2018 Speakers Profiles:
February 28th - Ken Brown
Ken Brown is a horticultural consultant, writer and photographer. His own gardens feature his Iris collection and a wide range of plants that he is trailing. In a space of their own and interspersed throughout all his gardens, Ken grows a comprehensive list of vegetables in some innovative ways to maximize the use of space. He currently spends most of his non-gardening hours writing for his web site, www.gardening-enjoyed.com and ezine Dallying in the Dirt.
March 28th - Harry Jongerden
Harry Jongerden has been a professional gardener, garden designer and garden director for 35 years. He is currently Executive Director of Toronto Botanical Garden, having held the posts of Garden Director at VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver, Head of Horticulture at Royal Botanical Gardens and Head Gardener at the Stratford Festival. He is the author of “This Other Eden” and designer of the Walkerton Memorial, the Walkerton Heritage Water Garden and Stratford’s Elizabethan Garden. He is the current Chair of the Ontario Garden Tourism Coalition.
April 25th - Lorraine Johnson
Lorraine Johnson is the author of numerous books on environmental issues and gardening. Former president of the North American Native Plant Society, her areas of expertise include gardening with native plants, urban agriculture, biodiversity conservation, and urban forest protection. Lorraine lives in Toronto, where she is active in the community garden movement and the effort to legalize backyard hens.
May 23rd- Christine and Peter Gill
Christine and Peter have been gardening in Oshawa, Ontario since their first garden in 1979. Prior to that, much of Christine’s garden experience was gained in tropical surroundings at her parents’ country home. Their experience is practical and down-to-earth and over the years they have honed their skills in various aspects of gardening having moved to Nestleton in 1987. Christine has been President for two years at The Delphinium Club, and continues to wear several hats in the Ontario Delphinium Club.
June 27th -David Hobson
David Hobson is a humorist, storyteller, and photographer, David will present images and background information with tips on growing less common or unusual plants, ones that may not be generally available at the average garden center, though easily grown; plants that attract attention, elicit “wows” or quietly engage the viewer with their unique features.
July 25th -Trish Symons
Living on the Niagara escarpment in Hockley Valley, Trish started with a house plunked in the middle of a hayfield; a blank canvas to create her beautiful garden. She loves to share the journey From Hayfield to Heaven.
September 26th - Marion Jarvie
Marion Jarvie is a passionate plants woman who has been gardening in Thornhill for over forty years. She loves plants and invites any and all to her garden where you will find the hardiest of varieties side by side with plants from all over the world.
October 24th- Darren Heimbecker
Darren established Whistling Gardens in 2012 to be an internationally recognized horticultural destination attraction, featuring exclusive plant collections. Whistling Gardens holds a Botanical Garden designation now. Darren’s passion is to share knowledge on botany and horticulture, by cultivating an appreciation for our natural environment.
Dates and Topics
February 28 Speaker: Ken Brown Topic: Exotic Vegetables
March 28 Speaker: Harry Jon Gerden Topic: Toronto Botanical Gardens
April 25 Speaker: Lorraine Johnson Topic: Gardening with Native Plants
May 23 Speaker: Christine and Peter Gill Topic: Care and Maintenance of English Delphiniums
June 27 Speaker: David Hobson Topic: Grow Something Different; Plants to Impress your Neighbour
July 25 Speaker: Trish Symons Topic: Frome Hayfield to Heaven
September 26 Speaker: Marion Jarvie Topic: Late Summer and Fall Beauty
October 24 Speaker: Darren Heimbecker Topic: Trees and Shrubs for Todays Smaller Gardens