Utilities Kingston holding free fall gardening workshop

UPDATE (Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022):

This morning, Utilities Kingston asked Kingstonist to inform the public that the fall gardening workshop is now full and they are no longer accepting registrations.

The Water Conservation Garden is open for self-guided tours during daylight hours. Learn more about the garden on the Utilities Kingston website.

Original article:

Utilities Kingston is holding a fall workshop for local gardening enthusiasts. Learn how to winterize your garden and create pollinator-friendly fall landscapes with experts from Rideau 1000 Islands Master Gardeners and Utilities Kingston at the Water Conservation Garden.

According to a release from the City of Kingston, workshop participants will be entered into a prize draw for a gift basket containing gardening tools, local honey and organic gardening supplies. 

This free, two-hour workshop will focus on organic management practices for local gardens, to protect and support pollinators during the fall and winter months, the City said. The event takes place at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 2, in the Utilities Kingston Water Conservation Garden at 1211 John Counter Boulevard.  

Workshop highlights: 

• Master Gardeners will provide insight into winterizing your garden and creating pollinator-friendly landscapes during the fall. Experts will discuss gardening techniques and what to grow, and each Master Gardener will provide time for questions and answers.   
• Utilities Kingston will showcase the fall perennials in the water conservation garden and promote active strategies to rewild residential lawns, with a free guided garden tour.  
• Participants will build a pollinator insect hotel, to provide refuge from the cold winter months, as well as a place to populate in the springtime. The recycled materials will be provided by Utilities Kingston. Build a residence for important garden bugs and insects and learn how to maintain and establish the insect hotel.

Interested participants are asked to RSVP by Friday, Sept. 30, 2022. Registration is free. The event is suitable for adults, though the City said that families are welcome.

To register, email [email protected] with the following information.   

• Contact name.
• Number of participants and names of each (needed for the prize draw).
• Best way to contact you in the event of a weather cancellation.
• Accessibility requirements, if any.

According to the release, in the event of rain, participants will be contacted regarding cancellations.

The City provided the following prize draw rules:

The purchase of any product or service is not required to participate in the raffle. 

• Each name received at registration will be entered into the prize draw. You must be at the workshop to claim the prize.  
• The prize draw is not open to employees of Utilities Kingston or the City of Kingston.  
• Prize is drawn at random. 
• Entries are limited to one per person.  
• There is one prize available, valued at approximately $150.  
• Winner is contacted directly and onsite at the workshop.  
• Prize must be claimed in person at Utilities Kingston, 85 Lappan’s Lane, in Kingston, Ontario.  
• Personal information is collected under the terms of our privacy policy.  

All prizes won are provided on an “as-is” basis, may not be exactly as shown, and are used at the owners’ own risk.

For more information, contact Utilities Kingston’s customer service at 613-546-0000, Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or visit www.UtilitiesKingston.com