Speaker Directory

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.

Displaying 26 - 50 of 84

NameGordon Mackay

EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.

Speaker's FeeNegotiable
Phone(250) 746-1555
General Topics
  • Container Gardening, Small Space Gardening
  • Trees, Arboretums, Arborists
  • Special Interest Plants
Speaker Profile

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

Sample topics
  • 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.

Speaker's FeeNegotiable
Phone(250) 653-2007
General Topics
  • Fruits, Fruit Trees
  • Special Interest Plants
Specialty Plants
  • Salt Spring Apple Festival; Apples, Apple Tree Sales
Speaker Profile

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

Sample topics
  • 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.

Speaker's FeeHonourarium
Phone(604) 302-2728
General Topics
  • 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.
Specialty Plants
  • Geraniums, Pelargoniums
Speaker Profile

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

Sample topics
  • Already on your speaker list but some talks not entered

NameHoward Wills

EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.

Speaker's FeeHonourarium
General Topics
  • Garden Insects, Bees, Butterflies, Garden Pests
  • Garden Photography
  • Special Interest Plants
Specialty Plants
  • Sempervivums
  • Phormiums
  • Alpines
Speaker Profile

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

Sample topics
  • 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.

Speaker's FeeHonourarium
Phone(250) 898-7928
General Topics
  • Garden Design, landscaping
Speaker Profile

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

Sample topics
  • Operating a garden centre, operating a landscaping company, building a garden, hiring landscaping contractors, book discussion.

NameIainTaylor

EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.

Speaker's FeeHonourarium
Phone(604) 263-6191
General Topics
  • Special Interest Plants
Sample topics
  • 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.

Speaker's FeeHonourarium
Instagramfruitsandshoots
Phone(604) 997-3563
General Topics
  • Fruits, Fruit Trees
  • Vegetables
  • Garden Insects, Bees, Butterflies, Garden Pests
  • Garden Design, landscaping
Specialty Plants
  • Fruit tree culture for success, No Dig Vegetable Gardening, Landscape Design, Meadow eco systems
Speaker Profile

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

Sample topics
  • 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.

Speaker's FeeHonourarium
Instagramfruitsandshoots
Phone(604) 997-3563
General Topics
  • Fruits, Fruit Trees
  • Vegetables
  • Garden Insects, Bees, Butterflies, Garden Pests
  • Garden Design, landscaping
Speaker Profile

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

Sample topics
  • No till organic gardening, Edible landscape design, ornamental grasses, gardening for pollinators, soil building

NameJackie Morra

EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.

Speaker's Fee$100 - $250
InstagramFacebook Planting Inspiration
Phone(778) 829-4139
General Topics
  • Container Gardening, Small Space Gardening
  • Water gardens, ponds
  • Garden Design, landscaping
  • Floral Arts, Floral Design, Flower Arrangements
  • Special Interest Plants
Speaker Profile

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

Sample topics
  • 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.

Speaker's Fee$250 - $400
Phone(778) 829-4139
General Topics
  • Container Gardening, Small Space Gardening
  • Garden Design, landscaping
  • Floral Arts, Floral Design, Flower Arrangements
  • Special Interest Plants
Specialty Plants
  • Shade gardens, foliage layering, cold and heat tolerant plants
Speaker Profile

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

Sample topics
  • 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.

Speaker's Fee$100 - $250
General Topics
  • Garden Design, landscaping
Specialty Plants
  • Native Plants
  • Lawn Alternatives
  • Plants to Help Develop Ecologically Vibrant Gardens
  • Tomatoes
Speaker Profile

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

Sample topics
  • Native Plants as Lawn Alternatives

NameJane Squier

EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.

Speaker's FeeHonourarium
Phone(250) 537-5467
General Topics
  • Fruits, Fruit Trees
  • Vegetables
Specialty Plants
  • 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
Speaker Profile

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,

Sample topics
  • 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.

Speaker's Fee$100 - $250
Phone(604) 820-5587
General Topics
  • Garden Insects, Bees, Butterflies, Garden Pests
  • Special Interest Plants
  • Healthy soil, fertilizers, soil amendments, etc.
Specialty Plants
  • Roses
  • Perennials
Speaker Profile

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

Sample topics
  • Plant propogation
  • Garden Facts and Folklore
  • Roses for Difficult Locations
  • Companion Plants for Roses

NameJennifer Zuk

EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.

Speaker's FeeNegotiable
Phone(604) 294-0237
General Topics
  • Special Interest Plants
Specialty Plants
  • Dahlias
Sample topics
  • Dahlias

NameJo Tobias

EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.

Speaker's Fee$100 - $250
Instagram@rootshoot_soils
General Topics
  • Healthy soil, fertilizers, soil amendments, etc.
Speaker Profile

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

Sample topics
  • living soil, composting, compost, compost extract, tea, soil health principles

NameJoe Ronsley

EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.

Speaker's FeeNegotiable
Phone(604) 921-9444
General Topics
  • Special Interest Plants
Specialty Plants
  • Woodland
Sample topics
  • An Enhanced Woodland

NameJohn Brimacombe

EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.

Speaker's FeeNegotiable
Phone(604) 263-9642
General Topics
  • Fruits, Fruit Trees
  • Garden Design, landscaping
  • Trees, Arboretums, Arborists
  • Special Interest Plants
Specialty Plants
  • Palms - Hardy
  • Exotics - Hardy
  • Succulents - Hardy
  • Citrus
  • Eucalyptus
Speaker Profile

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

Sample topics
  • Hardy Palms
  • Mediterranean Style Gardening
  • Subtropical look Gardening

NameJordan Maynard

EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.

Speaker's FeeNegotiable
Phone(778) 882-5673
General Topics
  • Fruits, Fruit Trees
  • Vegetables
  • Garden Insects, Bees, Butterflies, Garden Pests
  • Herbs, growing and using
  • Special Interest Plants
Specialty Plants
  • Outdoor and Farming education program
Sample topics
  • Urban Farming
  • Beekeeping
  • Outdoor and Farming education program

NameJoshua Yu

EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.

Speaker's Fee$100 - $250
Phone(778) 882-3553
General Topics
  • Garden Insects, Bees, Butterflies, Garden Pests
  • Special Interest Plants
Specialty Plants
  • Butterflies
Speaker Profile

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

Sample topics
  • 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.

Speaker's FeeNegotiable
Phone(604) 306-4402
General Topics
  • Floral Arts, Floral Design, Flower Arrangements
Specialty Plants
  • Ikebana
Speaker Profile

Ikebana

Sample topics
  • Understanding Ikebana can help your garden club

NameJulia Common

EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.

Speaker's FeeNegotiable
Phone(604) 306-9543
General Topics
  • Garden Insects, Bees, Butterflies, Garden Pests
Sample topics
  • Hives for Humanity
  • Urban Beekeeping
  • Therapeutic Beekeeping
  • How to - Beginner Beekeeping

NameKaren Myskiw

EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.

Speaker's Fee$100 - $250
Phone(778) 888-0335
General Topics
  • Garden Insects, Bees, Butterflies, Garden Pests
  • Container Gardening, Small Space Gardening
  • Garden Design, landscaping
Speaker Profile

Woodland and Shade Garden, Design with Nature

Sample topics
  • 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.

Speaker's Fee$100 - $250
Instagram@kelly.arendt
Phone(604) 807-1896
General Topics
  • Vegetables
  • Garden Insects, Bees, Butterflies, Garden Pests
  • Herbs, growing and using
  • Special Interest Plants
  • Healthy soil, fertilizers, soil amendments, etc.
Speaker Profile

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

Sample topics
  • Common gardener mistakes
  • Spring propagation
  • Identification of pests and diseases

NameKerrie Hart

EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.

Speaker's Fee$100 - $250
Phone(604) 988-0866
General Topics
  • Special Interest Plants
Speaker Profile

Travel accommodations to Vancouver Island and the Interior

Sample topics
  • 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.

Speaker's FeeNegotiable
Phone(250) 245-4475
General Topics
  • Vegetables
  • Container Gardening, Small Space Gardening
  • Healthy soil, fertilizers, soil amendments, etc.
Specialty Plants
  • Veggetables
  • Compost
Speaker Profile

Vegetables Compost

Sample topics
  • 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