Fonds

The Diggers
and Weeders Garden Club of Montreal was founded in October 1932 by a group of
women who wanted to acquire hands-on experience in their own gardens. Its first
president was Mrs. R. M. Ballantyne. According to its by-laws, the club's
object was to "stimulate the knowledge and love of gardening among
amateurs and to aid in the protection of native trees, plants and birds."
From the beginning, various topics were discussed at the monthly meetings,
including Canadian wild flowers, winter bouquets, bulbs, fertilizing, etc. Today,
the club meets once a month between October and May. While membership was
limited to 20 following the club's foundation, it was gradually raised to 60.
In the late 1990s, the club still had over 50 active members.

Like many
other horticultural associations, the Diggers and Weeders Garden Club of
Montreal held flower shows, workshops, garden tours, luncheons, plant exchanges
and special 3 to 4 day trips in Canada, the Northern United States or even
England. In 1982, for the club's 50th anniversary, a major flower show was held
at the Forest and Stream Club and, in 1992, an "Art in Bloom" show
saw each member make an arrangement to complement their favourite art work.

The club
quickly became involved in the community. Its members laid out and managed gardens
in various locations, including the Queen Mary Veterans' Hospital, the
Lethbridge Rehabilitation Centre and St. Margaret's Home for Incurables; the
club donated 1000 cans and a canning machine to a community garden that had no
way to preserve its produce; and for many years, the lobby of the Montreal
General Hospital and the halls of Montreal museums like the Château Ramezay
were decorated by the club's members. The club prepared flower arrangements for
many occasions, like church openings. It even managed with its limited
resources to help sponsor summer jobs for horticultural students. The Diggers
and Weeders Garden Club of Montreal had close ties with other social
associations, such as the Junior League Garden Club, as they worked together to
provide seeds and tools for community gardens. And like the Junior League, the
Diggers and Weeders helped decorate the lobby of the Montreal Museum of Fine
Arts each year with a Christmas tree.