It takes commitment, time and TLC for a little seed to put down roots and bloom into something spectacular. The veteran Halifax Seed (5680 Kane Street) knows this better than anyone—the north end gardening shop has been growing with Haligonians for 150 years. This weekend the family-run business is celebrating the mega milestone with gardening demos, kids events, prizes, sales, an appearance from newbie food truck Rustic Crust and, of course, cake.
Emily Tregunno’s family has kept Halifax Seed well-watered for 91 of its 150 years—she’s part of the fourth generation to be involved in the business, which also has a location in Saint John. A new mom herself, Tregunno says many of the shop’s current employees remember the days she and her sister were born. “A lot of our family values are really built on relationships. We have great relationships with customers, suppliers, employees—it’s a family business but the business feels like our family, too,” she says. Those relationships, and a passion for educating gardeners new and old, is what she credits for Seed’s continued success. “And we’re encouraging people to do something fun. The joy of growing your own fresh food or flowers, that’s pretty fun to share with people.”
Tregunno says watching the gardening demographic shift to a younger crop of folks growing food and flowers in urban areas and on tiny windowsills has been pretty fascinating. The anniversary celebrations are well-timed with prime planting time. “Right now is the time for growing just about anything,” she says. Drop by the shop to get inspired to do so, and find a full line-up of Friday and Saturday’s events on Facebook.
