Communities in Bloom Committee

“Gardens Maketh the City” might be an alternative name for the Canadian Communities in Bloom initiative which Stratford has taken part in since its inception in 1994.  Then Mayor of Stratford, Ted Blowes, was one of the organization’s founding members and a highly active and visible advocate of this programme.  Before his death in 2013, Ted was the instigator of the pollinator garden beneath what was then the “Bridge to Nowhere” and has now been renamed the “Bridge of Hope” in Confederation Park, Stratford.  The importance of creating and maintaining gardens that specifically attract butterflies, bees and other pollinators cannot be understated in a world that is increasingly aware of the necessity of reducing, reusing and recycling in order to preserve the world for future generations.  As part of its ongoing remit, the Stratford Communities in Bloom Committee actively encourages its residents to be part of this endeavour as well as creating other pollinator areas throughout the City itself.  Gardens and their plants provide the medicines, oxygen, shelter and beauty that are so essential to the quality of life and wellbeing of any city’s residents. 

As well as beautifying the City and providing the essentials outlined above through its gardens, the Stratford Communities in Bloom Committee is dedicated to ensuring that waste management is carried out by its residents as well as the City’s own team.  Having a clean environment in which to live and raise families is of paramount importance and is encouraged by the Committee whenever possible.

Civic pride has been an unexpected side-effect of the Stratford Communities in Bloom presence, exhibiting itself in the number and quality of homeowners’ gardens that have sprung up and are lovingly maintained throughout the summer months.

But the winter months are not forgotten by the Committee which takes part in Stratford’s downtown Winter Lights exhibit that runs through the Christmas season into late January each year.  Started in 2020, this project ensures that the City is as beautiful with snow on the ground as it is with flowers. 

For its excellence in providing hope during the pandemic the world has been experiencing, in 2021 the Stratford Communities in Bloom Committee was awarded the National “2021 Hope is Growing” Award.  This it did by introducing yellow flowers (the colour of Hope) into as many of its gardens around the City as possible and also encouraging the community to do likewise.  It also used part of its “Garden of Hope” in the downtown core to commemorate Indigenous children and those who perished in the past.

All of which is why “Gardens Maketh the City” seems an appropriate alternate to “Communities in Bloom” in Stratford, given that its residents have taken up the challenge of ensuring a high quality of life for the future through their plantings and encouragement of important insect life in them, as well as waste awareness - all instilling in the community a sense of civic pride.

In 2019, the Communities In Bloom Committee celebrated its 25th anniversary. The City of Stratford recognized CIB contributions to Stratford’s civic beautification by providing a gardening space to showcase the committee. The anniversary garden is located beside the boathouse off York Street.

In 2021, CIB members planted a “Garden of Hope” to bring hope and joy to residents and visitors, and to commemorate our lost Indigenous Residential School children. The garden was filled with 215 sunflowers, yellow marigolds, canna lilies and other pollinator plants.

Ted Blowes was one of the founders of Communities in Bloom Canada in 1994, and suggested the creation of a butterfly garden under the bridge in 2012. To commemorate Ted’s contributions to the city and CIB, the community established this garden.

The Pollinator Pathway originated as a result of a grant from TD Friends of the Environment. The purpose of the pathway is to provide pollinator habitat to bees, butterflies, and other wildlife. The pathway is located on the south side of the railway tracks from Guelph Street to St. David. When funding is available, CIB adds additional pollinator trees and shrubs to the path.

To help everyone get into the spirit of spring, CIB hosts an educational event.  The committee strives to teach residents to be environmentally aware about bees and butterflies and the importance of pollinator seeds and plants to our food source. The committee's goal is for residents to have a pollinator section in their gardens to provide a needed food source to bees and butterflies. It is important that these insects thrive as they are an important contributor to the food production process.  

Stratford’s Dutch Memorial Gardens are located near the intersection of Huron Street and William Street. They feature a sculpture that was a gift from the Netherlands after the Second World War, in appreciation of Stratford’s hospitality to 700 free men of Dutch birth who came to Stratford to form a battalion. The pair of hands symbolizes Canada’s support; the dove is symbolic of the Netherlands.

The planting bed is keyhole shaped. The long sides were planted in an interlaced pattern of red and white so the blooms will offer a visual reminder of the link between the two countries. Random planting at the sculpture’s base was designed to represent a symbolic nod to the successful blending of both cultures after the war and an acknowledgement of the many Dutch immigrants who have chosen to live in the area.

Our city is filled with extraordinary gardens tended by caring, knowledgeable, and diligent gardeners. The Scott’s Miracle Gro Garden contest was a way for CIB to recognize these stunning gardens.

The Pumpkin Parade is an annual event held on November 1st regardless of the weather. Communities in Bloom (CIB) and Civic Beautification and Environmental Awareness Committee (CBEAC) encourage residents of Stratford to showcase their jack-o-lantern creativity for a second night. Pumpkins are displayed around City Hall for everyone to enjoy from 6 – 9 pm.

Pumpkins are dropped off throughout the day and lit before dusk by members of CIB and CBEAC.  At the end of the evening, pumpkins are whisked away by a local farmer.  Jack-o-lanterns are a special treat for the farm’s wild boars. Not only are they a good food source, but the pumpkins are also diverted from the landfill.