Healthy eating, healthy living and growing things is the object of the Sooke Children’s Garden Club and the time is approaching for a new year of fun.
The goal is to have fun learning and growing flowers, vegetables and herbs throughout the summer.
The club is starting up in April at the Sunriver Community Garden on Phillips Road.
“We are still taking registrations and we will be at the Family Art Day making and decorating paper plant pots,” said organizer Anne Boquist.
This year, the garden club will have their own garden shed where they keep supplies. Boquist said the shed was built by the TASK students from Edward Milne community school, thanks to a grant from the District of Sooke.
The first meeting for kids and parents/guardians will take place on April 24 at the Sunriver garden and pre-registration is required.
The group meets once a month, usually on Thursday, from April to October. Small workshops are held at the meetings and participants can share seeds, plants and enjoy refreshments. The little gardeners are encouraged to participate in the Sooke Fall Fair and to help out with community projects.
“We encourage participants to have a home garden to practice their skills - which can be as small as a pot, or as large as you can manage,” said Boquist on the promotional material.
Gardeners can also be visited at their home gardens throughout the growing season, if they wish. Volunteer leaders will be able to offer advice, ideas and enthusiasm. More adult volunteers are also required, said Boquist.
The garden club is free, thanks to the Sooke Harbourside Lions, the Sooke Lions and the Rotary Club.
“Thanks to them we don’t have to borrow stuff anymore,” said Boquist.
Children aged three and up are invited to sign up for the club. For information and registration details contact Anne Boquist at 250-642-3798 or aboquist@shaw.ca