By Richard Colmenares Spring has sprung, and gardeners like Tynan Heembrock are anxious to get their hands back in the soil. Heembrock, who has worked 15 years at Cochrane’s Anything Grows garden centre, has been a hobbyist green thumb for more than a decade. “Being involved with plants and working with them kind of perpetuated that interest, and it’s just kind of grown into what it is now,” said Heembrock, who believes there are a number of advantages to gardening, including a therapeutic experience and an overall better quality of life. “There’s something about being able to disconnect from the fast-paced world and kind of spend some time in nature,” said Heembrock. Heembrock adds he find there’s value in growing vegetables. “It’s nice to grow your own tomatoes and potatoes and stuff like that, knowing what you’re putting into the soil,” said Heembrock. “You have the choice of knowing what you’re putting into your body.” Beyond improving one’s own health, it turns out that planting shrubbery and trees in your yard can actually increase your property value. But if indoor gardening is more your style, there are many benefits to keeping your plants indoors. “They purify your air, pull a lot of harmful stuff out of it,” said Heembrock. “Plants just make a place feel more lively. It’s not so cold and stark.” For those short on garden space, the Cochrane Community Gardens at Glenbow School can help. “The Community Garden is entering its ninth year of providing rental space to students and staff of Glenbow School and to gardeners in Cochrane who might not otherwise have space available,” said Andrea Blonsky, chair of the Cochrane Community Gardens Society (CCGS). “Gardeners can garden their own space, and we also communally garden as a group where gardens can be shared among participating gardeners," she said. Blonsky said the society has three sites in town with the primary rental space located at Glenbow School, adding the location is fully equipped, and gardeners are provided with everything they require to be able to garden, including the services of their resident horticulturist, Linda Fee. Fee has been a resident of Cochrane since 1996, but has been a horticulturist for more than 30 years. Fee said she met Blonsky at one of their horticulture meetings. “We met for the first time there and together we had a conversation in that parking lot about how the community garden and the horticulture society should work together because they’re so well connected,” said Fee. Blonsky said the horticulture society uses the community space as a teaching space, and boasts amenities such as an advanced compost system and self-watering boxes. “It’s very friendly, it’s a very friendly environment,” said Fee. “You meet strangers, and you have conversations just about what you’re doing in your garden.” Those interested in gardening at the community gardens can email [email protected] or call 403-932-9713. The rental fee is $25 and plots are still available. Both the Horticulture Society and the Community Garden Society are partnering for a garden series in May to teach fledgling green thumbs the tricks of the trades. Topics include vegetable gardening basics on May 9, container gardening and self watering systems, on May 23 and composting on May 30.
