Gardening Talks

Bonnie Batchelor Presented on African Violets

Wednesday Nov 30 2011 7:30 pm - Grant Park in the Travel Alcove

This was the ninth and last for 2011 installment in McNally Robinson Booksellers and the Prairie Garden Committee’s series of Gardening Information Talks, taking place the last Wednesday of each month.

Bonnie Batchelor has been President of the Winnipeg African Violet Society for the last 10 years. She is a member of the Board of Directors for the St. James Horticultural Society. Bonnie has had an interest in anything flower related since she was a small child helping her grandmother plant gladioli and dahlias. Even as she travelled from place to place as a military wife she always managed have houseplants and small flower beds. Now that her family is permanently landed in Winnipeg Bonnie has planted flower beds to her heart’s content and filled her house with African violets.

Bonnie will be speaking about ways to grow and care for African violets, giving easy methods for the propagation and nurture of small plants and describing the fascination many people have for this intriguing and familiar plant.

Susanne Olver presented on Indoor Plants

Wednesday October 26, 7:30 pm Grant Park in the Travel Alcove

Susanne Olver, holds an Ontario Diploma of Horticulture from the University of Guelph, and is a member of the Order of St. John Ambulance. Trained as a horticulturist in Frankfurt, Germany, Susanne worked for 30 years at the University of Manitoba as a supervisor of the Department of Botany greenhouses. She has lectured across Manitoba, for Continuing Education at the University of Manitoba and was a frequent guest of CBC Information Radio. Her garden is also home to her prize winning German Shepherd dogs. She has run her own home plant care business since retiring from the university. Susanne has been an active member of The Prairie Garden since 1976.

Sandy Venton presented
"Think About Lilies"

Wednesday September 28, 7:30 pm
Grant Park in the Travel Alcove

Sandy Venton has been gardening for over 50 years. Martagon lilies are her passion. She is the vice president of the North American Lily Society and secretary of the Manitoba Regional Lily Society, a show organizer and a lily judge. Sandy presides over a garden in St. James that is crammed full of martegon lilies. She lives to garden.

As fall is the time to buy and plant lilies of all kinds Sandy will discuss where to get bulbs and how to plant and grow them.

Bonnie Tulloch presented on Choosing Perennials and Fall Containers

Wednesday Aug 31, 7:30 pm Grant Park in the Travel Alcove

Bonnie comes to the Assiniboine Park Conservatory (APC) Park Programming department from the Conservatory, where she spent four years as an education coordinator.    What Bonnie loves most about her job is “watching the children’s faces light up with enthusiasm as they touch red wiggler worms, make edible dirt, or learn for the first time about the fascinating diversity of plant life all around us”. While pursuing an Honours degree in Fine Arts from the University of Manitoba, Bonnie enjoyed fulfilling a variety of passions including Interior Design, Art History and Women’s Studies.  Bonnie’s extensive horticultural knowledge comes from years of gardening and working in the horticultural industry as department manager and buyer.  She furthered her horticultural education through distance education courses from the University Of Guelph and Assiniboine Community College.   Bonnie strives to stay current in the field of horticulture and is an associate editor of the Prairie Garden Committee.

Colleen Zacharias presented on the Master Gardener Program for Winnipeg & Manitoba

Wednesday July 27, 7:30 pm Grant Park in the Travel Alcove

Colleen Zacharias is a Master Gardener and will complete the Prairie Horticulture Certificate Program, U of M, in 2011. She is President of the Friends of the Assiniboine Park Conservatory, Chair of Gardening Saturday, and Co-Chair of The Prairie Garden, Western Canada's only gardening annual since 1937. Colleen also solicits and edits articles from local gardening experts for a weekly gardening column that appears in the Free Press Homes section. Colleen has been actively involved in successfully advocating for a locally delivered Master Gardener program and is currently working toward the creation of a Manitoba Master Gardener Association.

Darlene McPherson speaking on Gardening with Arthritis

Wednesday June 29, 7:30 pm Grant Park in the Travel Alcove

This was the fourth installment in McNally Robinson Booksellers and the Prairie Garden Committee’s series of Gardening Information Talks, taking place the last Wednesday of each month. This evening’s presentation will focus on tips, strategies and getting the most from your gardening tools while promoting more gain and less pain in the garden. Darlene McPherson is an avid butterfly gardener in St. James who has gardened over 20 years with rheumatoid arthritis. She is a volunteer Arthritis Self Management Leader for the Arthritis Society.

Fran Wershler Spoke on Growing Roses

Wednesday May 25 2011 7:30 pm, Winnipeg, Grant Park in the Travel Alcove

Fran Wershler was the Editor of The Prairie Garden for 13 years, before “retiring” to Associate Editor status in 2002. Her winning smile and confident manner speak to the joy she brings to the topic of gardening. Within the wide-ranging hobby of gardening, Fran concentrates on roses and lilies. A graduate of the Home Economics Faculty of the University of Manitoba, she worked for many years as a home economist for the Manitoba Department of Agriculture.

Her variety of skills have made Fran a sought after judge of horticulture, food and clothing at summer fairs. She is involved with horticultural groups and activities in the St. James area of Winnipeg, Manitoba, where she gardens with her husband Darcy. She is a regular contributor to The Prairie Garden and an avid gardener.

Carla Hrycyna spoke on
New Plants for 2011

Wednesday April 27, 7:30 pm Grant Park in the Travel Alcove Presenting on New Plants for 2011 - the newest annuals and perennials to look for in garden centres this spring.

Carla Hrycyna was Guest editor for the Annuals & Biennials 2010 Prairie Garden. Her expertise on this topic provided down to earth help to new and the experienced gardeners. This issue featured new and improved plants for prairie gardens in informative articles and 32 pages of colour. Carla is president and co-owner of St. Mary’s Nursery & Garden Centre Ltd. in Winnipeg. Her seventeen years of retail greenhouse management blends nicely with her natural flair for landscape design. Carla is the primary grower for St. Mary’s Nursery. She has been with the Prairie Garden Committee since 2008. Carla was nominated for Manitoba Woman Entrepreneur of the Year, 2010 award.

Roger Brown has recently left the Prairie Garden Committee, but still attends some meetings. He is one of its pioneers having been with it since the 1970’s. Born in Britain, Roger comes from a heritage of garden experts. He is a knowledgeable plantsman and landscape designer. While being modest, he cheerfully admits to his 30 year tenure as Superintendent of Government Grounds for the Province of Manitoba. Yes, he supervised the care and development of Manitoba’s beautiful and extensive Legislative grounds in downtown Winnipeg. During his career, he was simultaneously involved in various leadership roles with both The Prairie Garden publication and the Manitoba Horticultural Association. He is involved with these two organizations to this day. Roger has also been involved in leading garden tours, is a personable speaker, and is knowledgeable about existing horticultural organizations and groups on the Prairies.