Canadian Nursery Landscape Association 3. New Garden Experience of the Year University of Alberta Botanic Garden - Aga Khan Garden, AB Sponsored by: Canadian Nursery Landscape Association 4. Garden Destination of the Year Victoria, BC 5. Garden Festival of the Year: International Garden Festival, QC 6. Flower Festival of the Year: Chilliwack Tulip Festival, BC 7. Garden Exhibition of the Year Mosaïculture Gatineau, QC 8. Garden Event of the Year The Artful Garden, ON 9. Destination Garden Centre of the Year Minter Country Garden Store, BC Sponsored by: Canadian Nursery Landscape Association 10. Garden Community Destination of the Year Trail, BC 11. Garden Initiative of the Year Diversity Garden, Assiniboine Park, MB Sponsored by: Enterprise Canada 12. Web Site of the Year Royal Botanical Gardens, ON Sponsored by: Enterprise Canada 13. Garden Media Person of the Year Tara Nolan, ON Sponsored by: Enterprise Canada 14. Garden Media of the Year Savvy Gardening, NS Sponsored by: Enterprise Canada 15. Garden Marketing Campaign of the Year Garden Promenade, ON 16. Garden Person of the Year Harry Jongerden, ON Sponsored by: Enterprise Canada In the spirit of highlighting North America’s most dynamic garden experiences, we are honoured to announce the 2019 recipients of the ‘Top 10 North American Gardens Worth Travelling For’ Garden Tourism Awards, said Michel Gauthier, Executive Director of the Canadian Garden Council. 2019 TOP 10 NORTH AMERICAN GARDENS WORTH TRAVELLING FOR (in alphabetical order) 1. Atlanta Botanical Garden, Atlanta, Georgia 2. The Butchart Gardens, Victoria, British Columbia 3. Chanticleer Garden, Wayne, Pennsylvania 4. Francisco Javier Clavijero Botanic Garden, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico 5. Ganna Walska Lotusland, Montecito, California 6. Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania 7. Montreal Botanical Garden/Jardin botanique de Montréal, Montréal, Québec 8. Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden, Lethbridge, Alberta 9. Red Butte Garden, Salt Lake City, Utah 10. Vallarta Botanical Garden (Jardín Botánico de Vallarta), Puerto Vallarta, Mexico * * * * * * * #gardentourismconference

Remember hummingbirds do not need red dyes in nectar and it should never be sweeter then 1 cup sugar to 4 cups boiled water to keep the healthy and happy! Regular cleaning and sanitizing of your feeder every time you change you nectar as well.

Devan Newsletter - https://mailchi.mp/devangh.ca/devan-newsletter-2019-10-07