Events
Current Events
Active Living & Retirement Show
Friday, February 27, 2026 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex in Fergus
Our Society’ booth was one of 41 booths at the CW Active Living & Retirement Show at the Sportsplex in Fergus.
This event provides information on a range of services available to older adults from a variety of organizations: health, financial, travel, recreation, support services, volunteering and more.
Our booth was kept busy with the over 500 visitors that attended. We have already welcomed new members who heard of us that day and we are looking forward to returning to this show next February.
March - 7th Annual Seedy Saturday
2026 Centre Wellington Seedy Saturday
Saturday, March 21, 2026 10:30 am – 2:30 pm – Free admission
Wellington County Museum & Archives, Aboyne Hall
0536 Weelington County Road 18 in Fergus
The Horticultural Societies of Elora & Salem and Fergus & District will jointly host the 7th Annual Centre Wellington Seedy Saturday.
If you require more information, contact cw.seedy.saturday@gmail.com
Supporting you to grow your own vegetables and perennials
- Bring your own seeds
- Exchange Seeds with others
- Get free gardening advice from our Master Gardeners
- Visit our garden vendors
- Improve your plant diversity with new seeds from our seed vendors
- Attend our live workshops
- Children’s Activity Cornier
- Activities and interests for all ages
Master Gardeners
The Guelph-Wellington Master Gardeners will be located next to the Seed Exchange tables and will be able to answer any gardening questions you may have.
Seed Exchange Tables
“Bring a Few – Take a Few”
Bring your own seeds in labelled envelopes and drop them off a the Seed Exchange tables, Include the year and place of seed harvest and colour, if a flowering variety.
Pick up seeds at the Seed Exchange tables.
For anyone not bringing seeds but wishing to take some, voluntary donation jars will be available on the Seed Exchange tables.
Donations are very much appreciated and are needed to offset our event costs.
Children’s Activities
Volunteers will be supervising children’s activities at the Children’s Corner table.
Fun can be had with quizzes, colouring, marking artwork and crafting.
Horticultural Society Information
The Fergus & District Horticultural Society and Elora & Salem Horticultural Society will be pressent to provide information on society activities and the benefits of membership.
Live Workshops
11:00 am: Supporting Gardens by Supporting Soil – by Amanda Hunter, Worm Wrangler
12:00 noon: Tips for Establishing and Tending Fruit Trees – by Matt Soltys, The Urban Orchardist
1:15 pm: Design your Garden with Native Pollinator Plants – by Kari Olsen and Kate Anderson CW Native Plant Gardening
Why have a seed exchange?
To preserve and promote seed and food biodiversity
Biodiversity is the key to adapting our food system to changes in the 21st century. The problem is that we’re losing food biodiversity every day.
During the last hundred years, 75% of our food crop varieties became extinct,. Today, only 10% of the remaining varieties are available from commercial seed companies.
Diversity of plant and animals if very important. It makes living things adaptable. It allows both wild and domesticated species to withstand threats like disease, climate change, pests, and other unpredictable conditions.
With enough variation in a group there will always be some individuals that can survive under any changing situation.
Food crop biodiversity is our single most crucial tool to enable our food systems to adapt to changes.
Vendors
Chawin’s Workshop
CountrySense
Crisp Country Gardens
Ever Smiles Gardens
Gerrie’s Garden Centre Farm Market
Hawthorn Farm Organic Seeds
Ivy Barn Art
Nancy’s Creations & Seeds
Seeds of Imbolc
Shady Lane Greenhouse
Swiss Bell 2.0
Two of Us Gardening & Mainenance
WeeBeeHouse
Wicked Welly Farm & Apiary
Worm Wrangler
Community Groups
CW Community Garden Network
CW Native Plant Group
Food Forest Centre Wellington
Neighbourwoods / TreeTrust
Advisory Services
Guelph-Wellington Master Gardeners
Seeds of Diversity
This event is supported by:
Fergus & District Horticultural Society
Elora & Salem Horticultural Society
District 7 Spring Meeting & AGM
Saturday April 25, 2026
9:30am-12:30pm
Moorefield Community Centre
15 Ball Avenue, Moorefield
Hosted by Moorefield Horticulture, celebrating their 100th Anniversary! Come and help celebrate!
Speaker: Vicky Culbert, President of Ontario Horticultural Association.
Plan to attend the meeting. Cost is only $10 for the morning. Coffee and mi-morning break provided by the hosts.
Plan to enter the Flower Show. Entries are placed between 8:30 and 9:15.
Advise Fergus Hort. President, Mary-Ann Branciere, if attending – she will advise of numbers for the hosting Society for set up purposes.
May - Best Bloomin' Plant Sale
Saturday, May 23, 2026
8:00am- 11:00am
(volunteers needed 7:30am-Noon)
Stone House (next to tennis courts), Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex
Our plant sale is made possible by the generous donations of plants and gently used gardening equipment from our members.
Donated plants should be bagged or potted and labeled. Volunteers are needed to help pot plants on Tuesdays and Fridays, May 12, 15 and 19, as well as on Friday, May 22 for sale setup from 9 am to noon and 1 pm to 4 pm.
For more information or to volunteer, please email Kathy Bouma at fergushorticulture@gmail.com. Email us if you need help digging up plants or if you need items picked up.
May - 47th Lion's Club Home Show
May 26, 27, 28, 2025 5:30pm – 9:30pm
Centre Wellington Sportsplex
This event is to encourage the members of our community to enjoy gardening.
This year, children will be planting marigold flowers that they can bring home and enjoy watching their flower grow.
Coffee in the Gardens
June TBD – 10am at Terry Fox Park
July 14 – 10am at Templin Gardens
Members are invited to enjoy a cup of coffee in our parks. One day in June, coffee will be served at Terry Fox Park. One day in July, coffee will be served at Templin Gardens. Dates will be update more closely to the event(s).
June - Annual Garden Tour
Sunday, June 28, 2026
12:30pm to 4:30pm
The 2026 Garden Tour planning is underway!
Enjoy a self-guided tour through five wonderful gardens.
A donation to the food bank would be appreciated.
Maps and information will be available here on the website as well as various locations, including the Information Centre and local nurseries.
If you are interested in being on the garden tour, please send us an email at fergushorticulture@gmail.com.
This year’s Garden Tour was a blooming success!
Visitors were treated to an enchanting stroll through four private, beautifully curated home gardens and one stunning public treasure, Templin Gardens, all nestled in the heart of Fergus:
245 Union Street West
145 Union Street West
135 St. George Street East
380 Brock Avenue
Templin Gardens (managed by the Society)
Despite the sweltering heat and sticky humidity, more than 160 garden enthusiasts came out to enjoy the lush greenery, vibrant blossoms, and thoughtful designs on display. The resilience of our visitors was as impressive as the gardens themselves!
Thanks to their generosity, the tour raised an incredible $1,342.55 in donations for the Centre Wellington Food Bank—a wonderful reminder of how our community comes together to share both beauty and kindness.
July - OHA Annual Meeting & Conference
Saturday July 24-26, 2026
The Annual General Meeting will be held at the Conference.
For the most up-to-date information, please link to the OHA Conference webpage.
Past Events
Spring District 7 Flower Show - April 26, 2025
Entries must be placed from 8:30 – 9:15 a.m. Judging starts at 9:30 a.m.
Division 1 – Horticulture *
Points- 1st-6, 2nd-4, 3rd -2
Prizes- 1st-$5, 2nd- $3, 3rd- $2
Class 1. Hellebore/Helleborus – 1 stem/spray
Class 2. Any Spring Flowering Bulb – 1 stem/spray, named
Class 3. Flowering Branch ** – max. 75cm. (30″) including container, named
Class 4. Saintpaulia (African Violet), Standard, single crown – 1 pot
Class 5. Bedding Plants – cell pack, one cultivar, grown from seed, named (min. 4 plants)
Most Points in Horticulture- Prize donated by Guelph Township Horticultural Society – $10.00
* Two entries per class are permitted in Horticultural division only but must be from different cultivars. House plants and garden plants must have been cared for by exhibitor for at least three (3) months or have been grown from seed or a cutting by exhibitor. Judging in accordance with Ontario Judging and Exhibiting Standards, 2019. Substandard entries may not necessarily receive a prize.
** Branch can be forced
Division 2 – Design
Points- 1st-8, 2nd-6, 3rd -4
Prizes- 1st-$7, 2nd- $5, 3rd- $3
Class 6. Submerged Beauty – an underwater design ***
Class 7. Thumbelina – a miniature desgin
Class 8. Grand River Flowing – your interpretation
Class 9. Simplicity – a design using only 1 bloom. Other plant materials allowed.
Class 10. Side by Side – parallel design****
Judge’s Choice – Prize donated by Guelph Township Horticultural Society- $10.00
*** Underwater Design: a design with part(s) placed under water to create interest. Although the design must have part(s) under water, no definite percentage is required. A portion of the design must be above the water line. The parts under water and out of the water must form a unifed design (Page 155 OJEES 2019)
**** Parallel Design: A design in which three or more groupings are placed in a parallel manner with open spaces between the groupings. The Parallel direction may be vertical, horizontal or diagonal, The design is in one container or in containers combined so as to appear as one unit. (Pager 146, OJES 2019)
Fall District 7 Flower Show - October 18, 2025
Entries must be placed from 8:30 – 9:15 a.m. Judging starts at 9:30 a.m.
Division 1 – Horticulture *
Points- 1st-6, 2nd-4, 3rd -2
Prizes- 1st-$5, 2nd- $3, 3rd- $2
Class 1. Dahlia, under 10cm (4″) – 1 stem
Class 2. Any Perennial Flower – 1 stem/spray, named
Class 3. Potted Pelargonium (annual Geranium) – 1 plant
Class 4. Hydrangea – any variety, 1 stem or branch
Class 5. Herbs – 3 cultivars, named, in separate containers
Class 6. Stored for Winter – a display of 3 or more cultivars **, on a tray, not to exceed 45.7cm (18″)
Most Points in Horticulture- Prize donated by Guelph Township Horticultural Society – $10.00
* Two entries per class are permitted in Horticultural division only but must be from different cultivars. House plants and garden plants must have been cared for by exhibitor for at least three (3) months or have been grown from seed or a cutting by exhibitor. Judging in accordance with Ontario Judging and Exhibiting Standards, 2019. Substandard entries may not necessarily receive a prize.
** Standard Entry – See Page 108 OJES for full list. For example: Entry of 1: pumpkin, winter squash, turnip; Entry of 3: apples, beets, carrots, garlic gourds, onions, potatoes; Entry of 5: Brussel sprouts, beans, cherry tomatoes
Division 2 – Design
Points- 1st-8, 2nd-6, 3rd -4
Prizes- 1st-$7, 2nd- $5, 3rd- $3
Class 7. Hayride – design using mostly grasses
Class 8. Rich – Centrepiece, using dried material, under 30cm/12″
Class 9. Dahlia Delight – a design using mainly dahlias
Class 10. Fall Glory – landscape design***
Class 11. NOVICE ONLY **** First Try – your interpretation
Judge’s Choice – Prize donated by Guelph Township Horticultural Society- $10.00
*** Landscape: a design capturing a moment from nature. It may be completely naturalistic with plant material organized as it grows, or stylized. The scale can be reduced, and plant material can be used to suggest a real scene e.g., a branch can suggest a tree, moss can suggest woodland. (pg. 143 OJEDS 2019)
**** NOVICE ONLY: less than 2 years of showing
District 7 Fall Meeting
Saturday October 18, 2025 – 9:30 am to 12:30p
Hosted by Fergus & District Horticultural Society
Location: Melville Church, Fellowship Hall, 300 St Andrew Street West, Fergus
Registration opens at 8:30am – $10 fee for the day
Each Society to bring a door prize with value of approximately $25
Morning coffee and mid-morning coffee break provided by hosts
Speakers Barry Vanderveer – Perennials, Trees and Shrubs
Coffee and mid-morning break provided by the hosts.
Plan to enter the Flower Show. Entries are place between 8:30 and 9:15.
Advise Fergus Hort. President, Mary Ann Branciere, if attending – she will advise of numbers for the hosting Society for set up purposes.