About Simcoe County Master Gardeners
The Simcoe County Master Gardeners group was formed in 1986 with the support of the Alliston Horticulture Society. Founding members included Alastair Crawford and Ken Phipps as co-ordinators, Ivy Gross and husband Ray, Gisela Kruegar, Marjorie Bell, Jean Crawford, Jane Blackstock and Kevin Healey to name a few.
Today, we have 20 active members serving the following communities: the Town of Blue Mountain, Collingwood, Stayner & Creemore, Elmvale, Washago, Severn Bridge, Orillia, Barrie, Innisfil, Alliston and as far south as Tottenham. We welcome new members.
The Master Gardeners of Ontario is a volunteer organization comprised of individuals who are certified horticultural experts providing in-depth sustainable gardening information to the general public.
Our mandate is to educate and motivate the general public and gardeners in and around Simcoe County.
The Simcoe County Master Gardeners offer a wide variety of Speaker Talks and Demonstrations. Book us for your next event. Presentations are available on the following topics:
PRESENTATION TOPICS AVAILABLE:
Many of our presentations are available via ZOOM – please inquire for more details
*NEW: the Beautiful Bonsai
*NEW: SHEroes of Horticulture – an introduction to 10 women, across five disciplines, who played major roles in Canadian horticulture and whose stories deserve to be told
*NEW: Growing the Romantics – Lilacs, Peonies and Roses
*NEW: Heavenly Hostas
Healthy Harvests for Small Spaces
The Basics of Vegetable Gardening
Delightful Dahlias
How to Care for Your Garden Tools – tips for cleaning and preparing all your garden accessories
Seed Collecting
Look What’s Sprouting – harvesting and starting seeds for your veggie garden
Growing Your Own Vegetables – A special presentation designed for children
All About Soil and Making Compost – simple steps to making any soil better including tips on making compost
Building Better Soil – a look at ways to amend your existing soil in order to get maximum growth from your plants
Mulch or Compost – What’s the Difference?
Ontario Gardens Not To Be Missed – The Oshawa Peony Garden, Laking Garden, Edward’s Gardens
Garden Tour of the East Coast – Kingsbrae Garden, Garden Botanique du Nouveau-Brunswick, Reford Gardens
Featured Gardens of the West Coast – VanDusen Botanical Garden, the Butchart Garden, Edwardian Garden
Waterwise Gardening
Dreaming of Spring Gardens!
Pruning for the Faint of Heart – A fun and informative session to take the fear out of pruning: your plants will look fabulous with only minutes of timely attention
Ferns and Friends – lovely foliage plants and how to incorporate them into your gardens
What’s That Smell? (fragrance in the garden)
Right Plant, Right Place – matching plant requirements to site conditions
Composting – how to turn kitchen scraps into garden gold
Grow Me Instead – avoiding invasive plants
Ornamental Grasses for Interest and Variety – Add beauty to your garden with a stunning, colourful selection of low-maintenance grasses
Plants That Changed the World – a look at some interesting plants and the impact they have made
Secrets to a Beautiful and Bountiful Garden
Weeds – Friend or Foe? – Identification and Solutions
Vegetable Gardening 101
Natural Pest Control (Good Bugs/Bad Bugs) – how to encourage beneficial insects and deal with the undesirable ones
Cover Crops – What’s the Fuss?
Raised Beds and Container Vegetable Gardens
Getting Your Garden Ready for Spring
Tips for Putting Your Garden to Bed – A step-by-step approach to fall gardening
Daylillies – an exploration of these hardy, drought tolerant garden staples
Amaryllis – an overview of these show stopping bulbs and how to enjoy them year after year
Hellebores – bashful spring beauties that add a subtle touch to your garden
Houseplants – A houseplant for every corner of your home – how to keep them healthy and disease-free
Are Roses a Thorn in Your Side? – an exploration of roses and how to care for them
Rain Gardens – How to set up and install a rain garden, and the benefits it provides
Top Five Garden Mistakes – common garden mishaps and how to avoid them
Integrated Pest Management for Home Gardeners
Your Garden Sucks (Carbon) – How to Build a Healthy Garden and Save the World
Worm Composting
Drip Irrigation
Xeriscaping
Edible Flowers -Ornamental and edible plants
Growing a Butterfly Garden
Tree Planting – The Best Choices for Your Zone
In addition to Presentations, the Master Gardeners also offer PickSmart Presentations. A “Pick Smart” is short – 15 minutes. Typically there are 2 or 3 Master Gardener presenters covering different topics. Each Master Gardener does a short 10 – 15 minute presentation at a station 2 – 3 times during the event – attendees are divided into groups and rotate from station to station.
The room has to be large enough to provide enough room to spread out and provide satisfactory acoustics.
PICK-SMART TOPICS AVAILABLE:
Healthy Soil for Your Garden
Composting Essentials
Get Ready to Plant! Let’s Explore Seeds
Tasty and Pretty Herbs
Are Roses a Thorn in Your Side?
Garden Tools and Tips
Orchids – Elegant, Exotic and Easy
Preparing your Garden for Next Season. Growing and Pruning Fruit Trees
The Differences between Organic and Non-Organic
Fertilizers
Book a Speaker
Please refer to our library of topics above.