Gardens

The hidden date for this stamp can be found along the right edge of the stamp.

In Canada, the only leisure-time activity more popular than plant growing is television watching. Food gardening, especially, is gaining devotees, because people want to save money and to eat better-tasting food. Gardeners derive the additional advantages of knowing exactly what goes into the food they produce and of enjoying healthful exercise in a tranquil outdoor setting. However, in 1980 the spotlight will focus on ornamental horticulture, because from May 17 to September 1, Canada will host Les Floralies internationales de Montréal. This will be the "greatest floral exhibition ever staged in North America". The International Association of Horticultural Producers and the prestigious International Bureau of Exhibitions have both recognized the exhibition. The Montreal Botanical Garden, the third largest of its kind in the world, will coordinate the horticultural content. By means of a vast rray of flowers, as well as trees, shrubs, and even vegetables, experts from approximately twenty countries will display their native horticultural traditions and a variety of the styles and phases through which gardening has passed. Organizers of the event anticipate that it will greatly benefit decorative horticulture in Canada. The thousands who visit the show will be able to put some of the ideas to work in their own homes. The gardening stamp was designed by Heather Cooper of Toronto. It shows one of the most attractive features of flower gardening - the lush, colourful display of masses of flowers in full bloom growing together.