Niagara Falls Horticultural Society

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Niagara Falls Horticultural Society

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We're a nonprofit VOLUNTEER organization which strives to beautify & educate the community through HORTICULTURE

The Niagara Falls Horticultural Society provides a welcoming environment for all who enjoy gardening and is dedicated to nurturing that enthusiasm. We have a full range of friendly gardeners, from aspiring to accomplished, that are always eager to learn more and share with each other. One of the most rewarding aspects is to be contributing to our community while we are doing what we enjoy. As a member of our Society you will have the opportunity to:

-enjoy admission to our monthly meetings of inspiring, knowledgeable and humourous high-calibre speakers on a wide range of topics.
-participate in monthly & annual flower shows & photo contests.
-attend flower design seminars at no cost.
-attend “Garden Strolls Just for Members”.
-attend OHA horticultural events
-receive discounts at local nurseries - discounts may vary.
-expand your friend base of like-minded gardeners as you share & learn.
-spend your volunteer time contributing services that better our community in activities that you enjoy.

11/02/2026

Join us for our annual Christmas Open House! 🎄
Always a fun weekend with prize giveaways and refreshments!💫🕊️

10/29/2026

If you haven’t been to Royal Botanical Gardens Canada this fall, this weekend is your last opportunity to see the fantastic display of pumpkins they’ve put out. Make the trip. Trust me, it’s worth it! 🎃 🍂 🍁 🧡

10/29/2026

Thought this would be a timely post with Halloween in a couple of days. Attached picture is a ‘Witches’ broom’ but not what we normally associate it to. This is found in an old cedar of one of our gardening customer’s gardens here in Niagara Falls. 🧙🧹

A witches' broom is an abnormal, dense cluster of twigs, shoots, and leaves that grows from a single point on a tree or shrub, creating a structure that resembles a broom or a bird's nest.

What Causes It?

Witches' brooms happen when a disruption in the tree's hormones (specifically a loss of apical dominance) causes buds to multiply out of control. This is triggered by:
• Pathogens: Fungi (such as Taphrina or rusts), phytoplasmas, bacteria, or viruses.
• Parasites & Pests: Mites, insects, or parasitic plants like dwarf mistletoe.
• Genetic Mutations: Spontaneous "sports" or cellular mutations in conifers and deciduous trees.

Types and Impact

• Genetic vs. Pathogenic: If caused by a disease or parasite, the rest of the tree might show signs of stress. If caused by a harmless genetic mutation, the tree is usually healthy, and the broom is just a miniature version of the plant.
• Horticulture Use: Gardeners and scientists often take cuttings (grafts) from genetic witches' brooms to propagate unique, slow-growing dwarf tree cultivars (like certain ornamental conifers or maples).
• Forest Health: In wild forests, large parasitic brooms (such as those from dwarf mistletoe) can weigh down branches or act as "ladder fuels" during wildfires.

10/29/2026

The hollow stems of perennials offer ideal nesting and overwintering spots for insects, which in turn become a vital food source for birds. The birds will help control pests during next year’s garden season.

About 30% of native bees, such as leafcutter and mason bees, are tunnel nesting. They use narrow tunnels or other tiny spaces in dead wood, hollow stems or brush piles to make their homes.

https://inharmony.com/how-to-help-birds-and-bugs-in-your-garden-this-fall/

10/29/2026

Looking for a fun PA Day activity? Join us for Kids Grinch Tree Workshop Event! 💚

Kids will love creating and decorating their own whimsical holiday masterpiece using a fresh 4-inch Lemon Cypress tree!

The fun starts with cozy hot chocolate, storytime, and a visit from our special guest, “Max” 🐾 🐶

Grown ups- you are welcome to create your own tree too! 🎄

Limited spots are available so sign up today!

https://www.countrybasketniagara.com/site/niagara-garden-centre-shop-online/detail/grinch-tree-individual-workshop

10/29/2026

250,000 TREES GONE. A FOREST LOST TO THE AI BOOM.

In northern Finland, a vast stretch of forest has been cleared to make way for Google’s planned data-center expansion. Reports estimate that around 250,000 trees once stood in approximately 330 hectares of forest near Muhos.

But the loss is about far more than trees.

A forest is a living ecosystem. It provides shelter for wildlife, supports biodiversity, protects soil, and helps maintain the natural balance of the surrounding landscape.

When that forest disappears, the consequences can reach far beyond the cleared land.

Local residents have reported brown, muddy water flowing into nearby streams and expressed concern about the effects on the Oulujoki River system. Residents near another planned site have also reported wolves appearing in their village after wildlife was displaced from the surrounding forest.

The controversy has become even more serious because Finnish authorities ordered preparatory work at the planned data-center sites to stop while environmental impact assessments were completed. Google has apologised for the situation, saying it believed it had acted in accordance with its understanding of the rules and would comply with the authorities’ instructions.

And it leaves us with an important question.

How much of the natural world should we sacrifice to build the infrastructure powering artificial intelligence?

Technology can bring genuine benefits. But those benefits must be weighed against the environmental costs and communities deserve a meaningful voice before irreplaceable landscapes are transformed.

A forest is not simply empty land waiting for development. It is home to countless living creatures, many of which cannot simply relocate to another suitable habitat.

Once a landscape is destroyed, planting new trees elsewhere cannot instantly recreate the ecosystem that was lost.

We need technological progress that respects nature, environmental safeguards that work in practice, and development that considers the people and wildlife already living in an area.

🌍 The future should not be built by forgetting what we stand to lose.

Forests matter. Rivers matter. Wildlife matters.

And the natural world deserves protection even in the age of AI.

Address

Niagara Falls, ON

Website

http://niagarafallshort.org/

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