Canada Day has come a little late for the Kohnen family, owners and operators of Black Forest Garden Centre in King City. The display of canna lilies in their roadside flower box is now complete – four days after the original plan.
“Everything is fine and now the people can believe in the story again,” said 82-year-old Gerhard Kohnen as he looked over the display. “Canadian values.”
The patriarch of the family and co-founder of the store had planned, organized and planted a display of red and white canna lilies in the rough shape of the Canadian flag outside of the large garden centre and greenhouse.
But almost two full weeks ago when the flowers had bloomed, the canna lilies were stolen, leaving an empty plot of dirt where there was supposed to be a show of Canadian pride from a family who had immigrated here from Germany in 1968.
WATCH: Canada Day flower display at King City garden centre stolen. Mark Carcasole reports. (June 29)
Their story generated offers of help from viewers and readers from all over Ontario, including from one of their own long-time suppliers.
“I knew I had some cannas here, so I felt honoured to be able to help out, give back,” said Ron Sant, a partner at Kleinburg, Ont.-based George Sant & Sons Greenhouses.
“I felt bad that that happened to Mr. Kohnen.”
The supplier donated a batch of red canna lilies to their fellow family-run business. The donation was enough to fill the empty spot left behind by the thieves that were never caught.
“For someone to come and take apart the flag, it kind of tears you apart,” said Sant.
The Kohnens arrived to pick those flowers up Wednesday morning, offering Sant their thanks with firm handshakes.
“We have to recognize the good deed Sant did,” said Gerhard Kohnen.
Sweating and covered in dirt as they planted the flowers in their rightful place that afternoon, Gerhard’s son George still had a smile on his face.
“It’s a really nice feeling that a bad situation got turned into an incredible happy ending.”