In 2019 Dalhousie University in Halifax did a study on Home Food Gardening during COVID-19 that suggests 51% of respondents grow at least one variety of fruit or vegetable in a garden. Of those, 17.4% started growing food at home in 2020 during COVID-19—that is almost one in five Canadians. A total of 67% of new gardeners in 2020 agree that the pandemic influenced their decision to start growing food at home. (Full study notes: https://www.dal.ca/sites/agri-food/research/home-food-gardening-during-covid-19.html)

What is truly amazing is that trend continues today – to the point that many seed growers aren’t able to keep up with the sudden increase in demand; some seed supplies are limited (but they’ll get there, don’t worry!).

The Year of the Garden 2022 was proclaimed by the Canadian Garden Council to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Ornamental Horticulture in Canada and it officially launched on the first day of Spring – March 20, 2022.

Everyone in Canada, including individuals, and those in organizations, schools, churches, colleges and universities, clubs, societies, businesses, and municipalities are invited to Live the Garden Life and Plant Red during the Year of the Garden 2022.

Plant Red to pay tribute to lives lost, or honour frontline workers during the pandemic. Or Plant Red as an expression of your Canadian Garden Pride in 2022.

Share your garden. Register your Plant Red Garden at no cost, by submitting a photo of your garden. Your entry will be pinned on the map (by community not exact location) and you will receive a special downloadable Plant Red Garden Certificate of participation.

There are a multitude of REDS that we can plant in our gardens, containers, balconies and decks – whether it’s fruit, foliage, flowers or vegetables, there’s something for everyone. But wherever you live, let’s all celebrate what matters to each of us, and LIVE THE GARDEN LIFE!

Head over to “Year of the Garden” for celebration ideas – https://livethegardenlife.gardenscanada.ca