The Ottawa Garden Club

The Ottawa Garden Club is comprised of 130 enthusiastic members who are joined together through a love of gardening. Events of the Club include monthly lectures by local gardening experts, tours of gardens, special events, and social activities. The Club is also involved in community outreach and every year a team of volunteers tend the courtyard gardens at the Perley Veterans and Health Centre. The Club also hosts an annual art show to raise funds for charity.  To encourage young gardeners, an annual scholarship, called the Esmonde White award is given to a worthy student in one of the local horticultural programs.

The Ottawa Garden Club was originally created in 1961 by Lady Fowler, wife of the British High Commissioner and Mrs. Frankie Rochester from Ottawa. The group, made up of diplomats' spouses and a few Ottawa residents, was formed in no small part to give the diplomats an opportunity to meet Ottawa residents with a common interest.

In keeping with its earliest mandate of welcoming new diplomats to Ottawa, the garden club continues to host an annual lunch for new diplomats each fall.  Today, more than 20 diplomats are members of the club, representing countries as diverse as Spain, Equador, and Estonia.

Our Logo

The Club's logo was designed by artist Don Pinder, brother of former president June Norgaard who initiated the design. It consists of a lotus blossom and bud. Throughout the ages, this flower has symbolized growth and a source of life, and inspired a sense of peace, hope and contentment. It is an apt reflection of the goals of the Ottawa Garden Club. 

Meetings

Rockcliffe Park Community Centre
380 Springfield Road,  Rockcliffe Ontario

Executive

President:  Ann Goldsmith

Vice-President: Donna Chan

Past President: Chris Edwards

Secretary: Dianne Breton

Treasurer: Mary Murphy

Diplomatic Representative: Sarah Harvey

Program Chair: Karen Junke

Community Outreach: Sonia Rajani

Membership: Sue McNee

Hospitality: Margo Ledoux

Boutique: Victoria Hutton

Blooming News: Felicity Garrard

Website: Heather Brown