The BC Council of Garden Clubs has compiled a list of speakers who are willing to speak to garden clubs and organizations on various garden related topics.
While this list is fairly comprehensive, it does not contain all the names of knowledgeable speakers in BC. If you would like to suggest a name for this list or if you wish to have your name added to this list, please contact the Speaker List Coordinator.
Please note the following:
- The BC Council of Garden Clubs does not accept any responsibility for the quality or the content of any presentation by these individuals.
- It is the responsibility of the gardening organization to negotiate the terms of the presentation with the speaker (including topic, travel and expenses, fees, etc.)
- Fees listed are provided as guideline and are subject to change at the discretion of the speaker without notice to the Council.
- Please click on a speaker name from the table below for more detail.
NameGordon Mackay
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Container Gardening, Small Space Gardening
- Trees, Arboretums, Arborists
- Special Interest Plants
Arboriculture. Success with fruit trees, fruit tree pruning. Pruning trees and shrubs. Dwarf conifers. Alpine and rock gardens. Crevice gardens Propagation of trees and shrubs. Shrubs for containers and the …
- Crevice Gardens
- Woodland Gardens
- Conifers
- Pruning
- Garden History
- Plant Hunters: George Forrest and George Sherriff
- Beekeeping and Pollinator plants
NameHarry Burton
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Fruits, Fruit Trees
- Special Interest Plants
- Salt Spring Apple Festival; Apples, Apple Tree Sales
Harry owns and operates Apple Luscious Organic Orchard, which grows over 200 of the best tasting apples in the world (Certified Organic – IOPA # 902). This orchard also features …
- Everything you Need to Know About Apples (appleluscious.com)
- Organic Apple Growing
- Red Flesh Apples
- The Salt Spring Apple Festival (saltspringapplefestival.org)
- Organic Food and Healthy Eating
- The History of Apple Growing on Salt Spring Island
NameHolt, Marilyn
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Fruits, Fruit Trees
- Vegetables
- Garden Insects, Bees, Butterflies, Garden Pests
- Container Gardening, Small Space Gardening
- Herbs, growing and using
- Special Interest Plants
- Healthy soil, fertilizers, soil amendments, etc.
- Geraniums, Pelargoniums
The other topics I speak on and that have been really popular with garden clubs: Soils for Optimum Plant Health What Plants Require to Excel What Judges Look for on …
- Already on your speaker list but some talks not entered
NameHoward Wills
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Garden Insects, Bees, Butterflies, Garden Pests
- Garden Photography
- Special Interest Plants
- Sempervivums
- Phormiums
- Alpines
I live in the UK but often spend my holidays in Vancouver. During these visits I enjoy meeting other garden enthusiasts and giving talks to gardening clubs and societies about …
- Sempervivums and related plants
- The Beauty of Leaves
- Great British Gardens
- California National Parks
- Nature Reserves of Costa Rica
NameIain Haigh
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Garden Design, landscaping
Iain Haigh has owned a nursery on Vancouver island since 2002. His best selling book “I Should Write This Down: Exposing The Dirt On Operating A Garden Centre And Landscaping …
- Operating a garden centre, operating a landscaping company, building a garden, hiring landscaping contractors, book discussion.
NameIainTaylor
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Special Interest Plants
- Are G.E. crops and Orgnic Foods Compatible
- Botanical Gardens Around the World
- Ethical Concerns to Feed Increasing Populations
- G.M. Governance
- Myths and Realities Around Organic Gardening and Agriculture
- Science Behind G.E. Crops
NameJack B Oostenbrink updated
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Fruits, Fruit Trees
- Vegetables
- Garden Insects, Bees, Butterflies, Garden Pests
- Garden Design, landscaping
- Fruit tree culture for success, No Dig Vegetable Gardening, Landscape Design, Meadow eco systems
In this time of struggling ecosystems and changing weather patterns, Jack has a strong belief that home gardeners can play a huge role in restoring and nurturing nature. Jack has …
- Growing fruit trees (pruning practices, natural pest control, espalier, designing with edibles)
- Gardening with ornamental grasses
- Converting a back lawn to a flourishing, bio diverse meadow ecosystem
- No Dig, No Spray, vegetable gardening
- Garden Design Process (what
NameJack Oostenbrink
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Fruits, Fruit Trees
- Vegetables
- Garden Insects, Bees, Butterflies, Garden Pests
- Garden Design, landscaping
Jack has been immersed in the plant world for the past 30 years. Aside from his formal training at Olds College where he earned a diploma in Horticulture, and UFV …
- No till organic gardening, Edible landscape design, ornamental grasses, gardening for pollinators, soil building
NameJackie Morra
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Container Gardening, Small Space Gardening
- Water gardens, ponds
- Garden Design, landscaping
- Floral Arts, Floral Design, Flower Arrangements
- Special Interest Plants
When she's not in front of an audience sharing inspirational ideas on how to transform our outdoor spaces and connect with being in nature, she's actively partnering with various charities …
- Layering with foliage by season, Healing Gardens for the mind, body and spirit connection, Small space Gardens with Big Impact, Unusual and interesting plants and containers, Using indoor plants and shade plants for summer containers with interest, Blue flowering annuals and perennials combinations, Indoor containers with a thriller, filler and spiller combination of plants for interest.
NameJackie Morra - Planting Inspiration
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Container Gardening, Small Space Gardening
- Garden Design, landscaping
- Floral Arts, Floral Design, Flower Arrangements
- Special Interest Plants
- Shade gardens, foliage layering, cold and heat tolerant plants
When she's not in front of an audience sharing inspirational ideas on how to transform our gardens and outdoor spaces, she's teaching fresh floral arranging workshops and horticulture therapy programs …
- Top 10 Garden design and layout Tips, Small Space Big Impact , Layering with foliage by season, Healing Gardens, Creative container combinations,
NameJane Sherrott
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Garden Design, landscaping
- Native Plants
- Lawn Alternatives
- Plants to Help Develop Ecologically Vibrant Gardens
- Tomatoes
Jane Sherrott is a hobby gardener who lives on the North Shore. She has volunteered in community gardening projects for twenty seven years as a Master Gardener and received regional …
- Native Plants as Lawn Alternatives
NameJane Squier
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Fruits, Fruit Trees
- Vegetables
- growing sub-tropicals (avocado, citrus, passionfruit...) for fruit production maintaining health at low temperatures. Also a commercial hydroponic lettuce and basil grower for 35 years
Jane Squier has over 40 years of hands-on experience operating successful small and medium sized greenhouse businesses and market gardens. She has operated both organic and hydroponic systems in tropical, …
- Innovations in Sustainable Sub-Tropical Fruit Production on Salt Spring Island - for garden club
- Low-Carbon Subtropical Food Growing on Salt Spring–Really? - for energy conference
NameJason Croutch
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Garden Insects, Bees, Butterflies, Garden Pests
- Special Interest Plants
- Healthy soil, fertilizers, soil amendments, etc.
- Roses
- Perennials
Jason Croutch is the co-owner of Fraser Valley Rose Farm, a nursery specializing in those unique, hard-to-find, and historical varieties of roses that are no longer readily available in the …
- Plant propogation
- Garden Facts and Folklore
- Roses for Difficult Locations
- Companion Plants for Roses
NameJennifer Zuk
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Special Interest Plants
- Dahlias
- Dahlias
NameJo Tobias
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Healthy soil, fertilizers, soil amendments, etc.
Jo Tobias, the founder of RootShoot Soils, is a Regenerative Soils & Living Compost Specialist passionate about helping land stewards improve soil health. She collaborates with farmers across different provinces …
- living soil, composting, compost, compost extract, tea, soil health principles
NameJoe Ronsley
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Special Interest Plants
- Woodland
- An Enhanced Woodland
NameJohn Brimacombe
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Fruits, Fruit Trees
- Garden Design, landscaping
- Trees, Arboretums, Arborists
- Special Interest Plants
- Palms - Hardy
- Exotics - Hardy
- Succulents - Hardy
- Citrus
- Eucalyptus
This wide ranging Powerpoint presentation can be tailored to a variety of audience requirements. In general it deals with the practical use of hardy palms & other exotics (such as …
- Hardy Palms
- Mediterranean Style Gardening
- Subtropical look Gardening
NameJordan Maynard
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Fruits, Fruit Trees
- Vegetables
- Garden Insects, Bees, Butterflies, Garden Pests
- Herbs, growing and using
- Special Interest Plants
- Outdoor and Farming education program
- Urban Farming
- Beekeeping
- Outdoor and Farming education program
NameJoshua Yu
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Garden Insects, Bees, Butterflies, Garden Pests
- Special Interest Plants
- Butterflies
Our presentations are very hands on especially for small groups. Live butterflies of different species, chrysalises, caterpillars...will be brought with us to allow a more interactive presentation and a greater …
- Attracting Butterflies to Your Garden
- Butterfly Gardening - Including Host Plants, Nectar Plants, Trees and Shrubs etc
- Butterflies of BC
- Life Cycle of the Butterflies
- Raising Butterflies at Home
- Why Breed Butterflies?
- Other Related Topics
NameJudie Davis Glick
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Floral Arts, Floral Design, Flower Arrangements
- Ikebana
Ikebana
- Understanding Ikebana can help your garden club
NameJulia Common
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Garden Insects, Bees, Butterflies, Garden Pests
- Hives for Humanity
- Urban Beekeeping
- Therapeutic Beekeeping
- How to - Beginner Beekeeping
NameKaren Myskiw
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Garden Insects, Bees, Butterflies, Garden Pests
- Container Gardening, Small Space Gardening
- Garden Design, landscaping
Woodland and Shade Garden, Design with Nature
- Alternatives to Lawn
- Companion Planting
- Elements and Principle of Xeriscape Gardening
- Extending the Growing Season
- Habitat Gardens for Butterflies, Birds, Bees
- Local Eating and Designing Kitchen Gardens
- Seasonal Colour in the Garden
- Small Space, Container and Vertical Gardens
NameKelly Arendt
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Vegetables
- Garden Insects, Bees, Butterflies, Garden Pests
- Herbs, growing and using
- Special Interest Plants
- Healthy soil, fertilizers, soil amendments, etc.
Kelly has been a grower in the greenhouse industry for over 25 years and now with his Toastmasters experience he is eager to combine his 2 passions - growing and …
- Common gardener mistakes
- Spring propagation
- Identification of pests and diseases
NameKerrie Hart
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Special Interest Plants
Travel accommodations to Vancouver Island and the Interior
- Gardening with ease: Explore ways to move that place less strain on the body
- Discussions re. choices of tools and set up to avoid pain and injury
NameKim Greenwood
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
- Vegetables
- Container Gardening, Small Space Gardening
- Healthy soil, fertilizers, soil amendments, etc.
- Veggetables
- Compost
Vegetables Compost
- Salad Gardening in Small Spaces and Containers
- Grow your own Veggies for Beginners
- Grow your own 365 - Winter Vegetables
- Growing Gardeners - Containers for Kids
- How to Preserve the Harvest
- Composting 101 - 6 Different Types of Compost