CRAMAHE
ECOLOGY GARDEN: CREATED BY MEMBERS OF THE CRAMAHE HORTICULTURAL
SOCIETY
Rotary Centennial Park Drive
As
members of OHA, our motto is Keeping Ontario Beautiful.
Our Cramahe Ecology Garden challenges community to Keep Earth
Beautiful
What
is an Ecology Garden? Ecology, as defined by Webster's New World
Dictionary, is the branch of biology that deals with the relations
between living organisms and their environment.
In
2008, the Cramahe Horticultural Society membership agreed to create
an Ecology Garden. With support from the Township of Cramahe,
the Rotary Club of Colborne, Community Care Colborne and District
4 of the Ontario Horticultural Association, it was agreed to create
the Cramahe Ecology Garden in Rotary Centennial Park, Colborne.
A request for funding from New Horizons for Seniors was approved
and the funding arrived, special delivery, by MP Rick Norlock,
in the spring of 2009. Then the real work began. Members contributed
many hours of labour to prepare the garden for planting at our
Dedication, May 25. Over the summer, members met to regularly
maintain and improve the garden. Members involved children from
the local Keeler Camp. The children toured the gardens and painted
stones to edge the garden rooms and they painted birdhouses meant
to encourage birds to nest. These children later brought their
parents to visit the gardens.
The
Cramahe Ecology Garden displays a variety of plants. It is not
a native plant garden but there is an area where one can be developed
in the future, once repairs have been made to the eroded edge
of the creek. Garden "rooms" show plants among a variety
of similar plants. There is a vegetable room where children will
be invited to plant quick growing peas and sunflowers. Strawberry
plants have been used to edge the vegetable room. There is a xeriscape
garden room of sun loving, drought tolerant plants and a shade
garden room for plants that like shade. As part of our purpose
to educate the community, all of the plants will be labeled. A
composting centre shows the community how to make soil.
The
Cramahe Ecology Garden will become a year round destination. The
birds are already settling in to the new birdhouses. As natural
insect eaters, they and the snakes, toads and frogs are welcome
residents. Welcome also are the earth worms as they are tilling
and enriching the soil.
Stone
benches are situated for quiet contemplation. Passers by can learn
about plants and simply observe their beauty or they can be inspired
to grow similar species in their personal gardens. Hopefully residents
of all ages will become interested enough to join the Cramahe
Horticultural Society.
The space will continue to develop as the park is renewed. Many
members of the community have visited the Cramahe Ecology Garden
and positive supportive comments continue to flow.
