Sowing the seeds of love

West Kildonan

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This article was published 09/04/2025 (534 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

More than 150 after it was first founded, the West Kildonan Horticultural Society continues to grow — and help things to grow.

The group, which is based in West Kildonan, but boasts members from all over the city and surrounding communities, dates back to 1872, just two years after Manitoba officially became a province. While the original group — a joint society alongside East Kildonan and St. Paul’s Agriculture Society — disbanded in 1927, the society as it is known today was reformed on March 8, 1951.

Asked what they’re the most proud of, society directors mentioned its history often.

“It’s been around for so long, and people are maintaining it,” said Cheryl Bryant, treasurer.

“Looking to the future, as well,” said Cameron Patrick, who’s in charge of publicity, acknowledging that there’s a need to “pass the knowledge down” in an accessible way for the younger generation.

The group meets on the first Tuesday of every month, when a guest speaker will discuss a different gardening topic — April’s was regenerative beekeeping — and members are kept up-to-date on upcoming events, fundraisers and other topics.

Members often visit local greenhouses, attend gardening and horticultural fairs and festivals, and organize different events to support of the society, such as Fiesta Day, an annual plant sale and fundraising event held at the beginning of June each year.

The society is also active in the community — keeping things green, so to speak, by ensuring that public land is healthy and thriving.

A big example of this is its work in the Seven Oaks Arboretum — a spot of land at 430 Partridge Ave. The park is taken care of entirely by society volunteers, and every tree, shrub and blade of grass is tended to with care throughout the summer months.

“It’s great to see people using the space, it’s beautiful,” said Lola Lafreniere, who works on community and youth projects, adding that it was a “jungle” before volunteers began to take care of it on a regular basis.

The arboretum is just behind a fire hall, which receives a healthy supply of extra vegetables from the space’s garden plot.

The society also takes care of the grounds at West Kildonan Community Centre (346 Perth Ave.), where its monthly meetings are held, offers volunteering opportunities for youth at Marymound, raises money for local organizations such as the Norwest Food Co-op (in support of its lunch program), provides plants, trees and benches for Habitat for Humanity Luther Homes and Oak Hammock Marsh, and donates vegetables to those in need.

“As a group, we want to try and give a lot back to the community, and hopefully they join,” said Trudy Cosme, vice-president.

“It’s kind of a win-win for us,” she said of the Marymound program. “Passing on some of our knowledge, we hope.”

The group currently has 45 members. Cost of membership is $15 per household, annually.

“We’re desperately looking for new members,” Lafreniere said, adding that people are often unaware that the group or the arboretum exist.

To learn more, visit

www.wkhorticultural.ca