Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Local artist Pat Dubyk has donated one of her original barn quilt creations to Town of Greater Napanee’s Communities In Bloom to use for a silent auction fundraiser throughout the month of July.
CIB will accept bids on the barn quilt during the town’s weekly Hometown Market, which runs every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside the Strathcona Paper Centre. Visitors to the market can fill out a ballot to place a bid every Saturday throughout the month with the winner being announced following the July 30 market. The artwork is valued at $200.
Dubyk’s design features an eight-point star, which is said to bring good luck. Barn quilt designs have been popping up across Eastern Ontario of late. A form of Americana folk art, the wooden designs are commonly found on the sides of barns that dot the rural landscape in a variety of colours and designs. Some of Dubyk’s previous works can be found in the garden at the corner of Palace Road and Hwy 2, as well as outside the North Fred Lifestyle Centre.
Money raised during next month’s auction will go towards the CIB’s Year of the Garden celebration, culminating with the purchase of a tulip tree to be planted at Springside Park.
“It takes 20-25 years for it to flower,” explains Shannon Baker of CIB. “It’s quite a long time, but the bloom does resemble a tulip. That’s part of the logo for Communities In Bloom is a tulip so we thought it was fitting.”
In celebration of the Year of the Garden the local CIB made an effort to plant more red around town.
Along with the auction, CIB will also be hosting a free sunflower seedling giveaway during Saturday’s market as a show of support for the people of Ukraine. Most of the seedlings are multi-headed flowers perfect for cut pollinators and birds or as cut flowers. They will be handed out on a first-come first-served basis.
CIB is also hosting a Best Garden Selection contest, in partnership with Scott’s Miracle-Gro, to recognize some of the beautiful residential gardens throughout town. Residents are invited to submit photos of their favourite gardens to CommunitiesInBloomNapanee@gmail.com or via Facebook messenger to Communities In Bloom Town of Greater Napanee. Entries will be entered into a draw to win one of six prizes that include a Best Garden Selection sign, a 2 kg jug of Scott’s Miracle Gro Shake’n Feed fertilizer and a 500 gm container of plant food. Contest closes Aug. 10.