Speakers 2012

Jan.25 2012
Soil & Lawn Maintenance and Management– Dwight and Wendy are owners of Integrity Sales and Distributors (on Keating X-Rd in Saanichton. They are versed in all things horticultural.
Dwight & Wendy Pennell, contact: 250-544-2072
Integrity Sales and Distributors, 2180 Keating X Rd. Saanichton

Feb.22 2012
Grow Me Instead – Presenting a variety of beautiful native & exotic alternatives to dominant plants in our gardens, Rachelle McElroy discusses practices to lower chances of invasive plants overwhelming our garden beds and taking over our neighbourhoods.
Rachelle McElroy contact: 250-857-2472 info@coastalinvasiveplants.com
Coastal Invasive Plant Committee http://www.coastalinvasiveplants.com/
Saanich’s Invasive Plant list 2017
Grow Me Instead – Non-Invasive Plant Alternatives

BIO – Rachelle McElroy, CIPC Coordinator has been working in the environmental field for over ten years, her passion is to forward change towards more engaged and sustainable communities. A Victoria resident, Rachelle holds a Bachelor in Environmental Science and a Masters in Leadership and Sustainability. In her free time, you can find Rachelle pulling weeds, doing West African dance and chairing City Green Solutions board of directors meetings.
ORGANIZATION BIO – Since 2005, the Coastal Invasive Plant Committee is committed to protecting diverse habitats and rare ecosystems of British Columbia’s South Coast from the impacts of invasive plants. A registered non-profit society, the CIPC is serving the geographic areas of Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and the Regional Districts of Powell River, Sunshine Coast, Mount Waddington and Strathcona, occurring on the Mainland coast (see map).
The Coastal Invasive Plant Committee’s mandate is to:
– Educate community members and land managers about the impacts of invasive plants
– Promote cross-jurisdictional coordination and integrated invasive plant management
– Assist land managers with their invasive plant management objectives

Mar.28 2012
Scent & Colour in the Early Spring Garden – Mark Hedger of Scent-sational Plants presents a show & tell of plants for maximizing our enjoyment of the ‘off-season’ garden.
+ May 6 2012 – – nurserytour – Scent-sational Plants 860 Sayward Rd
Mark & Pauline Hedger contact: 250-685-3544 scentsationalplants@shaw.ca
ScentSational Plants http://scentsationalplants.ca/

BIO Mark Hedger – – Originally from Ottawa, Ontario, Mark’s background includes years in South Florida and the Niagara Peninsula, which exposed him to a great variety of plant material.
Involved in horticulture since 1977, Mark’s horticultural experience includes times as a student, (Niagara College, 1977-79), a greenhouse and grounds superintendent, horticultural salesperson, horticultural research assistant, professional educator (Camosun College; Horticulture Program), commercial gardener and nurseryman.
Mark and Pauline have been operating ScentSational Plants since 2000, specializing in fragrance and year-round interest and are regularly seen participating at the Saanich Country Market on Saturdays in summer, Seedy Saturday, and other local horticultural events, including garden club functions.

Apr.26 2012
A Native Garden In 18 Months – Using connections with The Native Plant Study Group, The Garry Oak Ecosystem Recovery Team, Habitat Acquisition Trust, and Saanich’s Native Plant Salvage Program, Louise Goulet transformed her yard into a showcase native garden in only a year and a half.
+ April 29, 2012, 1-5 pm – Native Plant Garden Tour – organized by members of the Native Plant Study Group
Jennifer & Eric Sleigh 3232 Frechette St (near Hillside Mall) – created 2010
Louise Goulet & Michael Mcilvaney 2646 Cranmore Rd (near Willows)– created 2008-9
Jennifer Sutton 2203 Kinross St (Oak Bay) – not watered since 2008
Phillip Symons & Marya Nijland 2125 Lansdown Rd. – created 2006
City of Victoria boulevard to the left of 1843 Crescent Ave. – created in 2001 by Pat & Neil Boyle
Dr. Louise Goulet – contact:250-598-0371 louise@mcilvaney.com
Louise Goulet native garden notes (powerpoint presentation)
The Native Plant Study Group http://www.npsg.ca/
The Garry Oak Ecosystem Recovery Team http://www.goert.ca/
Habitat Acquisition Trust http://www.hat.bc.ca/
Saanich’s Native Plant Salvage Program http://www.saanich.ca/living/natural/npsp.html
Saanich’s Invasive Plant list 2017
Grow Me Instead – Non-Invasive Plant Alternatives
Bio – Dr. Louise Goulet, is a wildlife biologist with >35 years of experience in several fields.

– Louise conducted wildlife surveys in northern Québec, B.C., Alberta and the Northwest Territories from 1970 till 1985, being also involved in multi-disciplinary impact assessment and pest management.
– She served as Director of the BC Ecological Reserves (ER) Program from 1985 to 1990, working for BC Parks.
– Later she progressed to the BC Parks Manager/Acting Director responsible for protected areas system and management planning. In that position, she coordinated the production of Park/ER management plans; participated in the development of the BC Protected Areas Strategy; supervised land acquisition and tenure referral for crown lands; and managed protected area designation and legislation.
– Between 1999 and 2009, Louise successively worked for
– — Parks Canada Park to help create the new Gulf Islands National Park Reserve (to 2002);
– — as the Director of the Francophone Affairs Program for the B.C. Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat (to 2005);
– – -as the Executive Director for the Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team (to 2008);
– – -and as a volunteer/staff member negotiating conservation covenants for the Habitat Acquisition Trust.
– Since retiring.Louise
– – -has built her own native plant garden
– – -has worked to design and establish a native plant garden for Parks Canada at their Sidney office.
– – -volunteers as a restoration leader for the Uplands Park and as a member of the Native Plant Propagation Steering Committee.

May 24 2012
Staging for Competition – Bring sample entries & learn how to stage them so you’re confident to enter them in the upcoming VRGC Flower & Vegetable Show on June 2. Barb Munton will explain how Vancouver Island Horticulture Judging Group will be awarding points.
Barb Munton contact: 250-727-0151
Vancouver Island Horticulture Judging Group http://www.bcgardenclubs.com/clubs/vancouverislandhorticulturejudges.html

June 28 2012
Rain Gardens – There’s a growing trend to embrace Rain Gardens. We see them along the Old Island Highway project, along Shelbourne near Mount Doug, and even downtown on Blanchard & Yates at the new Atrium building. Landscape Architect Paul de Greef presents a slide show explaining rain gardens.
+ Nov.10, 2012 – – rain garden tour – in Paul’s garden @ 12:30 pm , 1717 Carnegie Crescent – in Gordon Head area
other rain gardens they’ve created:
Feel free to visit some of his company’s past projects:
Yarrow Rain Gardens – 914 Yarrow Road (just east of Craigflower Road Bridge)
Atrium Building – 800 Yates Street (BC Ferries building at corner of Yates & Blanshard Streets)
Trent Street Rain Gardens – 2330 Trent Street (just behind / east of Royal Jubilee Hospital, and in front of St. Patrick’s School.)
Oak Bay Home Hardware – 1906 Oak Bay Avenue (corner of Oak Bay & Davie Street- the rain garden is along the side of the building facing Davie Street)
Oswald Park Rain Gardens – 3030 Cedar Hill Road & Oswald Road. Two rain gardens in the park, one at either end).
Victoria Airport Long Term Parking Lot (all of the rain gardens & swales around the parking lot completed in 2005 – the newer section of parking lot was not designed by us).
Fisherman’s Wharf Park – Summer 2012 project in James Bay at Fisherman’s Wharf.

Paul de Greef, contact: 250-412-2891 paul@mdidesign.ca
Murdoch deGreef Inc.http://www.mdidesign.ca/

July 2012 – no meeting in July

August 2012
Master Gardener Program – Maureen Thompson, former VRGC president & author of “Ask the Experts” column in our newsletters, will talk about the program and becoming a master gardener.
Maureen Thompson contact: 250-474-3780
Master Gardeners’ Assoc. of BC
Mason Bee Update – Brian Yeo, current VRGC president & mason bee enthusiast, will give an update on caring and nurturing mason bees.
Brian Yeo, …contact: 250-391-8800
Brian Yeo May2014

Sept.27 2012
Spring Bulbs & Fall Planters – On location at Colwood GardenWorks, 6-8pm, A special presentation by host Chris Jones. Meeting time adjusted for daylight hours. Dress for the weather.
Christina Jones,, contact: 250-478-2078 cjones@gardenworks.ca
Colwood GardenWorks 1859 Old Island Highway, Colwood (near Colwood Corners) http://www.gardenworks.ca/app/public/store_col.cfm

Oct.25 2012
Floriade 2012 – The World Horticultural Expo happens only once in a decade. Brian Russell (of Russell Nursery) shares stories & photos of his trip to this Netherlands’ flower show.
Brian Russell contact: 250-656-0384 russellnursery@telus.ne t
RUSSELL NURSERY, 1370 wain road. http://www.russellnursery.com/
Floriade 2012 http://www.floriade.com/