More than 300 members and horticulture students attended the LO Growers Group Auction on September 14 at Canadale Nurseries in St. Thomas. Lot sales were brisk with over $24,000 raised through the sale of donated plant material and hard goods.

This year’s auction offered something for everyone. Bob McCannell delivered a morning seminar to a packed house on Retail Trends in the Gardening Industry. Canadale staff gave guided wagon tours of the growing operation and organized the first-ever Nursery Olympics. Olympic events included forklift operation, tractor backing up, trimming competition, shovel toss and golf competition. Several nursery and garden centre employees and owners took part in the fun-filled events. Attendees enjoyed a catered lunch, sponsored by Canadale Nurseries, Gro-Bark, JVK, Plant Products and Nursery Supplies. Steve Peters, Minister of Labour, addressed the group during the lunchtime ceremonies. Tony DiGiovanni, LO executive director, presented Tom Intven, owner of Canadale Nurseries, with a plaque commemorating Canadale’s 50th anniversary.

The Growers Awards of Excellence entries were judged in the morning and winners were announced during the auction. Special thanks to the awards judges: Chris Graham, Jen Llewelyn, Len Mancini, Luba Taylor, Mike Pascoe and Rodger Tschanz.

A brief downpour during the auction did little to dampen the spirits of the LO Growers Group organizers. Proceeds from the event will benefit horticultural research and scholarships.

The Growers Group thanks the event sponsors:
Canadale Nurseries, Gro-Bark, JVK, Plant Products and Nursery Supplies

Product for the auction was generously donated by the following companies:
AMA Plastics
Baseline Nurseries
Braun Nurseries
Canadale Nurseries
Connon Nurseries AVK
Connon Nurseries NVK
Connon Nurseries CBV
Delaware Nursery
Downham Nurseries
Dundalk Enterprises
Garden Graphics
Groundcovers Unlimited
Growers Choice
Growers Greenhouse Supply
Hillen Nursery
Hydro Agri
JC Bakker & Sons
JEA Perennials
JVK
Kobes Nurseries Inc
Mark’s Choice Ltd.
Moore’s Watergarden
Mori Nurseries
M. Putzer (Hornby) Nursery
Norfolk Gardens
Northern Horticultural Consultants
Nutrite
Pan American Nurseries
Pieper Nurseries
Plant Products
Riverbend Farms (Ontario) Ltd
Sheridan Nurseries Ltd
Somerville Nurseries
Strathroy Garden Centre
Terra Greenhouses
Timm Enterprises
United Agri Products
V Kraus Nurseries
VanWissen Perennials
Westmontrose Farms
Williams Nursery
Willowbrook Nurseries Inc
Winkelmolen Nursery
Zimmerman’s Landscape Nursery and Supplies
Uxbridge Nurseries

Growers Awards of Excellence Winners
Canadale Nurseries Ltd
Winner in Category: Evergreens - Container Grown, Upright and Spreading
This entry also won the Grand Prize of ‘Judges Choice’ Award.

Connon Nurseries/AVK Holdings Inc
Winner in Category: Caliper Trees

Ground Covers Unlimited
Winner in Category: Vines and Groundcovers

Kobes Nurseries Inc
Winner in Categories: Deciduous Ornamental Trees - Top Grafted and Evergreens - Field Grown, Upright and Spreading

Pieper Nurseries
Winner in Category: Deciduous Shrubs

Sheridan Nurseries Ltd
Winner in Category: Deciduous Ornamental Trees

Willowbrook Nurseries Inc
Winner in Categories: Perennials and Broadleaf Evergreens