Garden Design with a Photographer’s Eye Freeman Patterson, renowned photographer and teacher of visual design (In a Canadian Garden, The Garden, and several instructional books), gardens in Shamper’s Bluff, NB. He grows more than 150 varieties of rhodos and 50 of azaleas (over 1000 plants) and deliberately and regularly includes both temporary and permanent aspects of the natural habitat into his own garden layouts. His most recent book is, Embracing Creation. Freeman’s illustrated presentation will include photographs of his own…

Paul Reimer is the president of Reimer's Nursery in Chilliwack, BC, specializing in magnolia, beech, Japanese Maples and dogwood. Paul will give a brief review of the hardier Magnolia species and the better hybrids that arise from those species.  He will also take a short look at Magnolia hybridizing for the future.  

The Annual Steele Lecture: Rhododendron Species Conservation The recently published Red List of Rhododendrons highlighted the sobering fact that of the 1000 or so species of Rhododendron in the world, approximately 25% are threatened in their natural habitats, including several here in North America. Tom will discuss some of the issues rhododendrons face but also some of the efforts to conserve them, especially the key role that public gardens play in conserving this diverse and horticulturally rich genus. He will…

Our annual Christmas Party where we share finger food and 4-5 of our favourite digital photos of our gardens or travel.  

Dennis will talk on his experiences in his home garden, gardens he has visited and gardens he has managed. He will talk on how they have all influenced the design and maintenance of his own garden.   Dennis is a member of ARHS. He grew up in the Annapolis Valley and has been gardening in St. Margaret's Bay for 10 years now.  He is a graduate of the Horticulture & Landscaping program at NSCC Kingstec campus and he has participated…

Hydrangeas:  Ain’t no time for the summertime blues   Bob Howard will present images and discuss what he is learning about hydrangeas. He will review a bit of the natural history, the history of plant exploration and the early breeding work in Europe. There will be pictures of visits to some prominent hydrangea gardens, including the Heritage Museum in Sandwich, MA, and the Shamrock Association in Normandy, France. The focus will be on summer and late summer bloom, fall foliage,…