More than 30 Water Valley residents of all ages took part in a tulip planting project designed to celebrate Canada's 150th birthday in 2017.
The residents gathered at the four-way stop in Water Valley on Oct. 4 to plant 1,000 tulip bulbs, 500 red and 500 white, in the community flower bed at the site.
Water Valley Community Association (WVCA) was one of 150 communities chosen out of 400 applications to take part in the 150th Celebration Gardens project sponsored by the Canadian Garden Council in conjunction with Vesey's Bulbs in P.E.I.
WVCA member and volunteer Joanne Baxandall explained that the project has been in the works since July.
“This is celebrating Canada's 150th birthday next year,” said Baxandall. “We will hopefully see the Canadian colours in Water Valley next spring.
“This celebrates the birthday, but it also celebrates the community coming together and that is why we are trying to get a good variety of residents out to plant these tulips.”
There is no cost to the community, with all the bulbs donated by the council.
“We feel very fortunate,” said Carol Shumski, president of the WVCA.
The Water Valley garden and the 149 others across Canada will be symbolically linked to the flagship 150th Celebration Garden Promenade, containing 25,000 tulips, at Niagara Falls, Ont.
Mountain View County Division 2 councillor Patricia McKean was among those attending last week's planting bee in Water Valley.
She called it a great community event, despite the cool fall temperatures.
“It's good to see everybody out here and it will be exciting to see the flowers come out in the spring,” said McKean.
