Mel Wiker and Jim Stewart give each other a high-five at Future Gardens after learning that their application for the tulip garden was a success. They are inviting the public and local school children to help plant the bulbs at the Oliver Cemetery at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 16.
Photo by Lyonel Doherty
The Oliver branch of the Royal Canadian Legion is sending out a huge invite to the public to attend a momentous occasion at the Oliver Cemetery on Friday, Oct. 16.
The Town is the lucky recipient of a 70th anniversary Dutch-Canadian Friendship Tulip Garden to honour war veterans.
The legion previously applied for the 700 tulips and was one of 140 communities in Canada that will receive them.
The tulips are in celebration of the first gift of 100,000 Dutch tulip bulbs sent to Canadians in 1945 as a symbol of appreciation for the role Canadian soldiers played in the liberation of the Netherlands and the hospitality Canada provided to the Dutch Royal Family in Ottawa during the Second World War.
Jim Stewart, the Oliver legion’s Sergeant at Arms, said they want to rally as much community involvement as possible on October 16 starting at 1:30 p.m.
“We’re extremely excited,” Stewart said, noting the event is “huge” in terms of honouring local veterans for the sacrifices they made.
The legion is sending out invitations to the schools in hopes that students will attend and plant some of the bulbs. They are also hoping to see Second World War veterans and their families, along with members of the Dutch community.
Stewart recognized Canada Post for paying the cost to ship the bulbs, Pacific Silica for donating the topsoil and bark mulch, and Future Gardens for donating the ground cover and other flowers.
“We feel very fortunate to have received one of these gardens as we understand that the Canadian Garden Council, the organization behind the Friendship Tulip Garden program, received more than 400 applications,” said Mel Wiker, owner of Future Gardens.
Wiker said she basically “planted the seed” by applying for the grant, and Stewart “made it grow.”
Wiker said the memorial garden is very important to her in terms of honouring veterans and getting local children involved.
Stewart agreed, saying the legion wants to “pass the torch” so that today’s youth don’t forget the sacrifices that veterans made.
The garden will consist of 350 red and 350 white tulip bulbs planted in the veterans’ section of the cemetery.
During the event, the story of the Dutch princess born in Ottawa during the Second World War and the history of the enduring friendship between Canada and the Netherlands will be retold.
People are asked to wear as much red and white as they can during the ceremony. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy a few hours of children singing, friendship, bulb planting, spreading peace and remembering sacrifices made.
The garden, and the other 139 gardens planted across the country, will be symbolically linked to a 70th anniversary Dutch-Canadian Friendship Tulip Garden to be planted this fall in the nation’s capital by the National Capital Commission.
Oliver’s tulip garden will be featured on the 2016 edition of Canada’s Garden Route.
By Lyonel Doherty
