

Nanoose Garden Club
The Nanoose Garden Club Meetings
Where: at the Nanoose Library Hall
When: January-June & September-November on the first Friday of the month. In December there is a Christmas function, & in July & August there are various outings including a Members' Picnic.
How: Membership is $20/annum payable at the door (cash or cheque) or by e-transfer. Guests are welcome:$5 (cash only).
Meeting Agenda: Registration is at 1:00 & the Meeting starts at 1:15 Club business with announcements & a coffee break - Please remember to bring your name tag & mug. Speaker presents from 2:00-3:00
2025 UPCOMING MEETINGS & EVENTS
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FRIDAY FEBRUARY 7TH 2025 CLUB MEETING
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Guest speaker - Amanda Howe
​Presentation: Herbal Medicine in the Garden - Your garden is a Medicine Chest!
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Amanda will talk about the incredible medicinal power of the plants growing in all our gardens - including se weeds. Bring your questions.
Amanda Howe has been a Herbalist for over forty years. She trained in England in the early '80's and became a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (UK). She went on to receive her MSc in Herbal Medicine from the University of Wales. Amanda teaches at Pacific Rim College in Victoria, BC. as a teacher in their full-time Herbal Practitioner training program, and is a teacher in the PRC online Community Herbalist Program. She also teaches workshops and classes from her home and garden in Cumberland, BC. Amanda is passionate about herbs and herbal medicine and about sharing the connection with the natural world that can be found through connecting with and learning about the healing power of plants. Amanda loves to teach and is happiest when she is in the garden teaching people how to grow, harvest, use and listen to the magic of the plants that are thriving.
FRIDAY MARCH 7TH 2025 CLUB MEETING
Guest speaker - Harry Burton
​Presentation: Basics of Grafting
Born in 1948 in Cobalt, Ontario, a silver mining town in Northern Ontario (a Zone 3 climate) did not allow the growing of apples, but I always wanted to grow apples. I graduated as a Chemical Engineer in 1970, but was not INDUSTRY MATERIAL. I taught Lab Sciences in a Community College in North Bay, Ontario for 25 years. I was lucky to visit Salt Spring in 1979, during my annual summer migration to BC and knew RIGHT THEN THAT I wanted to have a orchard there, so I bought my 5 acre parcel the following year (1980). In 1998, I was able to get my pension so I took up permanent orcharding. The pension is a farm subsidy.
What a beautiful life it has been. Salt Spring was a natural fit for me and APPLE LUSCIOUS ORGANIC ORCHARD was created. As I was interested in Organic Growing and Diversity, it was a natural progression to seek out 210 of the best tasting apples in the world including about 60 red flesh varieties (now the largest red flesh collection in Canada). Creating the Salt Spring Apple Festival in 1999 was a natural strategy to connect Apple Lovers from everywhere with amazing Apple Growers on Salt Spring Island. Collectively we now grow over 500 varieties here at the Salt Spring Apple Festival this year (2023)
FRIDAY APRIL 4TH 2025 CLUB MEETING
Guest speaker - Joshua Clay Waglern
​Presentation: Foodscaping for the future
Born into a family of farmers but growing up in the city, Joshua became fascinated by the intersection of cities, farms and the wild. After earning his Urban Studies Degree at the University of Calgary in 2010 Joshua began travelling the world studying the globalization and sustainability of Cities. Witnessing the devastation of conventional agriculture and urbanization he was inspired to seek out practical solutions to the problems he witnessed. This led him to regenerative agriculture, urban farming, food forestry and permaculture design. In 2013 he co-founded Edible Landscapes Design Ltd with a mission to create a beautiful future bursting with superfoods and leave a legacy of edible excellence.
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​​​​​​​FRIDAY MAY 2ND 2025 CLUB MEETING
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Once again we will be having our “Anything goes conversation circle”
Come for coffee and conversation with fellow members. Bring your questions to share with the members, learn from their successes and failures. There is a lot of knowledge to be shared over coffee, tea and goodies.
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PAST EVENTS 2025​
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​​​​​​​FRIDAY JANUARY 10TH 2025 CLUB MEETING
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Guest speaker - Debbie Gurrad
​Presentation on Pruning
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Debora Gurrad has been interested in growing things since watching her parents in their garden and begging for her own little patch as a child. Her love of plants was really sparked by a botany class at university and she has been gardening at every opportunity since. She first learned about Master Gardeners over 20 years ago and after moving to Vancouver Island in 2017 was finally able to take the training and become certified. Her special interests are pruning, root prep for successful transplanting, and food gardening. She is a retired high school teacher and counselor who still loves to teach so often gives workshops and presentations on gardening topics from Campbell River to Nanaimo. And by the way, her parents are 92 and 93 and still puttering in their garden!
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​​​Registration 1pm - meeting starts at 1:15 pm.
Venue: Nanoose Library Hall
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​​2024 Past Meetings and Events
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Friday, JANUARY 5 - Meeting
Speaker: Al Chomica
Topic: Going Nuts in Nanoose - A discussion on some of the characteristics of peculiarities of some nuts we can grow in the Pacific NW. It is not about growing the nuts.
Venue: Nanoose Library Hall
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Friday, FEBRUARY 2 - Meeting
Speaker: Bonnie Zand
Topic: Integrated Pest Management
- do you struggle with unwanted garden pests? Learn strategies for managing pests while conserving the beneficial insects that live in your home garden.
Venue: Nanoose Library Hall
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Friday, MARCH 1 - Meeting
Speaker: Garden Conversation Circle - Bring your own lunch
Topic: Anything goes; Enjoy an informal discussion on all things gardening.
Start Time: 12:30 - 2 pm (registration starts at 12:00)
Venue: Nanoose Library Hall
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Friday, JUNE 7 - Meeting
Speakers: Ruth Beilman and Jean Carr Master Gardeners
Topic: Master Gardeners will be attending our June 7th Meeting to explain how to become a volunteer Master Gardener and how a Master Gardener can assist you. Gardening questions will be answered. There will be a slide show.
Venue: Nanoose Library Hall
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​Friday, October 4th - Meeting
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Topic: Show What You Grow
This meeting will be lots of fun with members showing their onions and trombonchino squash.
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There will be prizes for the longest, curliest and weirdest tromboncino and a cash prize for the largest onion.
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SHOW WHAT YOU GROW! members will be bringing something from their garden to show everyone.
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There will also be a short presentation by Caroline on the website for Nanoose Garden Club
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​Friday, NOVEMBER 1 - AGM Meeting
Speaker: Jennifer L’Hirondelle
Topic: How to make a wreath with greenery.
Jennifer has been a member of the garden club for about 3 years. She has taken care to her vegetable garden for the last 10 years. She enjoys making wreaths around Christmas time because winter provides us with a lot of greeneries. Jennifer’s mom has taught her how to make wreath and so far Jennifer has enjoyed giving away all the wreaths she’s made.
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Venue: Nanoose Library Hall
Registration 1pm, Meeting starts at 1:15 pm.
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Guest fees now $5.00.
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​​​DECEMBER 6 - Christmas Event
- NGC Members' Christmas Luncheon - This event is full.
Venue: Nanoose Library Hall
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2023 Past Meetings and Events
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Friday, JANUARY 6 - Meeting
Speaker: Morden Maples from Cedar
Topic: Tapping on Vancouver Island
Venue: Nanoose Library Hall
Friday, FEBRUARY 3 - Meeting
Speaker: Garden Conversation Circle - Bring your own lunch
Topic: Anything goes
Start Time: 12:30 - 2 pm
Venue: Nanoose Library Hall
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Friday, MARCH 3 - ZOOM Meeting
Speaker: Linda Gilkeson
Topic: "Resilient Gardens for a Changing Climate"
Venue: Nanoose Library Hall and via Zoom from the hall - Members will receive an email with details!
Friday, MARCH 10 at 10 AM - Members' Outing
How: First 30 members who sign up to Car Pool on Feb. 3
Where: Outrageous Edibles and Bedibles in Coombs
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Friday, March 31- Meeting (in lieu of APRIL)
Speaker: Sue Nurmi from Harbour City Photography Club
Topic: Photography in Your Garden
Venue: Nanoose Library Hall
Friday, MAY 5 - Meeting
Speaker: Christina Cook - of the Organic Gardener's Pantry, in Victoria. Click on the link above & check out her website so she can bring your pre-ordered supplies to the meeting & save on delivery!
Topic: "Secrets of the Soil Food Web"
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Saturday, MAY 13 - Event - Nanoose Garden Club Plant Sale -
Venue: Nanoose Library Hall
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Friday, JUNE 2 - Meeting
Speaker: Mitchi Hunter
Topic: Perennial Vegetables
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In lieu of JULY - TBA Spring & Summer Member Garden Tours
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Thank you Eileen for opening your garden on Tue., Aug 1st!
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Thank you Linda for opening your garden on Wed., July 19!
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Thank you Coreen for opening your garden on Tue., June 27!
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Thank you Jennifer for opening your garden on Sat., May 27!
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Thank you Cam for opening your garden on Fri., May 12!
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Friday, AUGUST 11th - Event - Summer BYO Picnic Gathering
Venue: At Nancy & Michael's property - Check your emails!
Friday, SEPTEMBER 1 - Meeting
Speaker: Members welcome to Show what you Grow, ask questions & share gardening tips!
Venue: Nanoose Library Hall
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Friday, SEPTEMBER 29 - Meeting (in lieu of October)
Speaker: Colin Bartlett - of the Backyard Bird Store, Nanaimo
Topic: Birds and Climate Change
Venue: Nanoose Library Hall
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Tuesday, OCTOBER 3 - Board Meeting
Members interested in joining the board are invited!
Check available positions HERE, without a board the club is at risk.
Please Email NGC so you can receive details.
Time: 10 am
Venue: Nanoose Library Hall
Friday, NOVEMBER 3 - Meeting + AGM
Speaker: Coreen Haukenfrers from NGC
Topic: Speaking on Brugmansia
Venue: Nanoose Library Hall
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DECEMBER 8 - Christmas Event
- NGC Members' Christmas Luncheon - For details, check your email or under the MEMBERS ONLY tab - Announcements
Venue: Nanoose Library Hall
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