Angie Caunce-Paull, Environment Committee
On Sunday July 6, the Environmental Committee, part of the Convent Glen Orléans Wood Community Association, held its first native plant sale fundraiser at the Heart of Orléans Market. It was non-stop community engagement action from open to close! Over 100 visitors came through our booth looking to add to their pollinator gardens or build one from scratch.
Our goal was to raise money for the many community events the environmental committee hosts throughout the year, and to promote native plant gardening! We were truly delighted to see so much interest from our friends and neighbours, with many visitors saying they came to the market specifically for the plant sale. The varieties available at rock bottom prices did not disappoint!
Most of our plants were winter sown, a process of planting outdoors in the middle of winter from seeds sourced from the Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library, a volunteer-based free resource. Other seedlings were generously donated from local native plant enthusiasts. We know that winter sowing can be intimidating, so we really wanted to offer stress-free native seedlings to this caring and conscientious community.
It was exhilarating to see so many community members excited to build native pollinator gardens in their own yards, building on the network of pollinator patches throughout our neighbourhood. Many of our plant species sold out completely – we promise we will stock more next year!
Together, through community action and by helping each other, we can support biodiversity by creating more habitat for all of the incredible species that rely on it.
