A plant stall at Montreal's Atwater Market.
Several Montreal boroughs are issuing a playful call-to-shovels, inviting its citizens to sprinkle their own brand of magic on their balconies and gardens. The annual city-wide plant giveaway is set to sprout at the end of the month.
The weekend of May 27 and 28, areas of the city from Rosemont and the Plateau to Hochelaga and Outremont have a diverse selection of free plants, from hearty vegetables to whimsical ornamental vines and edible flowers.
While there will be no discrimination between those with green thumbs and those with a history of planticide, some boroughs require registration to receive your free bounty.
Residents of participating boroughs will be able to take home multiple plants — just be ready to show proof of residence to claim your botanical buddies.
Attendees are encouraged to bring reusable bags. Those bringing their own shovel and containers can get complimentary compost and wood chips.
The green initiative neatly dovetails with The Great Gardening Weekend at the Montreal Botanical Garden, hosted by Espace pour la vie from May 26 to 28.
Whether your apartment is closer to a mini-jungle or a succulent graveyard, don't miss out on a "plantastic" weekend plan:
Plateau
When: May 27, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where:
- La Maison de l’amitié: avenue Duluth Est, between rue Saint-Dominique and rue De Bullion
- La Maison d'Aurore: rue Garnier, between boulevard Saint-Joseph Est and rue Gilford
- Les Amis du Champ des Possibles: rue Saint-Viateur Ouest, between rue Waverly and avenue de l'Esplanade
Hochelaga-Maisonneuve
When: May 27, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where:
- Hochelaga-Maisonneuve:
- Arena Francis-Bouillon, located at 3175, rue de Rouen
- Registration Form
- Mercier Ouest:
- Arena Saint-Donat, located at 6750, rue de Marseille
- Registration Form
- Mercier Est:
- Arena Clément-Jetté, located at 8780, avenue Dubuisson
- Registration Form
The Sud-Ouest
When: May 27, 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Where:
- Saint-Henri:
- Square Sir-George-Étienne-Cartier, 4550, rue Sainte-Émilie
- Little Burgundy and Griffintown:
- Oscar-Peterson Park, 810, rue Chatham
- Pointe-Saint-Charles:
- Square Hibernia, 2333, rue Mullins
- Saint-Paul-Émard:
- Campbell-West Park, 1990, rue De Maricourt
Saint-Léonard
A patch of tulips by the road.
Arrondissement de Saint-Léonard | FacebookWhen: May 27, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Where: Wilfrid-Bastien Park, 8255, boul. Lacordaire
Pierrefonds-Roxboro
Several people hold up trays of flowers.
Courtesy of Pierrefonds-Roxboro
When: May 27, 9 a.m to 12 p.m.
Where: Borough Hall of Pierrefonds-Roxboro, 13665, boul. de Pierrefonds
Rosemont
When: May 27, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Where: Centre d'activités Étienne-Desmarteau, 3430, rue de Bellechasse
Outremont
When: May 28, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Îlot Saint-Viateur, 1311, av. St-Viateur
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
