Community Flower and Garden Show

During World War II, Canadians rallied for the cause by growing Victory Gardens to put fresh vegetables and fruit on the table. Buoyed by their success, enthusiastic gardeners in Mill Bay, Shawnigan Lake and Cobble Hill continued to share their passion with friends and neighbours. And part of this was the spring flower show.

Early show hosts included the Farmers’ Institute, the Women’s Institute and the PTA. In 1949, Shawnigan Lake Garden Club took responsibility for this spring show. Over the years, the show has featured everything from handicrafts to flowers, but it has always been a community show. When neighbouring garden clubs in the area merged as the Mill Bay Garden Club, the show became known as the Mill Bay Flower and Garden Show.

Today, even if your garden is no more that three pots at the front door, the show is worth a visit: great food, beautiful flowers, plants to purchase, garden vendors, and a huge silent auction. The garden show offers more than 50 flower, fruit, and vegetable categories and all are welcome to exhibit their garden favourites. Get the exhibitors’ brochure at the link below for more information or pick one up locally at Buckerfield’s, The Crazy Daisy Garden Shoppe (at the Laughing Llama), Country Grocer (Valley View) Dinter’s Nursery or Shar-Kare. Entries must be submitted between 1:00 PM and 6:50 PM on June 07. Entry fee is $0.50 per entry with no limit on the number of entries you’d like to show in.

This year the Community Flower and Garden show will be held on Saturday June 8th from 9 am till 2 pm. Hundreds of entries in flower, plant and edible classes collected from gardens all over the Cowichan Valley will create a dazzling and often fragrant display. Visitors can vote for their favourite flower arrangements for the People’s Choice Award.

Do you love your garden but are puzzled by its problems? Bring your garden problems to the master gardeners’ booth for answers. Do you want to refresh your garden? Buy the newest and most attractive plants and flowers in the Garden Market. As always there are plant bargains galore at the Mill Bay Garden Club’s huge plant stall.

Finally, you can support a good (and delicious) cause at the South Cowichan Healthcare Auxiliary Strawberry Tea. Bring your appetite!

The Flower Show Silent Auction has over a hundred items donated by artisans, sponsors, businesses, and club members. Last year’s donations ranged from a truckload of primo bark mulch to an artist‐created birdbath.

This Silent Auction directly benefits local charities. (Last year, it supported Nourish Cowichan, the CMS Food Bank, Cowichan Estuary Restoration and Conservation Association, the Shawnigan Basin Society, Cowichan Hospice and Somenos Transition House.) The Mill Bay Garden Club also supports a bursary to provide financial assistance to qualifying local students entering higher education in agricultural and horticultural studies.