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The City of Hamilton’s horticultural department wanted to plant something exotic and neat to pretty up the streets and the reaction’s been mostly positive. Banana trees are the focus on Kenilworth North of Barton street.
“The first phone call I got was an irate person who called to say, you can plant those there, they’re going to die, it’s a waste of taxpayers money.” But Neil Schofield reassured the caller that the 11 banana trees planted around the city will be moved inside the Gage Park greenhouses for the colder months.
The City of Hamilton also has its own vegetable garden. They say once the vegetables are ready they’ll harvest them and then donate the vegetables to food share.
Neil says even though it’s not encouraged, some people have helped themselves to the garden. When it comes to the bananas, it’ll be first come first serve, but the trees are too young to produce any fruit.
“It takes about a year and a half for it to flower and grow bananas of edible size.”