Speakers

Learn how to grow and harvest vegetables in these dark months of winter. That is right, it is not too late to fill those empty garden spaces!

Given the restrictions and the cancellation of our in-person general meetings, the Board will hold a virtual general meeting on Monday, September 14 beginning at 7:00 pm. After a short business update, Leslie Cox a.k.a. “The Duchess of Dirt”, will give a talk on “Putting our gardens to bed” – a very timely topic for September!

There is colour out there in those winter gardens! Put your designers cap on and create a bouquet of winter splendor to share at our February meeting! Our Guest Speaker will be Master Gardener and plantswoman extraordinaire, Joan Wynden.

The ancient and modern gardens of China look nothing like Western gardens. Dr. Royann Petrell spent 6 months in China in 2007/2008 while on sabbatical from the University of British Columbia’s Chemical and Biological Engineering department. She has a long love of gardening, and was pleased when several of her Chinese graduate students and friends offered to help her locate and then visit some of the ancient gardens of China, as well as one very unusual modern one.

Our October annual general meeting will not be dull and boring, it will feature some extraordinary garden delights, plus you get to peak behind fences at some wonderful Comox Valley gardens!

Roger Griffiths will be presenting on the Channel Islands and the Keukenhof Gardens in Holland, and will be talking about tulips. Also, Members Competition of Garden Produce.

The Heavenly Hellebores presentation provides a broad overview of everything relating to hellebores; history, species, propogation, and culture.

Dr. Royann Petrell and her husband, Sylvain Alie, have organically gardened to produce most of the food they have eaten over the last 24 years. Gardening was a wonderful place to unwind from stressful jobs and for these two birders to enjoy their hobby.

Dr. Lindgren received his undergraduate training in Sweden and came to Canada for graduate studies at Simon Fraser University. Dr Lindgren’s area of interest is forest insect ecology and management.

HGTV host Donna Balzer brings garden inspiration and practical insider information to get you growing food faster under cover and in your greenhouse this season.

As owner of Grow Tree Care, Aaron Wurts brings his passion for trees and problem solving to the task of business ownership.

Laurene Ebbett will present a slide show on public and private gardens of England, Wales, and Ireland. Laurene participated in a tour in May 2017 led by Steve Whysall, retired Garden Editor of the Vancouver Sun. There will also be slides from the iconic Chelsea Garden Show.