We are delighted to announce that the Niagara-on-the-Lake Horticultural Society will hosting a series of Saturday morning gardening classes, available to our members and the public. They will be facilitated by Joanne Young starting on March 1, 2025 and they will run for 12 weeks. (We will skip Easter weekend)
Joanne is very well known in the region as Niagara-on-the-Lake's Garden Coach. With more than 30 years of gardening experience, she brings her great humour and teaching skills to the classroom making learning even the most complex garden techniques easier to understand and fun to learn.
EVENT DETAILS
CLASSES ARE HELD EACH SATURDAY FROM MARCH 1 TO MAY 31, 2025
(skipping Easter weekend)
THEY WILL RUN FROM 10:00am to 11:30am EACH SATURDAY
Held at Niagara-on-the-Lake Community Centre, 14 Anderson Lane Niagara-on-the-Lake
Parking is Free
Tickets are $20 per class or $200 for the 12 week series.
PLEASE NOTE: TICKETS ARE LIMITED AND WE EXPECT THEM TO SELL OUT QUICKLY
The classes of March 1st, 8th and 15th are limited to only 30 spots.
All other classes will be 80 seats.
Tickets will be available on Niagara Tix shortly
MARCH 1st - The Five Senses of Garden Design
All your senses are alert in the garden, taking in all that nature has to offer you. The garden stimulates your senses of sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. When speaking of garden design, though, there is another set of 5 senses that are integral to the success of your garden – a sense of entry, a sense of welcome, a sense of enclosure, a sense of place and a sense of flow. Come as we explore how these key elements can be put into play in your own garden to help you create that awe-inspiring space.
MARCH 8th - Pruning Deciduous Shrubs
A well-maintained garden will last for many more years than one that has not been properly pruned. The trick is in knowing why we prune plants, when is the proper time to prune which ones and how much can be pruned off. This seminar will answer all these questions and take the mystery out of pruning.
MARCH 15th - Fusion Gardening
If you are up with the latest gardening magazines and garden blogs you probably have been reading about one of the “hottest trends” in gardening - “fusion gardening”. Even though they call it a new trend, the ideas behind it are anything but new. Gardeners have been using some of these practices for generations. Unfortunately, over time, we have gotten away from working with nature but instead we are working against it. Fusion gardening brings some of these “old ways” and combines them with new design trends.
MARCH 22nd - Waking Up Your Garden
Help get your garden off on the right foot. We will be covering topics such as: Dividing Perennials, and Preparing A New Garden Bed.
MARCH 29th - Spring Lawn Care
Does the thought of tackling your lawn this spring make you want to stay inside? There are some simple steps that you can take to get your lawn off to a healthy start. We will be discussing topics such as: aerating, de-thatching, overseeding and fertilizing. We will also be taking a look at possible lawn substitutes.
APRIL 5th-Taking A Garden From Mish-Mash to Magnificent
(Putting Texture, Colour and Form To Work In Your Garden)
When it comes to our gardens, they can become a confused collection or hodgepodge of plants.
Does looking out at your garden leave you feeling blah? Does it leave you feeling chaotic, or uneasy? Does everything just blend in with one another? Do your eyes quickly pass over the garden without anything standing out from others? Learn how you can take your garden from mishmash to magnificent.
APRIL 12th - Growing Native/Attracting Pollinators
Regardless of your garden style, and whether you are starting a new garden or renovating and old garden, there is always room to add some native plants. Over the last few years, we have become very aware of the importance of attracting pollinators to our gardens and planting native varieties helps to do just that. Come and learn more about native plants and the many reasons why adding native plants to your garden makes good sense.
APRIL 26th - Noteworthy Plants - Over-Achievers In The Garden
There are special plants that are ‘must-haves’ for the garden. Come and explore some of the finest plants which offer multiple interest points such as coloured foliage, long blooming periods and seasonal interest.
MAY 3RD - Designing with Perennials
So, you have just planted all your favourite flowers, picturing in your mind the glorious garden that is to come, only to be disappointed by the results. Planning a winning perennial garden can be an overwhelming task with so many choices of plants and things to consider.
MAY 10TH - This class is skipped for the Annual Niagara on the Lake Horticultural Society Plant Sale. But do leave room on your calendar to attend this hugely popular event and select great plants for your own garden, Many of our plants come from the home gardens of horticultural society members. These proven winners are a great value.
MAY 17th - Creative Container Combinations
Tired of your container gardens looking the same year after year? Would you like to step things up a bit? Come and see how choosing the right plant combinations can add that “wow” factor to your containers. Once you have the winning combination, you will not be able to “contain yourself”
MAY 24th - Pruning Evergreens
Knowing proper pruning techniques is one of the most frustrating and misunderstood areas of gardening. The well-being and longevity of a plant is determined by how well it has been pruned over the years. It is very important to know and understand the proper way to prune your evergreens before you ever pick up the pruners.
MAY 31st - Tough Plants For Tough Places
Do not let anyone tell you that gardening is easy work. No matter how green your thumb is we all have areas in our yards that continually give us a problem; areas where you have tried and tried again to make something grow, but to no avail. Whether it is a spot in your garden where the sun beats down and scorches everything or an area where the sun seldom reaches, there are plants that will do better than others.
About Joanne Young
For more than 30 years Joanne Young worked at Mori Gardens in Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON as a Garden Designer and Consultant. She feels privileged over the years to have completed more than two thousand landscape designs of all sizes, for both commercial and residential properties.
She loves talking with people about their gardens and helping them to make their dream gardens become a “growing” reality. She spends a lot of time diagnosing diseased plant material and identifying insect problems and advising clients on possible solutions to their problems.
As past-president of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Horticultural Society
She has also have had many, many opportunities to teach seminars and lead workshops on various gardening topics which she enjoys doing greatly. She loves to see both experienced and novice gardeners get excited about plants and start to see the possibilities that lie undiscovered in their own yards.
Joanne is available for private garden consultation and you may connect with her through her website at joanneyoung.ca