History of the Cobourg Horticultural Society

Photo: Jacqueline LaFrano

The Cobourg Horticultural Society was founded in 1860, and became part of the Ontario Horticultural Association (OHA) when it was formed in 1906. Major H. J. Snelgrove, Secretary of the Cobourg Society, was the First Vice-President of the OHA, and subsequently served as OHA President in 1908-9.

The Cobourg Horticultural Society’s meetings and activities in the 1860s were regularly recorded in The Cobourg Sentinel and included an annual exhibition at Victoria Hall, with competitions in many categories of vegetables, fruits, plants and flowers. The Society has continued to hold flower shows twice a year, with a photography competition added more recently. Other activities now include an annual plant sale, speakers at monthly meetings and funding bursaries for local high school graduates.