Nursery contest earns provincial award

Cut and Dried Flower Farm in Glencairn has been awarded a provincial Award of Excellence from Landscape Ontario.
Owner Katie Dawson was thrilled to accept the award for 2018 Outstanding Promotional Event at Landscape Ontario’s Garden Centre Awards. Last spring, the greenhouse ran a fundraiser to celebrate its 25th anniversary. The Hanging Basket Challenge was a huge success, bringing together employees and visitors to the farm. Over $1,000 was raised for the Alliston District Humane Society.
Due to the huge success of the 2018 Challenge, the farm is once again running this unique fundraiser. In March, eight staff members designed and planted a 14-inch hanging basket each, using no more than six plants. The baskets have been growing along with the rest of the greenhouse crops and will be ready for voting to start at the farm’s first special event of the year – Perennial Party on Sunday, May 5. Voting will continue each day to May 26, when visitors to the farm will have a chance to purchase ballots to vote for their favourite basket.
Dawson said she is very excited about this year’s project.
“Staff members are the ones who pushed to continue the challenge this year. They are so proud of their baskets. It’s a really fun way to engage visitors and educate them a little about plants and design, and of course the chance to win a beautiful hanging basket for $2 is very appealing,” said Dawson.
Ballots are being sold for $2 each or 3 for $5, with each vote being a chance to win the basket.
On May 27, one ballot will be drawn to win each basket and the eight basket winners will be announced.
The hanging basket that receives the most votes will be designated the winner of the challenge. The designer of that basket will have bragging rights and will get to select a charity to receive the proceeds. Last year’s winner was Val White who chose to donate the funds to Alliston District Humane Society.
For updates and photos of the baskets, visit the farm’s website at www.cutdriedflowerfarm.com or Facebook page.
Visit the farm, located at 8530 Concession 3, Glencairn, from May 6-26 to cast your vote for a chance to win.