“Hello” and greetings to our sister organization ”Lambeth Horticultural Society” in the U.K.
I look forward to our getting to know each other. I am sure we can learn a great deal from one another as we share our stories, experiences, and ideas.
I hope the following bit of information about where we are located and a brief history will help get us off to a good start in getting acquainted. Be sure to email me if you have any questions.
Cheerio!
Gail Dimson
Email: inquire@lambethhort.com
Where are we?
The provinces and territories of Canada combined make up the world’s second largest country by area.
Ontario is Canada’s second-largest province, covering more than one million square kilometres.
We are located in Lambeth, (London) Ontario, Canada.
London Population: 353,000
Climate and Geography:
We are situated in the most southerly area of Canada and surrounded by 3 of the 5 Great Lakes. The Great Lakes form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth comprising 21% of the world’s surface fresh water. You cannot see across to the other side of these lakes – it is like looking out to the ocean. Depending on which lake, they can be 85 to 295 kilometres across and 311 to 563 km long. The Great Lakes have an affect on our temperature and precipitation. In winter, storms coming across the lake will pick up moisture and dump snow inland – commonly referred to as “snow streamers”, London is often a destination site for such events! London is frequently referred to as being in the “Snow Belt”. But this year our winter has been unseasonably warm with very little snow. In Southern Ontario the summers can be very humid and make warm temperatures feel even warmer and the use of air conditioners or fans offers some relief. Average temperatures in the summer (June to August) are 23– 27C, but again we have been experiencing many weeks or even months with 30C plus temperatures and receiving very little rain.
The black line drawn through the middle of the Great Lakes is the border between the United States and Canada. Detroit on the left and Buffalo on the right are U.S. Cities. Toronto (Canada’s largest City) is on the north shore of Lake Ontario, The famous Niagara Falls (largest water fall – by volume in the world) is located between Buffalo and Toronto. London (with the star) is centrally located to all these places.
The History of Lambeth, Ontario, Canada:
The first settler arrived in the area, later to be called the Village of Lambeth in 1809. During the early 1800’s the Village actively cleared trees to make way for roads. Following the building of roads, three churches, a post office, a small bank, a sawmill and a flourmill were built by the citizens.
On January 1, 1993, the Village of Lambeth was annexed to the City of London.
Read more about London, Ontario at:
http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/About_London/london_history.htm
http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/photo-gallery/photo-gallery.htm
Agriculture:
London is surrounded by 1,592,343 hectares of agricultural land. In order of volume produced, Soybeans is number one, followed by Corn for grain, Winter Wheat, Hay, Dry Beans, Potatoes, Oats and Barely. There are 20,000 hectares of apples, peaches, pears, plums, grapes, cherries, raspberries and strawberries. 45,600 hectares grow sweet corn, tomatoes, green peas and green or wax beans.
Agriculture was practiced in Ontario long before the creation of records to document it. The Huron Indians used the land to grow corn, peas, squash, kidney beans and sunflowers.
When the American Revolution ended in 1783, many British loyalists, who were forced to leave the United States, chose to settle in what would become Ontario. They were offered free land, tools, and seeds. It was not until the late 18th century, however, that large-scale settlement of farmland took place with the establishment of a land granting process. To earn the right to own a piece of property, emigrants petitioned the Crown with a promise to fulfill certain duties, such as clearing trees, cultivating the soil, and building houses. If the requirements were met, the settler was granted ownership. Others were awarded land for free, including members of the militia and United Empire Loyalists, as rewards for their allegiance and service to the King. Beginning in 1869, Government advertising programs were created to encourage people to settle in Ontario. Through the use of pamphlets, posters, and very persuasive agents, emigrants from United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States were drawn to Ontario for the free land and hope for a better future.
Getting around:
There is a bus transit system in London, a small International airport and a passenger train (Via Rail) that takes you to other Ontario cities. Londoners are being encouraged to use the extensive bike trails throughout the city, but of course this is impossible during the winter.
We drive our vehicles quite a bit. Leaving London, chances are you will travel the 400-Series of Highways. The primary highway along the southern route is Highway 401, the busiest highway in North America. Oh, and we drive on the right side… or rather the wrong side for you!
Our Canadian Flag
Our Provincial (Ontario) Flower
The Trillium
Our Provincial (Ontario) Bird
The Common Loon
The Province of Ontario Flag
The Red Ensign
This was the original flag flown by Canada until 1965. It was kept by Ontario as a symbol that reflected Ontario’s British heritage and the sacrifices made by Canadian troops under the Red Ensign.
