A seedy announcement from Susan Milne

Sault Ste. Marie is going to get some very special free plant seeds, says Susan Milne.

The green-thumbed lady is tickled pink about the latest news from All-America Selections.

"Our city has been chosen to host the only demonstration garden between Thunder Bay and the Toronto area," Milne told members of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee (PRAC) recently.

Some people tour areas by travelling from one display garden to the next in search of unusual or rare plants and often seek out All-America Selections display gardens because of the quality and variety of their flowers and vegetables.

Milne first told PRAC about the All-America Selections display garden opportunity in late 2005, and she was very happy to announce that the City will be getting its seeds soon.

The beds are ready in Bellevue Park near the display greenhouse.

An All-America Selections display garden provides the public an opportunity to view the new winning plants in an attractive well-maintained setting, says the official website.

Milne also said that the garden will provide an educational opportunity for gardening enthusiasts and local schools with All-America Selections programs during the growing season.

She said that All-America Selections was looking for a place in Northern Ontario to locate a garden and the Sault's greenhouses, especially its display greenhouse showcased in the 2006 national Communities in Bloom Awards, was a big factor in its decision.

All-America Selections looks for locations that already have some display gardens with which its garden can be incorporated and for locations with a greenhouse in which to start seeds.

The Sault met All-America Selections’ criteria and Milne is just aglow with excitement about what will be popping up in Bellevue Park this spring.