Events

The Arts and Crafts Garden with Dr. Sarah Rutherford Monday, October   7,  7:30 -9:00  pm The Arts and Crafts movement of the late nineteenth and early  twentieth century had significant impact on garden design, both in England and around the world.  Sarah has published a book on Arts and Crafts Gardens with the Shire Library...Read more >

Emerging Trends for Rhododendrons” ARS Convention in Wolfville, NS Tuesday, November 5,  7:30 -  9:00 pm   The ARHS  is organizing the American Rhododendron Society (ARS) Annual Spring Convention  in Wolfville, Nova Scotia  from Thursday June 5  to Sunday June 8, 2025.  Come and hear about the convention program, the keynote speakers and rhododendron experts who...Read more >

Annual Garden Slides and Seasonal Reception Tuesday, December 3,  7:30 – 9:00 pm Join us to share images from your garden, a garden that you have visited recently or rare and unusual plants or Rhodos which  you have grown.  We  ask  that each member limit their presentation to seven images, so that all who wish...Read more >

  By Zoom only Since 2005 internationally renowned landscape photographer Freeman Patterson has planted over 2100 Rhododendrons and Azaleas at his home on Shamper’s Bluff, Kingston, New Brunswick. Fifty members from ARHS were able to visit last year on June 10, during the peak bloom period. Freeman will describe his unique woodland garden and his...Read more >

This talk will explore: the biology of the Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica), factors underpinning its recent success within Atlantic Canada, and review evidence for non-chemical control options. Paul Manning is an Assistant Professor at Dalhousie University. His research explores the importance of insect biodiversity to the health of ecosystems. Presentation is by Zoom only.  The...Read more >

Tuesday, March 4, 7:30 – 9:00 pm Sharon Bryson lives  at Willow Garden, Maryvale Road, Antigonish County, where she  has an extensive collection of Rhododendrons and Azaleas that she and her  late husband, Bill Wilgenhof,   grew from seed. (see https://www.willowgarden.net/).  Sharon  will share  her experience of growing Rhodos  in one of the coldest parts of...Read more >

For March 2025, the Atlantic Association  of Landscape Designers has organized a tour of the gardens of South West England.  The presentation will feature pictures of some of the gardens and plants  from this tour which includes  eight of the “Great Gardens of Cornwall” and Lionel de Rothschild’s  Exbury Garden. Nova Scotia Museum of Natural...Read more >

ARHS MEMBER TO MEMBER SALE 2025 The ARHS Member to Member Sale will take place at the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History on Tuesday, May 6, 2025 at  7:30 pm. We will be joined by ARHS members: Insigne Gardens, Arnold Cameron, Christopher Hopgood and Beatrice Milner who will be selling a variety of plants,...Read more >

Wolfville, Nova Scotia Join us in Nova Scotia, Canada for the American Rhododendron  Society Convention, “Emerging  Trends for Rhododendrons” in Wolfville, a town known for its beauty, food and gardens. Take advantage of this exciting opportunity to learn about growing, breeding and gardening with rhododendrons.  The 2025 American Rhododendron Society Spring Convention will be offering presentations, plant sale, garden tours,...Read more >

In June 2025, the ARHS hosted the  American Rhododendron Society  Convention, the first spring  ARS Convention  in  eastern  Canada. To commemorate this event the  Public Gardens planted a carpet bed based on the ARS  2025 logo in the south east part of the  gardens near the rhododendron collection.  On Tuesday, September 2nd come  and view  the...Read more >

Meconopsis is  one of  the most  striking and rare plants that we can  grow in  Nova Scotia. For the 2025 Dick  Steele  Lecture, Julia  Corden will  show us  the plants that  she has  seen  in the Himalayas  and  talk about  growing them in our gardens. Julia Corden is a highly experienced horticultural consultant and botanical/garden...Read more >

Jeff Franklin works at the Kentville Agricultural Research Centre and has a very detailed weather database which shows the changes to temperature and rainfall in the region,  He has been presenting to horticultural associations on the implications of climate change for horticultural crops in the region.  With the historic drought and heat of 2025, we...Read more >

Join us to share images from your garden, a garden that you have visited recently or the Rare and Unusual plant sale or Rhodos which you have grown.  We ask that each member limit their presentation to seven images, so that all who wish will have an opportunity to present.  We will start with the images...Read more >

NOTICE: January, February and March presentations will be virtually only!   Learn more about the ARS Spring Convention 2026, April 21-25, 2026, Vancouver Island Presentation by Linda Derkach, ARS Spring 2026 Convention Co-chairperson Vancouver Island has the mildest climate in Canada and some of the most impressive Rhodo gardens.  The meeting will feature a short presentation...Read more >

For the past thirteen years, Lisa Roper has managed the Gravel Garden at the renowned public garden Chanticleer in Wayne, Pennsylvania. A gently sloping site planted with a mix of fine textured grasses, gray-leafed Mediterranean plants, drought tolerant perennials, annuals grown from seed, and hardy succulents, the gravel garden is a stunning and unique landscape....Read more >

From his extensive experience growing smaller Rhododendrons, Mike shows the habitat that many of the smaller Rhodos are found in China, how  to duplicate these conditions in a nursery and techniques for propagation  of the smaller Rhodos.  As many of these plants are from  cooler, higher altitudes, our relatively cool  summer temperatures in Atlantic  Canada...Read more >

Tuesday, April 5, 2026 7:30 pm at NS Museum of Natural History Auditorium and by Zoom Come and learn about  the plants being offered this year in the ARHS members only plant sale.  Four local propagators of Rhododendrons and companion plants are providing a chance to obtain locally grown nursery stock.   Plant lists and pictures...Read more >

Spring Garden Tour, Saturday May 30 and Sunday May 31, 2026. NS South Shore, Liverpool and Yarmouth County Our spring tour will feature two nurseries, Cosby’s Concrete Creations in Liverpool and OuestVille Perennials in Pubnico, one public garden, Pine Grove in Liverpool and two private gardens, Chris  Clarke’s in Liverpool and John Brett’s on Morris...Read more >

Public plant sale will be from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Pre-ordering is still available Please place your orders directly with the vendors by the end of day Wed, 10 June. The vendors’ contact details are in the plant lists. CornHillNursery_ARHS_red2.2026-03-20 Ellison_ARHS_red.2026-03-20 InsigneGardens_ARHS_red.2026-03-20 Rhodoland_ARHS_red.2026-03-20 The pick-up date for your order is Sat, 13 June at 9...Read more >