The Soul of the Garden – Native Plants is the theme of the Guelph-Wellington Master Gardeners’ annual “A Day in the Garden” event on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019. Be inspired for a new gardening season with insights from three speakers, and enjoy lunch, demonstrations and prizes.
The event takes place from 8:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Victoria Park East Golf Club (1096 Victoria Rd. S., Guelph, ON).
Master of Ceremonies – Ben Cullen
Feature presentations:
Building Biodiversity with Native Plants, Paul LaPorte, Ephemeral Ark Nursery
Paul is ecological gardening and design consultant, and the owner of Ephemeral Ark Nursery, which specializes in native woodland species. He will discuss the benefits of native plants, including the role that native plants play in the life cycle of insects and pollinators and the successive food chain that is supported by this relationship. He will also discuss the definition of a native plant, how to establish a native plant garden and give a brief overview of the North American Native Plant Society.
The Evolving Garden, Kevin Kavanagh, South Coast Gardens
Gardens by their very nature are not static. This is what makes them both interesting and rewarding horticultural and botanical endeavours. Good garden design respects and anticipates how the landscape will naturally evolve over time as plants mature and interact with each other and their environmental surroundings. Kevin’s presentation will address key considerations in native plant selection, especially given the relatively small scale of the average home property.
High Performance Landscapes, Lisa Mactaggart, Landscape Architect, Arium Design Group
What is a high-performance landscape and why use native plants when creating one? Lisa will answer these questions in relation to the high-performance landscapes that she has designed. She will share some examples of her favourite native plants that work well in the urban environment and explain how she builds her plant lists for different types of site conditions.
Tickets
Tickets are $55 in advance or $60 at the door.
Advance tickets are available:
- Online at Eventbrite
- By mail: download and mail the 2019 Day in the Garden registration form.
For more information:
- Phone: 519-824-4120, Ext. 56714 or email mgguelph@hotmail.com