A guide to Ottawa's best gardening resources

Over the years many folks new to gardening have jumped in with both feet and are seeing the benefits to their lives with both flowers and fresh food.

In Ottawa we are incredibly fortunate to have a number of resources available to us to make our gardening life a little more rich in bounty and acquired knowledge.

Availing yourself of these resources achieves a number of things: it ensures that these organizations will continue to thrive and it builds a larger community of people interested in nurturing their little corner of the city.

So read on and perhaps you'll even get involved with one of these organizations to a greater extent.

Just Food

This is a local, non-profit organization that oversees community gardens and also works with rural farming communities. They are a dynamic organization helping novice gardeners to grow their own food. Workshops in building your own greenhouse (of all sizes) as well as gardening for kids, are also available. Explore their website and you’ll be going down a rabbit hole of the best kind.

Canadian Organic Growers

This is an outfit that provides resources and information for those moving into the organic farming space as well as for home gardeners interested in deepening their knowledge of all things organic.

Community Gardening Network

This City of Ottawa link provides everything you need to know about getting involved in community and allotment gardening.

Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton

MGOC is an invaluable resource for novice and experienced gardeners alike. They have an extensive library of gardening newsletters for download and offer advice clinics at various farmers markets around the city each week.

Ottawa Horticultural Society

Having started in 1892 this is an organization whose mandate has long been to “cultivate an interest in plants and gardening in order to create a beautiful community.” Nicely put. Membership for individuals is $15 per year and $20 for households. Membership gives you access to workshops as well as discounts at a large number of nurseries such as Artistic Landscape Design and Budd Gardens.