JANUARY 27, 2016
TRANSFORMING FRONT LAWN INTO GARDEN – Nathalie Dechaine will share her experience salvaging, caring for and transplanting native plants both in natural areas and in her yard. Join in to learn about the trials and tribulations of turning a grassy yard into an attractive native plant and food garden…
http://npsg.ca/
Nathalie Dechaine bio
Nathalie Dechaine chairs the Native Plant Study Group of Victoria. She has over 20 years of experience engaging community groups to enhance biodiversity. Her interests include herbalism, Naturescaping, salvaging and traditional ecological knowledge.  She has a passion for growing plants that serve to nourish both herself and urban wildlife.   

FEBRUARY 24, 2016
INVASIVE PLANT REMOVAL – Amanda Evans of Victoria’s Green Team discusses the Portage Park Project, the 3 year + ongoing efforts with invasive plant removal & restoration …
http://www.greenteamscanada.ca/
Saanich’s Invasive Plant list 2017
Grow Me Instead – Non-Invasive Plant Alternatives
Amanda Evans bio
Amanda has always been passionate about the environment; at age 10 she started a recycling program and during high school became the President of the Environment Club. During University, she co-founded the Ecological Restoration Volunteer Network, a student-run club that connects students to local ecological restoration work parties.  Amanda has a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography and Environmental Studies, as well as a Diploma in Restoration of Natural Systems. Through her work with the Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team she developed a restoration plan for a new park in View Royal and most recently has coordinated volunteers in Portage Park in View Royal.

MARCH 30, 2016 (special date)
PREPPING FOR A GARDEN SHOW – One of our regular judges, Jacq Bradbury, gives us tips & techniques to make the most of our entries in this weekend’s Spring Garden Show
http://www.bcgardenclubs.com/clubs/vancouverislandhorticulturejudges.html
Jacq Bradbury bio
An active judge & long time member of numerous garden clubs, Jacq Bradbury is well versed in all thing horticultural.

APRIL 27, 2016
CREATING A DOGWOOD FOREST – Phyllis Graham of Whitegate Farm Nursery shares her adventures in Dogwood varieties.
WhitegateFarmNursery@yahoo.ca
Phyllis Graham bio –
Proprietor of Whitegate Farm Nursery, north of the Malahat, Phyllis juggles her career as a wholesale grower of Peonies with her other passion: a dog day-care.

MAY 25, 2016
OUR URBAN FOREST – Brook Stark, Manager Parks Construction, Arboriculture & Natural Areas- City of Victoria
BStark@victoria.ca
Brook Starke bio –
Brooke studied near Niagra Falls + certified as a ornamental landscaper, horticulturalist & greenskeeper. She worked at FiLoLi in SanFransisco for awhile. 3.5 of 10 years in Auckland she was curator of botanical garden. During that time she was accepted on a study term at KEW in England.

JUNE 22, 2016
I ALWAYS WANTED A WORM GARDEN – David Greig will teach us about those all-important animals making and keeping soil viable and friable.Learn to create a worm farm. Save the castings and make a tea for feeding plants. Create better soil. Lots of worms = great soil.
Vermicompost Brew Recipe https://viewroyalgardenclub.wordpress.com/calendar/speakers-2016/3z-2016-david-grieg-vermicompost-brew/
David Gried bio
David has over 20 worm bins. He is a- master composter, certified organic land care professional, and certified horticultural therapist. In addition to teaching at Camosun College, he’s been “farming” red wriggler composting worms for over 25 years.

JULY – no meeting in July

AUGUST 24, 2016
POLLINATORS – Although bees are the best-known pollinators, they aren’t the only ones. Plants have many attraction techniques to ensure seed production. Claudia Copley, from Natural History department of the Royal BC Museum, studies our local pollinators. Come and learn what you can do to encourage successful pollination in your landscape.
http://royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/staffprofiles/author/ccopley/
Claudia Copley bio
Claudia has worked in the Royal BC Museums collections since 2004. Each summer Claudia uses her practical skills on field trips into BC’s high elevations to document spiders & other insects. She is very active in Victoria’s Natural History Society (http://www.vicnhs.bc.ca/?page_id=1412 ) & is passionate about habitat rehabilitation & conservation.

SEPTEMBER 28, 2016 special location
COLWOOD GardenWorks – Dress warmly for a special 6 pm start at Colwood GardenWorks . Lynda Dowling of Happy Valley Lavender Farm tells Tales of a Container Gardener
(Renovations make our usual location unavailable)
http://www.happyvalleylavender.com/
Lynda Dowling bio
Lynda and Micheal Dowling started Happy Valley Herb Farm in 1983. Lynda also operates Off The Farm Landscaping, offering total landscaping & garden care, from patios, to rooftop, to seaside, to forest & downtown too

OCTOBER 26, 2016
GREAT SHRUBS FOR ALL SEASONS– Diane Pierce, expert gardener, designer & writer discusses & displays prime foliage choices for the garden.
http://hcp.ca/plant-identi/
Diane Pierce bio
After achieving her B.Sc. in Agriculture from UBC, Diane moved on to Fruit and vegetable researcher with Agriculture Canada. She’s also worked as a City of Victoria Parks Department gardener, landscape design and garden consultant. Diane is past Board Member of the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific and the Victoria Horticultural Society, garden writer, Community Education instructor at HCP in Plant Identification and Culture and gardening skills. .

NOVEMBER 23, 2016
The Christmas Party annual Awards celebration, silent auction & pot luck dinner. (It does not include a speaker presentation.)

DECEMBER – no meeting in December.

updated Jan 8, 2017