Huge crowds turned out for the Montréal Space for Life’s Great Gardening Weekend, held from May 26 to 28 this year. Quebec’s largest horticultural fair, held at the Jardin botanique de Montréal, beat attendance records, with no fewer than 32,856 visitors – up by more than 200% from a typical year. This is clear evidence of the event’s growing popularity and of the widespread current interest in new gardening trends and foodscaping.
There was extensive media coverage for the event, too, following the announcement that admission to the site would be free on Friday, May 26, to mark Montréal’s 375th anniversary. More than 15,400 seasoned and curious, new visitors came to the Garden on the first day of the event, despite the rainy weather. A stunning success!
The 2017 Great Gardening Weekend in short
This year’s version of this annual event for horticulture and gardening enthusiasts threw the spotlight on foodscaping, a new horticultural trend, in conjunction with the Here’s to Life! theme for its annual program. Over 80 enthusiastic exhibitors were on hand, with a wide variety of food and ornamental plants, edible flowers and original garden accessories. Six speakers also shared their expertise and their latest horticultural discoveries. Finally, Yves Gagnon, a green and organic gardening pioneer widely known for his Les jardins du Grand-Portage, in Saint-Didace, was honoured with the 2017 Henry Teuscher Award.
Montréal Space for Life will be announcing its summer lineup of activities shortly.
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