By Kayla Craig – Marketing and Communications Intern

The first day of spring might not have been the warmest in 2017, but we know eventually the last banks of snow will melt revealing the thawed out ground underneath. When that glorious day comes, we can be sure gardeners everywhere will be strapping on their gloves and turning their trowels. The evolution of gardening can be traced back centuries, the earliest being more practical than ornamental, focusing on growing herbs and vegetables.

The establishment of the upper class in Ancient Egypt brought with it a transition towards decorative gardens. The wealthy found ways of escaping the scorching desert climate by building enclosed gardens, using rows of trees for shade. Arrays of wild flowers and rectangular ponds were added to for increased beauty. Although these gardens became more ascetically pleasing they never lost their functionality and were still used to grow fruits and vegetables.

Lethbridge residents have created gardens that contributed to a varied and healthy diet, saved money, brought pleasure and provided an opportunity to bring family and friends together. The Galt hallway exhibit How Does Your Garden Grow? unearths this history and is on display until JUN 04.17

The arrival of spring for Canadians means saying bye to the whites and greys of winter and hello to vivid colour and luscious greens of summer. So we better start gardening now.

Join gardener Lyndon Penner at the Galt Museum & Archives, Sun Apr 02 from 2–3 pm for his Café Galt presentation “Old Man’s Garden” that will provide a journey through native plants, focusing both on their physical and symbolic uses. Admission fees apply and includes exhibit access. Registration is not required.

Your old photos, documents, and artifacts might have historical value. Please contact Galt Museum & Archives for advice before destroying them.