Thousands of plants blooming in tucked-away greenhouse will soon cover Wascana gardens, Government House

The flower beds at Wascana Park and Government House in Regina may be empty right now, but crews are hard at work behind the scenes, preparing thousands of flowers and greenery for planting season. 

But where do all those plants come from?

Tucked away near Douglas Park is the Wascana Centre greenhouse, which is run by Saskatchewan's Provincial Capital Commission  — the provincial body that is responsible for the management and operation of the Wascana Centre and Government House.

The greenhouse is alive with 110,000 to 130,000 annual bedding plants, along with tropical and perennial plants. 

Steven Weir, supervisor of horticulture for the Provincial Capital Commission, said many of the plants are started at the beginning of March in the greenhouse. Every week after, the crew seeds different varieties. 

After the May long weekend, workers will begin planting in earnest at Queen Elizabeth II Gardens, across from the legislature, and in the beds at the Government House historic site.

"The designs are different every year," said Weir, who has worked in the horticulture department of the Provincial Capital Commission for 26 years. 

"We're always looking for good colour combinations, good balance of height and spread, and always try to add a little wrinkle here and there of something that's different and something that's new on the market."

In addition to filling flower beds around Wascana Centre and Government House — which feature massive planters — the greenhouse also supplies plants to the City of Regina. 

Weir said the stalwarts of the flower beds include marigolds, geraniums and petunias, because of the variety of colours they provide. Weir's favourite colour combination is purple and pink, which he says will be a theme this coming season.

The designs bring people joy, and the gardening team regularly gets "wonderful comments" on the gardens and the designs, said Weir.

During the gardening season, the horticulture department has 15 workers to plant, water, deadhead, prune and make sure the flower beds continue to bloom throughout the summer. 

That number shrinks to four employees in the winter, but the cold season is by no means uneventful. The small team creates interior landscapes for buildings throughout Wascana Centre.