The Front Page

Back in 1924 a group of interested people felt the need for an organized horticultural society in the community, and on March 1, 1925 the Scarborough Horticultural Society (SHS) was granted a charter by the Minister of Agriculture and received a grant of $75.
The first general meeting was reported to have been held in Birchcliff Public School, but in the early years, there was no set meeting place and meetings were held in different locations in the township (including other schools, the Veteran’s Hall on Kingston Rd., Stop 14, St Nicholas, Fallingbrook and St Crispin’s churches).

In 1947 the Society was split and an eastern division was formed to accommodate members in West Hill and Highland Creek, with both divisions having meetings and flower shows. However, after a few years, these divisions came together as one and the Society’s first permanent meeting place was Christ Church on Markham Road, followed by a later move north to the larger Cedarbrae District library, and when the Society outgrew that space, to the Scarborough Village Recreation Centre where we currently meet.

Edite Zarins had designed a beautiful logo for SHS in 1983, but a 1995 name change to the Scarborough Garden and Horticulture Society (SGHS) was approved by the membership and Lillias Bargery created a new logo reflecting the name change which took effect in 2000. In 2022 we voted to update our logo with one designed by Tifani Shannon.

At its inception the Society adopted two mottos “A Friendly Society” and “Beautify Scarborough.” Efforts to beautify Scarborough involved public plantings, since for many years there was no such thing as a Parks and Recreation department in the township. In early years, public plantings were done at the Waterworks plant and the war memorial cross at Kingston Rd and Danforth, a plot at the junction of Clonmore and Warden, at St. Crispin’s Church and at the post office at Midland and Kingston Rd. During the WW2, members sent seeds to the City of Scarborough, England to support the “Dig for Victory” program, which supported efforts of the British to grow their own vegetables to feed themselves in the absence of imports. Other places we have been involved with over the years include Variety Village, Greenvale Terrace on Kingston Rd. (now the entrance to the Guildwood train station), the Scarborough Red Cross building on Bellamy north, Scarborough General Hospital, Bendale Acres, Scarborough Centenary Hospital, Providence Villa, Consilium Place, planting around the Pearse house (by the zoo), the Cedar Ridge rose garden, Ina Grafton Gage Home, Christ Church, and the Cornell-Campbell property. We continue to search out places where we can beautify Scarborough
SGHS has an annual plant sale (this year on May 17th at the Cornell-Campbell property) selling members’ perennials that needed to be divided or had outgrown their spaces, and other plants. They are healthy, a greater variety and cheaper than buying at nursery or grocery stores.
Our main flower show is held on a Saturday in September (the 13th this year) – including cut flowers, baskets, vegetables and designs. This is open to the public from 2-4 PM. As well, mini shows are part of our monthly meetings, to be viewed while enjoying refreshments after the meeting.

Since the beginning our Society has provided interesting, educational programs, flower shows, service to the community and good fellowship. We meet the second Wednesday of the month (except August and December) at the Scarborough Village Community Centre, at 7:30 PM. Membership is $20.00 a year, and new members are welcome, as are visitors to check us out and stay for coffee, refreshments and the flower shows.
The success of our Society is a reflection of the guidance and dedication of successive boards and the willingness of the members to act to support Society activities. We look forward to the years ahead!