Our 100 Year History | 1925-2025
For 100 years, the Etobicoke Horticultural Society has grown, adapted, and flourished - a testament to the creativity and community service of our members. To celebrate the Centennial, we chose a new logo to reconnect with Etobicoke’s original peoples who called the area between Etobicoke Creek and the Humber River Adobigok, which means “where the alders grow.”
The Society was launched in spring of 1925 by 150 dedicated gardeners who wanted to share their collective experience and knowledge with likeminded people in their community. In April 1925, the Society held their first meeting at the Islington Community Center. In May, they applied for their first grant from the York City Council, and by September, they held their first horticultural show featuring vegetables and flowers at the Islington school. The Society would continue meeting 10 months a year, taking July and August off to tend their own gardens as well as community gardens, a tradition maintained to this day.
Over the years, meetings have been held at Islington Community Centre, Islington Public School, Lambton-Kingsway School and Fairfield Community Centre. The Society’s membership grew to 200 by the end of its first year. 100 years later the Society is larger, more diverse, and more active than ever.
Over the decades, we have introduced and supported four generations of gardeners in Etobicoke. Through a great depression, a world war, a devastating hurricane, and a global pandemic, members continue to meet the challenges of the day and serve the community. Most recently, in response to the Covid crisis, we adopted Zoom technology and public health protocols to help keep our community safe.
Creative in the face of adversity, we use this new technology to invite speakers from across Canada and Europe. Since the pandemic rules were lifted, we continue to offer our membership a hybrid meeting so they can attend in person or hear our speakers and meetings from wherever they choose.
The next 100 years look bright. We offer educational workshops, voluntary services, community aid, and ecological plantings in community spaces throughout Etobicoke.
The Society has grown, and, thanks to our active and generous members, we are now able to have professionally judged flower shows at six of our meetings every year. We are active in the Ontario Horticultural Society and have participated and won many awards at the Canadian National Exhibition. We hold annual plant sales to encourage new and existing homeowners to beautify their properties with locally sourced plant material along with advice on where and how to incorporate plants into their landscape. Over the years, we donated our time and resources to other community projects over the years, like the gardens at Etobicoke institutions including Trillium Hospital, Montgomery Meadow, the Shaver House, and The Gate House. We also support the Red Cross and senior homes, as well as donations to Etobicoke churches who supply the community with fresh produce year-round through local food banks.
Our newest initiatives include providing bursaries to eligible students enrolled in the Horticultural program at Niagara College and joining the Lakeshore West Garden Club to build the largest garden walk in Canada.
We are very proud to be part of the Etobicoke community and look forward to serving it in the next 100 years.
We have 3 core values to guide us:
Advocacy
EHS advocates to improve, involve, and inspire, with knowledge, leadership, and stewardship, and by using sustainable methods.
Community
EHS pursues its relationship with its community by being collaborative, showing encouragement, showing enthusiasm, and exhibiting gratitude.
Integrity
EHS is accountable for its actions and pursuits by using credible, responsible and trustworthy ways and means.
Land Acknowledgement Statement
We acknowledge the land on which we meet is the historical territory of the Wendat, the Anishinaabe, the Haudenosaunee and the Mississaugas of the Credit River nations.
The Territory is covered by the Dish With One Spoon Covenant, an agreement to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes.
We respect the history, languages and cultures of the First Nations, Metis, Inuit and all First Peoples of Canada, whose presence continues to enrich our great country.
We invite everyone to think about their responsibilities to the land and water, and to honour the peoples who have been living here for thousands of years.