What Is the Ontario Rock Garden & Hardy Plant Society (ORG&HPS) Website?

onrockgarden.com is the home page of the Ontario Rock Garden & Hardy Plant Society (ORG&HPS), a chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society (NARGS). It is the society's public-facing hub for meeting announcements, member presentations, and recordings, with some content reserved for logged-in members. It suits gardeners interested in rock garden plants, hardy perennials, alpine flora, and seed exchange who want to follow the group's events or join its community.

What the site is for

The site serves two purposes: telling visitors what the society is and does, and giving members access to meeting materials. Public pages carry upcoming event notices and descriptions of past and future presentations. Member-only areas hold meeting videos and Zoom recordings, which the site says are posted within a week of each meeting and require a login.

The organization describes itself as a chapter of NARGS, which places it within a wider North American network of rock garden and hardy plant growers. The content on the home page leans toward lectures, member showcases, and seed exchange activity rather than plant sales or growing guides.

What visitors will find

• Upcoming meetings. The page lists dated presentations, such as a November 8, 2026 talk by founding member Andrew Osyany titled "A Taste of the Flora of Utah," drawing on his trips to western mountains from 1966 to about 2010.
• Members Showcase. Most meetings include 20-minute member presentations on garden experiences, native plants, seed starting, bulbs, or gardens members have visited. The November 8 showcase is set to cover seeds offered in that year's Seedex, with member photos and commentary from Virginia Hildebrandt.
• Meeting videos. Recordings of Zoom meetings and selected presentations are posted under "Members Only." One example noted on the page is Paul Gellatly's "Unlocking the Potential: Big Ideas for Small Gardens," available on YouTube but scheduled for removal on October 26 at the speaker's request.
• Seed exchange (Seedex). The society runs a seed exchange, and members are invited to submit photos of their contributions for sharing at meetings.

Who it is for

The site is aimed at people who grow or want to learn about rock garden plants, alpine species, and hardy plants suited to Ontario conditions, and who prefer a lecture-and-community format over a commercial nursery site. It is also relevant to members of other NARGS chapters who want to see how a regional group organizes meetings and a seed exchange.

If you are looking for plant catalogues, prices, or shopping, this is not that kind of site. If you want meeting schedules, talk topics, or member video access, it is the right entry point.

Practical notes before you use it

• Login matters. Meeting videos and recordings sit behind a member login. The page does not state membership fees or whether public visitors can register, so check with the society directly rather than assuming open access.
• Time-sensitive content. Video availability can change on a speaker's request, as with the October 26 removal date above. Confirm current listings on the page rather than relying on older references.
• Contact for submissions. Members submitting showcase photos are directed to email the organizer; the address is obfuscated on the page by spam protection, so JavaScript must be enabled to view it.

For anyone weighing whether to follow or join ORG&HPS, the home page gives a clear picture of the society's rhythm: monthly meetings, member-led talks, a seed exchange, and recorded content for those who log in.