As the first signs of spring begin to stir in Ladysmith, so too does the quiet hum of activity at the town’s only public community garden, a patch of earth where human connection grows right alongside tomatoes and kale. For members of the Ladysmith Community Gardens Society, the return of warmer days means more than planting season; it’s a time to reconnect, give thanks and nurture the community that’s taken root here for over a decade.
Trudy Reynen and Cindy Bertram have been members for eight years and 12 years, respectively. They’ve witnessed a lot of change, growth and community care and both continue to serve as passionate stewards of the garden today.
The garden itself is a community effort. The volunteer-run society, created in 2010, had plenty of community support to get it up and running. The Rotary Club of Ladysmith built the gazebo. The tool shed was built by a carpentry class from Ladysmith Secondary School. Volunteers built the raised garden beds. The list of community supporters is long and very much appreciated by the society.
“Without community support, we couldn’t do half of what we do,” said Reynen.
One of their biggest champions is the Town of Ladysmith, through the Parks, Recreation and Culture department. Bertram and Reynen can’t say enough about the great relationship the community garden has with the department. Parks staff mow the lawn, haul away compost twice a year, and recently helped complete a long-awaited fence project — crucial for reducing ongoing theft. Most importantly, they continue to work with the society to try and find additional space.
“Our official name is Ladysmith Community Gardens Society,” said Bertram. “Gardens is plural as it has always been in the intention of Parks to establish more community gardens.”
The challenge is finding the right land. Both the society and Ladysmith Parks staff are actively searching for a suitable site, but finding property that works for a community garden has proven elusive. In the meantime, the community garden’s wait list keeps growing.
There are 28 garden beds in the community garden, all currently spoken for. With such a welcoming atmosphere and limited space, turnover is low; the last original gardener from the organization’s founding in 2010 just gave up their bed last year.
New members are eager to join. Neil Lehna, a current gardener, waited a year before getting a bed and said it was worth every minute. Now in his third year with the garden, Lehna called becoming a member the “best move I ever made.”
The feeling is mutual.
“Having you here is one of the best moves for the garden,” Reynen told him, grateful for his many contributions and continual willingness to pitch in whenever needed.
Lehna gardened on the family farm in Saskatchewan as a kid, but as an adult living in an apartment, he doesn’t have access to outdoor space.
“I really appreciate this place. Anything that gets me out of the apartment,” he said, smiling. “I’m so glad winter is almost over. I can’t wait for summer. I had cabin fever.”
He recalls last year’s bumper crop with pride. Lehna had so many tomatoes he donated a large portion to the Ladysmith Food Bank.
“I had way too many cucumbers too,” he added. “So anybody in the garden, I asked them, ‘Do you want cucumbers?’”
Like Lehna, many members find that what grows at the community garden isn’t just food — it’s friendship and connection.
“We have a lot of seniors,” said Bertram. “A lot of them are able to walk here, which is fabulous. After dinner they come and they'll do their watering, but then they'll sit. They might be here for an hour and a half.”
There are families that garden together, grandparents who bring grandkids, and a broad mix of gardeners from novices to Master Gardeners (certified volunteers who have completed specialized horticultural training). Last year, the society even ran a gardening club for grandparents and grandchildren. Gardeners often share traditions and techniques from their own backgrounds. One family introduced goji berries to the garden community, while another member began growing ginger, which inspired others to try it in their own beds.
“Lots of learning and sharing and new ideas coming in,” said Reynen.
That spirit of knowledge-sharing is formalized in summer through monthly gatherings. Members and guest speakers offer workshops on topics like worm farming, winter gardening and apple harvesting. There are seed swaps, work parties, and hands-on learning opportunities. Even those on the wait list are welcome to attend events.
The garden is also home to a communal herb bed that all members can harvest from, along with two apple trees, a plum tree, blueberries, and grape vines. Community Link presents programming from its dedicated bed. Ladysmith Family and Friends also has a bed, and another gardener grows produce specifically for the Born Healthy program at the Ladysmith Resources Centre Association.
The garden gives generously to the community and, in turn, depends on memberships to meet basic operating costs.These include annual insurance and society fees, as well as replacing tools, hoses, and, over time, the beds themselves, as Ladysmith’s weather is hard on wood. Luckily, help continues to come from all corners of Ladysmith, including volunteers and community groups.
Reynen and Bertram say their hope is simple: find more space, build more beds and give more Ladysmith residents the chance to share in this thriving, generous community.
For Bertram, it all comes back to the simple joys the garden offers.
“It feels awesome when you're leaving the garden and you've got vegetables on the seat beside you,” she said.
It’s a small but tangible reminder of what can flourish when community takes root.
