Speakers 2022

JANUARY 26, 2022 – via Zoom
EXPANDING OUR MEDITERRANEAN PLANT PALETTE – with Amy Sanderson
Lavender, rosemary, thyme and cistus have long been staples of dry gardening in Victoria, but there are lots of other gems available to gardeners from genera like Ballota, Marrubium, Phlomis, Stipa and Teucrium. This presentation aims to introduce new drought-tolerant plants but, more importantly, open up a discussion on what a beautiful dry garden could look like and how good maintenance practices can help gardens cope with our increasingly erratic climate.
Stellata Plants
Bio – Amy Sanderson is a gardener and owner of the specialty nursery Stellata Plants. Originally from Edmonton, Alberta, Amy’s unquenchable thirst for better garden plants sent her on a study tour of English gardens, including Beth Chatto’s, Great Dixter, and Sissinghurst. Subsequently, there was no choice but to move to Vancouver Island and open a nursery focused on resilient perennials and unusual annuals. With a passionate interest in the future of ornamental horticulture, in 2018, Amy coordinated the international Beth Chatto Symposium: Ecological Planting for the 21st Century. Her writing and floral work have been featured in publications in the U.K., U.S., and Canada, and you can find regular updates on Instagram: @amysandersonflowers or @stellataplants

FEBRUARY 23, 2022 – via Zoom
LANDSCAPE DESIGN FOR DIFFICULT PLACES with Geoff Woods
Bio – Educated at BCIT, where he later taught in the Continuing Education department, Geoff Woods was a landscape design/build contractor for many years. He’s won many awards from the BC Landscape and Nursery Association for his work. In more recent years, he has operated solely as a designer and has won further awards. Geoff has been featured in home and garden periodicals and has spoken extensively at garden clubs, educational institutions and trade associations in both Canada and the United States.

MARCH 23, 2022 – via Zoom
PALMS, EXOTICS AND MEDITERRANEAN GARDENING with John Brimacombe
This presentation deals with the practical use of hardy palms and other exotics (such as hardy succulents, citrus, schefflera, and eucalyptus) to create Mediterranean or subtropical-style gardens in the Pacific Northwest (USDA hardiness zones 7b – 9). In addition to the presentation, John will have available information on palm care and the protection of marginally-hardy species that are suitable for this style of garden.
The Pacific Northwest Palm & Exotic Plant Society
Bio – Retired physics teacher, John Brimacombe has been dabbling in Mediterranean-style gardening for over 3 decades. He’s also highly involved in the Pacific Northwest Palm and Exotic Plant Society.

APRIL 27, 2022 – in-person 🙂
ADACHI JAPANESE GARDEN with Paul Allison
A richly illustrated tour of the Japanese gardens at the Adachi Art Museum in Tochi, Japan. The meticulously maintained garden has been voted as the No.1 Japanese garden by the Japanese Garden Journal.
Bio – Originally from Cornwall, England, Paul Allison has been in service to horticulture for over 50 years. Paul is said to have the hands of a gardener, the mind of a scientist and the vision of an artist, all firmly rooted in the heart of a naturalist. Paul’s passion is to explore the relationship between people, plants, and gardens.

MAY 25, 2022 – in person
COMPLIMENTARY PLANT COMBINATIONS with Diane Pierce
https://hcp.ca/plant-identi/
Bio – After achieving her B.SC. in Agriculture from UBC, Diane moved on to Fruit & Vegetable researcher with Agriculture Canada. She’s also worked as a City of Victoria Parks Department gardener, landscape designer and garden consultant. Diane is a past Board Member of the Horticultural Centre of the Pacific and the Victoria Horticultural Society, a garden writer, and a Community Education instructor at HCP in Plant Identification and Culture and gardening skills.

JUNE 22, 2022 – in person
TOMATO SUCCESS with Mary Alice Johnson of Full Circle Seeds (link to presentation)
Starting with the many varieties of tomatoes, Mary Alice will discuss the full circle of a tomato’s life. From starts, transplants, and pests, through harvest and seed saving.
http://www.fullcircleseeds.com/
Mary Alice’s Growing Tomatoes info sheet
Bio – As one of the pioneers of the Moss Street Market, Mary Alice Johnson created ALM Organic Farm (back in the ’80s), as well as Full Circle Seeds (in more recent years). She lives a hands-on lifestyle and is a dynamic teacher.

JULY & AUGUST – Enjoy your summer garden 🙂
no meetings in July/August

SEPTEMBER 28, 2022
POLLINATOR & PLANT PARTNERSHIPS with Abby Hyde
Highlighting ways we can convert our properties into pollinator-friendly landscapes that contribute to restoring biodiversity in greater Victoria. Abby will speak about the importance of native plants, with particular attention paid to their ability to restore and enhance habitat within the urban context. Garry Oak Ecosystems will be used as a case study to highlight particular pollinator-to-plant relationships. This will be an interactive presentation, including a close-up look of some of the plants outlined in the presentation.
https://satinflower.ca/
Bio – Abby Hyde started at Satinflower Nurseries in 2021. She discovered her passion for observing native species and restoring degraded ecosystems while growing up in Bali, Indonesia. She made the long move from Indonesia to Victoria in 2016 to pursue a BSc in Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Victoria. During her four-year program, her love for tropical and aquatic plants translated to a newfound love of the native plants of British Columbia. She now heads orders at the nursery and does consultations for meadowscaping projects.

OCTOBER 26, 2022
STARTING A FLOWER FARM with Liz Dick
https://www.specialeffectsflower.com/
Bio: Liz Dick started a flower farm West of Shawnigan Lake on a small acreage in 2019 with the idea of selling bio-degradable confetti and wholesale blooms to florists. The business grew to include an online catalogue. Special Effects Flowers ships plant starts, roots, tubers, corms, and bulbs across the country. Locals are welcome at the farm for sales twice a year.

NOVEMBER 23, 2022
Enjoy the annual Mini-Show Awards Celebration
(It does not include a speaker presentation nor a mini show.)

DECEMBER – Enjoy the Holiday Season 🙂
no meeting in December.