GARDEN AURORA
Speaker Program – 2022
Dates and Topics
February 23 Speaker: David Chapman Topic: Exploring the Birds of Ontario
March 23 Speaker: Sue Feddema Topic: Community Supported Agriculture - CSA
and eating
April 27 Speaker: David Tomlinson Topic: Creating Merlin’s Hollow
Flower Show
May 25 Speaker: Alain Johnson and
Jocelyn Bertrand Topic: Daylilies
Flower Show
June 22 Speaker: Ursula Eley Topic: Basic Floral Designs
Flower Show
July 27 Speaker: Dale Lovering Topic: Little Ladies in the Garden
Flower Show
September 28 Speaker: Chris Gyan Topic: Understanding Tree and Forest Ecosystem
Management
Flower Show
October 26 Speaker: Dugald Cameron Topic: Spectacular Spring Bulbs
Flower Show
2022 Speakers Profiles:
February 23rd - David Chapman
David T. Chapman learned at a very young age from his father to appreciate his surrounding environment. He started doing photography as well as storm chasing at the age of 16. He is self-taught in the art of photography. He enjoys taking photographs and videos of weather phenomena, especially lightning, as well as scenery and nature. David likes to seek out unusual examples of nature and weather phenomena. He even found a trillium which had 33 petals.
This presentation includes pictures of birds from the small backyard visitors that we all know and love, to some of the largest birds like the Bald Eagle and Great Blue Heron. The presentation includes rare visitors to our area like the Painted Bunting and Northern Hawk Owl. If you like owls, you will see an owl family grow up and leave the nest.
March 23rd - Sue Feddema
Round the Bend Farm is a small family farm since 1986. They have naturally raised turkeys, a Farm Market with home grown fruits and vegetables. They also run a Community Supported Agriculture program. A visit to the farm can include fall pumpkins and décor, an Easter event, farm animals and a corn maze.
April 27th - David Tomlinson
Known for his personal garden called Merlin’sHollow, David is a renowned landscape architect who has received many design awards in both England and Canada. In 2011, he was awarded a Lieutenant Governor of Ontario Heritage Award for the lifetime achievement of over 25 years of extraordinary contributions to conserving Ontario’s Heritage. David was also instrumental in many Town committees, and has been very invested in the Aurora Community Arbortem, and the new David Tomlinson Nature Reserve (Wildlife Park). David Tomlinson who has been instrumental in the protection and creation of the nature reserve.
David will be sharing with us the methods he used to create his beloved garden Merlin’s Hollow as a promise kept to his wife Dierdre.
May 25th - Alain and Jocelyn
Al and Joe’s passion for gardening goes back decades. They tried to learn everything they could on a variety of plant worlds, including orchids and daylilies. They started Artemesia Daylilies in 2003, on their farm in Priceville, and have grown their business to1,400 varieties, through careful hybridizing and growing many lilies from seed. Their lilies include frills, teeth, double edges, blue flowers, and so much more.
Having now moved to Beaver Valley, Al and Joe have also started their own apiary, or bee yard, on their 50-acre Kimberley property. They now run around 80 hives, and conduct countless beekeeping immersion tours and full-day workshops.
Al and Joe are thrilled to welcome hundreds of visitors to their Kimberley gardens, nestled amongst the natural beauties the Beaver Valley has to offer.
Their presentation will reveal their expertise on growing and hybridizing day lilies, they will go over the tried and tested daylilies introduced in the past to then compare with the state-of-the-art latest and most amazing hybrids. Expect a real feast for the eyes!
June 22nd - Ursula Eley
Ursula is a judge of both horticulture and design. Recently, she has had the opportunity to judge virtual flower shows with judges as far away as Kenya, the U.K. and Australia. She herseIf has competed in several international flower shows and was very happy to win a first at the WAFA show in Barbados. Together with Helene Selemidis-Hill, Ursula had the honour of being co-principal for an OHA Judging School in District 5.
As a gardener, Ursula have presented talks on Native plants, shade gardening, and more to many groups. As a demonstrator, she has shared her love of floral design with Horticultural Societies around the province and abroad.
Floral design isn’t just for competition. Many easy, beautiful arrangements can be used to add a special touch to your dining table, entry hall, powder room and more. Ursula will demonstrate two styles of centerpiece and a Japanese inspired line design suitable for any room.
July 27th - Dale Lovering
Dale grew up in Severn Township and was a teacher for 45 years. He learned to love roses from his father, and has been gardening for over 60 years. In his present garden he grows over 30 different cultivars of mini roses, and propagates them as well.
He was a member of the Barrie, Oro-Medonte, and Orillia Horticultural Societies, and the Canadian and Huronia Rose Societies. He is a Canadian rose judge, and RBG trained Horticultural Judge, and an OHA Horticultural and Design judge.
His colourful presentation will explore the advantages and beauty of growing miniature roses. His talk will cover myths, varieties, forms, uses, cultivation and soil requirements.
September 28th - Chris Gyan
Chris Gynan MScF., RPF, is an ISA Certified Arborist, a professional forester, managed forest plan approver, certified tree marker, butternut health assessor, and avid tree planter. His academic qualifications include a B.Sc. Forestry and M.Sc. Forestry from the University of Toronto.
Chris has been a professional forestry consultant to private landowners, First Nations, and municipal and provincial governments since 1996. He has an expert understanding of tree and forest ecosystem management in southern Ontario.
Chris will be giving us an overview of conifer plantation management. His presentation will discuss planning process, typical silvicultural management scenarios (controlling the growth, composition/structure, and quality of forests), promoting climate change adaptation, and economics.
October 26th - Dugald Cameron
Dugald’s gardening career began at an early age in his English Grandmother's garden where he must have "caught the bug", because he’s been interested in plants and gardens ever since. In 1983, he, along with his wife Lynn Pashleigh, and his father started Gardenimport. They sold a top quality selection of the latest seeds, flower bulbs and plants for Canadian gardeners from a catalogue and website. After 32 years of business Gardenimport was closed in 2014.
Dugald was on the board of directors at The Toronto Botanical Garden for 13 years and continues to volunteer there, teaching and writing for the Trellis magazine. He speaks on many subjects to Horticultural Societies in Southern Ontario and has sat in for Ed Lawrence on CBC’s Ontario Today. He was the founding president of the Greater Toronto Bulb Society and is a member of numerous horticultural societies. His diverse gardening interests include spring and summer flowering bulbs, shrubs, perennials and clematis.
Dugald will help us to understand the great and beautiful spring flowering bulbs, what they like, and how to plant for the best display. He will describe the best varieties within some of the larger families. The photographs he will show us were collected from numerous visits to Holland over the many years he ran Gardenimport.