PROBUS Club of Durham WestThe Garden Club meets on the second Monday of each month.
We carpool from Walmart in Ajax leaving at 10:00 a.m. sharp!
We meet twice a year to plan outings and events, then we use the meeting time to go out and about as a group.
Our outings include visits to gardens, garden centres and local points of interest such as Guildwood, Edwards Gardens and Allan Gardens.
For more information concerning our group contact the co-chairs:
Contact: Our co-chairs, Sharon Fenn or Sharon Jackson using our directory (Members Only).
Updates 2024
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October On October 7th 18 members enjoyed a visit to Native Plants of Claremont. In the "Barn" we were greeted with tea and coffee, served in china cups, and plates of goodies. A slide presentation on the importance of pollinators followed and then we split into groups and toured the various gardens. We ended back at the "Barn" for a presentation on native plants and more refreshments. Some of us purchased plants for our gardens and most of us will be back in the Spring to see the trillium garden and the native plants in bloom! A few of us headed over to Hi-Hope Farm for lunch on the outdoor patio, enjoying the sun and beautiful scenery! Before leaving, we visited the Farm Store and purchased preserves, home made bread, fresh produce and their famous home made butter tarts! Our next outing is scheduled for November 9th at Vandermeer Nursery to admire their decorated Christmas trees and join in the Christmas Greenhouse Tour. |
September We had planned a visit on September 2nd to B'More Sunflower Farm but Mother Nature let us down! There was a terrific storm the Friday before our visit that damaged the sunflowers and they had to close the farm. We had planned on getting together at Applebee's Restaurant in Whitby and ten of us met and enjoyed a delicious lunch so all was not lost! Our next outing is planned for October 7th to visit Native Plants in Claremont for a presentation and tour of the farm. We then head to Hi-Hope Farm for lunch and a visit to their Farm Store! |
August On August 12th, Fifteen members enjoyed a visit to Christel Lake Lavender Farm, |
July We started our July outing to Parkwood Estate by visiting the gift shop where the knowledgeable staff answered our questions and lent us guided tour books which were invaluable in making sure we didn't miss points of interest! Eleven members had an enjoyable time exploring the grounds, the gardens and appreciating the statues and architecture of Parkwood Estate! We had a delicious lunch at the Tea Room with lots of positive comments on our choice of lunches and, of course, much conversation! We returned our guide books to the Gift Shop where we purchased a few items and enjoyed the air conditioning! Some of us are planning to return to tour the Mansion so let us know if you are interested! |
June On June 10th, 22 Garden Club members visited the Oshawa Valley Botanical Gardens. As we entered, we were welcomed by the glorious colours of over 300 peonies! We then strolled along the river enjoying the overall peacefulness and beauty of the gardens including an interesting rock garden with waterfalls and then over the bridge to the memory garden and gazebo where weddings are held!
Our next stop was a delicious lunch at Teddy's Restaurant and Deli along with much chatter and discussion! |
May Everyone enjoyed our May 13th Port Perry visit to Otter Greenhouses and Century Home Garden Centre followed by a delicious lunch at Jester's Court Pub! Did you know it's HAUNTED but we were not visited by any spirits today! |
April Fifteen members of the Garden Club enjoyed our first outing of the year on Monday, April 8th. We had a very interesting tour of Valleyview Gardens in Markham, a garden centre owned by three brothers that has been in business for over 50 years! We decided to forego our usual luncheon plans so we could arrive home in plenty of time to observe the eclipse! Our
May 13th outing takes us to Port Perry to visit Sunny Bank Studio, Century Home
and Garden Centre ending with lunch at Jasper's Court Pub. |
March Parkland Lifestyle Residences again welcomed us for our March 5th meeting, which was well attended and resulted in many interesting suggestions and planned outings for 2024. To start the year off, in April we will visit Valleyview Garden Centre in Markham and of course will have lunch afterwards. We decided to change our meeting day from the first Tuesday of the month to the SECOND MONDAY of the month, a more convenient time for our members to attend outings. Also, Walmart in Ajax has kindly agreed to let us CARPOOL from their parking lot! We are excited and looking forward to the many events planned for the year! |
February The Garden Club currently has 30 enthusiastic members and we are looking forward to our first meeting of the year on March 5th. This will be our annual Planning meeting to come up with ideas and suggestions for our monthly outings throughout the year. We look forward to the suggestions put forward and this usually results in lively discussions as we decide on the dates for the outings. Parkland Lifestyle Residences (located at 3 Rossland Rd W., Ajax west of Harwood) has graciously agreed to let us continue meeting in their beautiful Great Room on the 2nd floor. The meeting will begin at 1:30 p.m. until approximately 3:00-3:30 p.m. |