Spring has sprung, bringing with it the return of blooming gardens. For more than a century, the Vernon & District Garden Club—formerly the Vernon & District Horticultural Society—has been bringing local gardeners together to share their passion for plants and flowers.
The club’s roots go back to 1925, when a group of Vernon residents met to form a society dedicated to floriculture—the cultivation and appreciation of flowers. Their goals included beautifying homes and public spaces, organizing flower shows, and holding garden competitions. At the time, other horticultural organizations in the Valley were also taking shape, and there was a desire to create a uniform set of bylaws across the groups to facilitate future collaboration. By 1927, the Vernon society had established a constitution, and in its first year, had 115 members, hosted two flower shows, and visited eleven backyard gardens showcasing irises, peonies, perennials, roses, gladiolas, and dahlias.
Over the years, the society changed its name to the Vernon & District Garden Club and continued to grow. In the 1970s, it produced Horticultural Harvest of Helps & Hints, a publication full of gardening tips covering everything from composting and organic gardening to caring for trees, shrubs, and flowers. This resource provided guidance for both indoor and outdoor plant care and reflected the club’s dedication to education and community support.
Today, the club remains active, holding meetings at the Vernon Community Arts Centre during the growing months. It also organizes an annual plant sale and a flower show, scheduled for May and June of this year, respectively. These events continue to bring together gardening enthusiasts of all skill levels, providing opportunities to learn, share, and celebrate horticulture in the region. For more details, visit www.vernongardenclub.ca.
An interesting piece of history—before 1968, the club met at the Grange Hotel, which once stood at 3002 27th Street. Shortly before the hotel was demolished, the club’s records from the 1925-1929 period were saved and later donated to the Vernon Archives.
As gardening season begins, the Vernon & District Garden Club continues to be a great resource for local plant enthusiasts, helping keep Vernon’s gardens thriving.
Archives Manager, Gwyneth Evans