Become a local Garden Ambassador for Year of the Garden 2022

One positive thing that came out of the pandemic was it ignited or re-ignited people’s passion for gardening.

While forced to stay home for the last two years, people took a long hard look at their yards and gardens and got to work. This is phenomenon was proven with the line-ups and empty shelves at gardening centres.

Riding on that wave of popularity, a movement has begun to ensure that the interest in gardening does not diminish and that has given rise to The Year of the Garden 2022.

It is a movement to see gardeners uniting behind the Canadian Garden Council (CGC) leading the way with the mandate, “To inspire, entertain and inform the thousands of plant growers, product manufacturers, retailers landscape service providers, horticulture societies, garden clubs, and public gardens across the nation."

They are encouraging everyone who dug in the dirt, 83% of households in 2021, to celebrate the Canadian ornamental horticulture sector’s centennial. The call is for gardeners to unite and share their love and knowledge of gardening and one of the ways to do that is by becoming a Garden Ambassador.

Cochranite, Michelle Giles is a Year of the Garden 2022, Garden Ambassador, and she describes what the title entails, “An Ambassador is someone who is willing to allow their social media channel to perhaps promote the Year of the Garden and that could just people taking pictures of their beautiful garden in the backyard of their houses and just celebrating throughout the year. So, I’m one of them and I’ll be posting on my social media channel to celebrate this year and to get people into gardening.” Michelle is one of many ambassadors across Canada and her specialty is Using native and wildflower plants to support wildlife.

Giles says this is a first for Canada and “The Canadian Garden Council is supporting it and they are pushing out on the internet and social media channels to celebrate and support gardeners right across Canada.” Essentially, it’s like a large gardening club and you are invited to join.

Michel Gauthier, Executive Director of the Canadian Garden Council. “We want people to ‘live the garden life’ and think about gardens indoors, on their balconies, in their yards, in schools, at work, and in their communities. We want them to appreciate gardens while cooking on their barbecues, traveling on trips, and shopping in their downtowns. We will commemorate Canada’s rich garden heritage, celebrate today’s vibrant garden culture, and create legacies for a sustainable future, and in doing so, nurture a nation of gardeners.”