This weekend on Newmarket Today we will examine an organization which has been focused on contributing to natural beauty and its communal beauty for over 146 years in Newmarket. The Newmarket Horticultural Society has been dedicated to making Newmarket a more pleasant place to live for all of us.
Perhaps before we look at the Newmarket Horticultural Society, we should review what a horticultural committee does and the common interests that bring a variety of people together under their banner.
The term ‘horticulture’ is defined as the art and science of growing plants. The term derives its roots from the Latin words ‘hortus’, which means “garden” and ‘cultura’ which means “to cultivate” (from Horticulture – Definition, Types, Techniques, & Uses from the Britannica online) Horticulture is typically small-scale or ornamental in nature, as compared to the larger-scale the cultivation of crops.
Horticulture started with the domestication of plants, beginning with those grown and maintained for sustenance. Eventually humanity turned to the growing of plants for their ornamental value, growing plants more for pleasure, rather sustenance.
Today, horticulture has become fundamental to our way of life, enhancing our environment, and connecting us back to nature.
A ‘horticultural society’ is an organization devoted to the study and culture of cultivated plants. Such organizations may be local, regional, national, or international. Some have a more general focus, whereas others are devoted to a particular kind or group or genus of plants.
The first horticultural society formed in the world was founded in 1768 and listed as the ‘Ancient Society of York Florists’. It should be mentioned that it was the first registered society on record but if one looks further back, one will find the mention of community gardening groups.
Horticulture has been part of our human history for at least the past 20,000 years dating back to the domestication of various plants for food with agriculture and horticulture diverging at some point during the Middle Ages. (“Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind” by John Carey).
Along with the medicinal and nutritional values of plants, they are also grown for their beauty, meant to impress and to demonstrate a status related to the cultivation of plant material. This symbolic power which plants hold has existed since the beginning of their cultivation.
There is historical evidence that various gardens maintained by the Aztec were sacred, as they grew plants that held religious value. Flowers held symbolic power in religious rites as they were offered to the Gods, as well as were given in ceremonies to leaders to demonstrate their connection to their Gods.
I now turn to Ethel Trewhella’s History of the Town of Newmarket for the early history of the local horticultural society. She mentions that the first reference that she could find to the existence of a local Horticultural Society in Newmarket was in 1876 when a reference is made to the part it played in a civic celebration of that year. Then in May 1901 a flower show was held in the skating rink located on Main Street near Davis Drive.
The article also alludes to a move in the late summer of that year which saw the Society offered to unite with the local Agricultural Society to assist them in the annual Fall Fair and the North York Old Boys’ Reunion.
This merger between the two societies was to become permanent at about this time. A new Society was organized in 1919 with Charles Denne as its president and John Davey as its secretary. It held its first show at the rink on Main Street, with the Hon. E. J. Davis contributing several trophies to the event.
Two people were active in establishing the Society, as well as being the first to exhibit their flowers. These people were Mr. Arthur Fildey and Mr. L. P. Cane. Mr. Cane won five silver trophies and Mrs. Harman was the winner of the Eaton trophy for their arrangements.
The societies’ website picks up the story online under the heading ‘Celebrating 96 Years of Active Community Gardening’. In the winter of 1926, the current edition of the Newmarket Garden Club (NGC) (formerly the Newmarket Horticultural Society) was founded with its goal to promote all things horticultural locally, and to bring the joy of gardening to its members and the public.
This organizational meeting took place in the McCauley Block on Main Street and was attended by Charles Denne, Miss Toole, Ed Brammer, James Gibney, Ward Clarkson, L. P. Cane, Dr. C. S. Gilbert, R. B. McTavish, Duncan Murray, and Howard Hugo. The elected officers included B. W. Nichol president, A. E. Brammer vice-president, the Rev. R. K. Nichol secretary, and Dr. C. S. Gilbert treasurer. There were three local flower shows held that year at the fairgrounds and in the market building. The society sponsored garden plots for children and floral awards for adults.
They planted trees and shrubs throughout the town, on school grounds, and corner lots and undertook landscaping projects around town. If you were a student back then, you would likely have received a gift of bulbs in the Spring courtesy of the society.
In 1950 they sponsored the local trade fair and continued to do so until 1956. All this information comes from the publication 1857 – 1957 Centennial Red Book by John Luck.
Over the years ‘the society’ has continued to serve the horticultural needs of our community. Some of those whom I want to recognize are Howard Procter, Arnold Reinke, Eugene McCaffrey along with former mayor Bert Kent who served as the president in the late 1950’s.
One of the familiar scenes from my childhood was that of Eugene McCaffrey who owned a flower shop at the south end of Main Street in the 1940’s tending the flower bed on Millard Avenue just west of Church Street across from the Veteran’s Hall. I have included a photo of this garden which is still maintained by the club today
It is interesting to note that the club’s logo is the Monarda (Scarlet Beebalm) plant, which is said to be useful in attracting bees, given the Town of Newmarket’s slogan, the “Hive of Activity”, which seems more than appropriate as an official logo.
The society’s membership draws not only expert gardeners but also welcomes novice gardeners. Their website details their social activities such as seed and plant exchanges, annual plant sales, maintenance of public gardens, communication through newsletters and associations with other horticultural societies throughout Ontario.
They also promote many ‘plant related activities’ within the community including monthly guest speakers, a bursary, an annual spring plant sale, friendly flower and photography competitions as well as maintaining two town gardens.
It was through their maintenance of local public gardens that I came to admire this organization.
Did you know that there is a provincial network of dedicated horticulturists? The Newmarket Garden Club (NGC) is just one of the area community members of District 5 of the Ontario Horticultural Association, participating in various intersociety functions.
If you are a plant enthusiast, then you are aware of their annual plant sale fund-raising event each spring with these plants mainly being supplied from their members’ own gardens. This was always a popular event with the public and sold out quite quickly.
So, what is the legacy of the Newmarket Garden Club? They nurture an interest in local gardens and boost pride in our outdoor communal surroundings. I am sure that you concurred that the appeal of floral beauty strategically planted around town makes Newmarket a more attractive place for visitors and residents. I would imagine that the club is one of the most popular organizations in our town.
Should you wish to join the Newmarket Garden Club or simply check out their event listings you can visit the Newmarket Garden Club website for more information.
I hope that you have enjoyed my look at the ‘Newmarket Garden Club (Newmarket Horticultural Society).
I look forward to seeing you all back here new weekend.
Newmarket resident Richard MacLeod, the History Hound, has been a local historian for more than 40 years. He writes a weekly feature about our town’s history in partnership with Newmarket Today, conducts heritage lectures and walking tours of local interest, and leads local oral history interviews.
