Spring Was In the Air

by Joe Durand

Marla and David Celia provided beautiful music

With the coming of spring there is so much tobe thankful for as we look to the coming growing season and programs. The 2019Spring Is In The Air event was a huge success and celebration of all that westrive for. It never ceases to amaze me how the garden is a place for everyone,every child, youth, teacher and volunteer can find a place to connect andlearn. There were budding young artists using nature’s leaves, stems, needlesand grasses to make art, seniors were sharing hand-crafted pollinator hotels,while others came to simply enjoy the sun and scent of spring. Still otherscame to talk gardens and planting. Some came with generations of knowledge fromtheir families and homes of origin, and others came wanting to know how tostart.

Lara Morovsky was there to launch her new book, Grow Without a Garden: 101 Plants for Containers. She shared her original artwork from the book and her extensive knowledge of plants.

Lara Lucretia Mrosovsky and her new book

In true Green Thumbs fashion, everyone leftknowing more about plants, nature, gardens, pollinators, healthy soil, healthyplants and how good they taste. Right now gardens are opening, kids areplanting in the greenhouse, soon youth will be hired to run summercamps/programs, staff are being hired to teach and mentor and our directorcontinues to reach out and find ways to demonstrate that the garden is a goodplace to deliver curriculum.

Plant Sale

Our friends and sponsors know this too. Thanksto Mark Cullen who readily shares about starting out in his backyard garden inEast York. Daniel et Daniel want everyone in their community to know about thegoodness of fresh whole foods. The Friends of Allan Gardens share in ourpassion to create spaces for kids to find nature in the heart of the city. GrowIt All provides us with healthy certified organic seeding & potting mix.Meridian Credit Union helps with local projects like ours. And of course theCity of Toronto provided us with the beautiful space to gather.

Front of house

Thanks also to the Board of Directors, themany Silent Auction and food sponsors, Real Food for Real Kids and Black RiverJuice, volunteers and friends who know that relationships are the key tolearning, creating good food choices, learning about nature and buildingcommunity. The April 2019 Spring is in the Air event was such a grandopportunity to take a moment and reflect on all the goodness and support thatsustains us.

Yum!