The arrival of Spring, with its connotation of new life and growth, means that Canadian gardens must be cleared of winter debris and prepped for all the new growth that we hope will follow.  

Volunteers from Chester Garden Club turned out in the last week of April to begin the annual clean-up of the Parade Square garden, a public space which faces the village cenotaph.

This involves weeding the ubiquitous Sheep’s sorrel that threads its way though flower beds, and edging those beds where grass has invaded the space. 

One intrepid volunteer donned protective gear to wade into a thicket of rosa rugosas to prune back unwanted canes and old rose hips.  Meanwhile, tired from his busy rounds as a mascot to the club, Bandit takes a rest while Heather, club president, gives him an encouraging pat. 

A few of the early tulips in  the Parade Square garden have just begun to open but a nearby neighbour’s garden already displays a colourful border of bulbs along the street, just outside a picket fence.

Another work party is scheduled for weeding and pruning at the club’s own Cove Garden next week and, perhaps to encourage club members to volunteer their services again,  Mother Nature recently provided a spectacular rainbow over a nearby cove.