October is one of those “bittersweet” months when the colourful and dramatic changes of Fall are at their most compelling and most nostalgic. The almost wistful affection that clings to this season begs for some “sweet” reminiscing and as Green Dreamers we tend to “recall” the season’s “happenings” in our local public lots.

The years 2015 - 2018 are the world’s hottest years since the recording of weather patterns began and now, according to NASA, 2019 is on track to be even hotter. Planting trees is the best and easiest way to counter global warming. In a recent Science article, researchers estimated that not only is tree-planting fifty times more effective than other forms of emissions combating but it also helps micro-climates or th,e areas around the planted trees, to be cooler and have a cleaner air.

Here in Old Ottawa South,  we have been planting trees on the patch of land on Canal Woods Terrace near Bronson Avenue for ten years. We do it to help clean the air in our neighbourhood and to protect our community from the noise and sight of the seven-lane monstrosity that Bronson has become.

Welcome to the 25th anniversary year of the Old Ottawa South Garden Club.  Attached is a copy of our exciting program for 2019-20.

On Friday, July 26th two monarch butterflies were spotted on the SW corner of Sunnyside & Bank outside the Dollar Store. On Saturday, July 27th another monarch danced among the milkweed on the corner of Fairbairn near Bank on the east side of the Firehall.

Unusual, you might ask? No, monarchs love milkweed and for several years now Green Dreamers have been cultivating this wild perennial hoping that monarch butterflies would feed on their preferred plant food right here in our own “street yard”.

Sun and heat do wonders for the garden, as do the volunteer Green Dreamers.

The Green Dreamers got an early start on the red & white Canada Day theme with some shared garden work at the Firehall followed by strawberries & gelato afterwards — doing the best kind of gardening, volunteering together!

A big thank you to volunteers Christine & Mike Bradley for your generosity and hard work in organizing a plant drive for the Green Dreamers at the Sunnyside library.

The City of Ottawa will be restoring the gardens within the next 4-6 weeks. They will inspect drainage, repair where necessary, add more soil (a unique composition to rain gardens) if required, and replant. We now know what survives!

As the tulips fade, can the sunflowers be far behind?

Come with your plants, stay for the books.

The Green Dreamers will gladly accept donations of plants at the library on Saturday, June 8th. Chat with the volunteers taking care the library gardens and other green spots along Bank Street and learn more about the work of this dedicated crew.