Program 2026-2027
Monday September 28, 2026 7:30 – 9 pm
Photo Contest – All members have a chance to show off their photographic skills. There are 6 categories that you can enter pictures. It is a full audience participation as all members will vote in the winners of each category. Categories are:
1. Birds, Bees and nothing bigger than a Bunnie
2. Where Art Grows: Blooms and Garden Sculptures
3. A Moment in Bloom: Single Plant or Bloom up Close
4. Gardenscape: Longer View of the Garden
5. Foliage: The Beauty of Green
6. Awakening: Spring’s Flowering Bulbs
Monday October 26, 2026 7:30 pm - 9 pm
Selecting and Growing Trees for our Environment by Paul Hetzler - Climate change has levied an unprecedented amount of stress on our forest ecosystems. Coupled with new invasive tree diseases and pests, some of our most beloved species are nearing a precipice. Learn which species are most at risk, what we can do to help, and which non-regional native tree species are worth considering to make our forests more climate-resilient. Paul Hetzler has been an ISA-Certified Arborist since 1996, and was a longtime natural-resources educator for Cornell Cooperative Extension service in northern New York State before moving to western Québec in 2019. He’s the author of three volumes of nature essays, as well as a book of short stories.
Monday November 23, 2026 7 pm – 9 pm
Winter Sowing Perennials Workshop by Mélanie Ouellette. Join Mélanie, the founder and chair of the Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library, for a short exploration into native plants and how to winter sow your seeds. Many native plants and perennials need their seeds to go through several freeze/thaw cycles so that their outer shell softens, enabling them to sprout. This process is naturally provided by our winter and spring seasons. Plants that require stratification cannot simply be sown directly outdoors in the spring; they must be sown in the winter. Mélanie will go over the pros and cons of winter sowing, what native seeds are best to start with, the materials you’ll need, and answer any question you might have. You’ll depart with a few of your own prepared containers and a selection of interesting native plant seeds to continue on your own at home.
Monday January 25, 2027 7:30 pm - 9 pm
Panel Discussion with Herbs and Recipes - Five members of our Club will talk about their favorite herb and (best growing conditions, pros and cons etc) and will present 2 recipes using that herb. After this meeting, each member will receive a digital cookbook.
Monday February 22, 2027 7:30 pm - 9 pm
Garden Design by Gillean Denny.
Monday March 22, 2027 7:30 pm - 9 pm
How to Maximize your Garden Yields by Laurent Dubois.
Monday April 26, 2027 7:30 pm - 9 pm
What’s Bugging You? by Mary Sherman Reid. Mary, a very knowledgeable and popular speaker and owner of Green Thumb Garden Centre in Ottawa, will talk to us about the different garden bugs and how to deal with them successfully.
Monday May 17, 2027 7:30 pm - 9 pm
Annual General Meeting – for all members Saturday
June 5, 2027 9 am – 2 pm
Plant Sale – This is the Club’s biggest fundraiser. All plants are sold at extremely reasonable prices because the plants are donated from members gardens.
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Meeting Location: St. Mary Magdalene Anglican Church, 537 Highway 105
Membership Fee: $25/year; $40 per couple Drop-in fee - $10
Email: jardiniers.gvg@gmail.com;
Website: https://jardiniers-gvg.wixsite.com/jardiniers-gvg; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1576353325999770 (Gatineau Valley Gardeners)