2019 Stratford Garden Festival Speakers Series. MARK and BEN CULLEN Keynote Speakers

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MARK and BEN CULLEN Keynote Speakers Mark Cullen has been broadcasting and writing about the gardening experience since the early 80 s. He has written 23 books, including two biographies.

1 MARK and BEN CULLEN Keynote Speakers Mark Cullen has been broadcasting and writing about the gardening experience since the early 80 s. He has written 23 books, including two biographies. 2018/19 Escape to Reality is Mark s 24 th book. He says, This is the most exciting book that I have ever written as it reflects the experience and passion for Canada s most popular outdoor leisure time activity of two generations, mine and son Ben s In 2016 Mark was awarded the Order of Canada for his connections with everyday Canadians through his gardening and environmental messages. He is the Volunteer Chair of the Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign. Escape to Reality is Mark s second non-how-to book. Mark and Ben provide a well informed and deeply personal reflection on the state of gardening today, a look into their crystal ball and an explanation of why this is the most exciting time in the history of Canada to be a gardener. Ben Cullen is a fourth generation gardener. He earned his diploma in agriculture at the University of Guelph Ridgetown campus, and a Bachelor of Commerce from Dalhousie in Halifax. Ben spent several years working in the food industry before travelling across Europe, Russia, Mongolia and China on his own, then joining his dad Mark in the business two years ago. Ben, like many millennials, has a passion for food gardening and the environment. He is engaged to Sam and enjoys leisure time with dog Ruby when he is not gardening in his 2,000 sq ft allotment garden in Guelph Ontario. 2018/19 Escape to Reality is Ben s first published book and likely not his last.

LORRAINE JOHNSON Feature Speaker Lorraine Johnson is an author of numerous books City Farmer, Garden Plants and Flowers: A-Z Guide to the Best Plants for Your Garden and 100 Easy-to-Grow Native

2 LORRAINE JOHNSON Feature Speaker Lorraine Johnson is an author of numerous books City Farmer, Garden Plants and Flowers: A-Z Guide to the Best Plants for Your Garden and 100 Easy-to-Grow Native Plants for Canadian Gardens. Her writing has appeared in such publications as on Nature, Chatelaine, and the Globe & Mail, and she makes regular appearances on CBC Radio and TV. She lives in Toronto.

JANE ELIGH FERYN Jane Eligh Feryn has over thirty-five years experience -- graduated with a Masters in Landscape Architecture Degree, worked as an Environmental Planner in the private sector and a

3 JANE ELIGH FERYN Jane Eligh Feryn has over thirty-five years experience -- graduated with a Masters in Landscape Architecture Degree, worked as an Environmental Planner in the private sector and a Park Planner for Metropolitan Toronto. Her focus now, is to meet the needs of her clients in their goal to create beautiful and healthy outdoor living spaces. Fosters an ecological ethic to find the best fit for a given site so that people and nature can thrive. Natural materials, such as stone, water, wood and lush plantings are at the essence of every design.

4 KAREN E. SCHIUK Karen E. Sciuk, a recent resident of Wellesley, is an active volunteer within the surrounding horticultural community as the incoming President of Wellesley Horticultural Society, a board member of the Kitchener Horticultural Society, the incoming Co-ordinator of the Kitchener Master Gardeners, and the SW Director for MGOI. During fall 2017 she had the pleasure of working with the Rockway Gardens staff to help plant all the spring bulbs and witnessed daily the importance and popularity of that space with the public. Currently, to satisfy her love of horticulture, Karen is a garden coach in her community and helps to maintain some private residential gardens. Prior to November 2015, Karen was an active member of both the Oshawa Garden Club and the Durham Master Gardeners, and worked as the Manager/Buyer in the trees/shrubs/perennials department of an Oshawa area Garden Centre.

5 ROBERT PAVLIS Robert Pavlis lives in Southern Ontario, Canada, where the zone is a US 5 climate. He has been gardening for more than 30 years. A Master Gardener and speaks about gardening at many local gardening events and horticulture meetings. Contributes to Plant of the Month articles for the Ontario Rock Garden & Hardy Plant Society, writes articles for some local newspapers and teach several courses including a 20 hr Gardening Fundamentals course at a local university and a garden design course through his city. He publishes two weekly blogs called GardenMyths.com and GardenFundamentals.com as well as a YouTube channel called Garden Fundamentals. In addition to Garden Myths, he has published a book called Building Natural Ponds. A few years ago, he bought 6 acres of land and is developing a large private garden called Aspen Grove Gardens. He now has about 3,000 perennials, grasses, shrubs and trees. A plantaholic! He has a background in chemistry and biochemistry. Passionate about research -- enjoys presenting information in an easy to understand style that is both informative and fun to read.

DAVID HOBSON David Hobson is a humorist, storyteller, and photographer, he is a popular speaker at horticultural societies and gardening clubs, where he shares the humour and passion of a lifelong

6 DAVID HOBSON David Hobson is a humorist, storyteller, and photographer, he is a popular speaker at horticultural societies and gardening clubs, where he shares the humour and passion of a lifelong gardener. For eighteen years he has been the weekly garden columnist for The Waterloo Region Record and online with the Hamilton Spectator. His articles have appeared in Garden Making magazine, Grand magazine, and Canadian Gardening magazine. He also has garden and travel blogs at

BEN PORCHUK Ben Porchuk has over two decades of experience in ecology, non-profit management, environmental consulting, and sustainable living.

7 BEN PORCHUK Ben Porchuk has over two decades of experience in ecology, non-profit management, environmental consulting, and sustainable living. Before the recent era of rapid renewable energy expansion, he gained expertise on living off grid. Ben lived remotely off the grid for over a decade with solar panels, a large facial beard (not required but seemingly a part of the job) a wind turbine, composting toilets and a rainwater collection system. Now living in a densely populated area of a London, Ontario, his property consists of over 200 species of native plants, including a wetland, all visited by many species of wildlife, seldom observed in the downtown of a city. Ben has also been contracted to work with First Nations communities, completing wildlife and plant inventories and reviewing impacts of proposed renewable energy developments on Traditional territorial lands. This included completing an extensive Traditional Medicinal Native Plant Inventory and Procurement Program. Three years ago, Ben became the first certified Forest Therapy (a.k.a. Shinrin Yoku or Forest Bathing) guide in Canada. He recently co-founded, G.I.F.T. (Global Institute for Forest Therapy) a collaboration between Ireland and Canada. Ben's popular blog ( features posts on spiritually reconnecting with nature, plants and animals in efforts to get more people outside to experience nature first hand. Ben's company, Restorative Nature Experiences ( is an alchemy of his ecological, environmental and spiritual journeys, offering guided walks, workshops, training courses and one on one guidance. Ben is on the final legs of completing a book, Real Man Power, about men regaining full charge of their lives, while settling in to deeper connection with important relationships in their lives. Currently working a near full-time job with Carolinian Canada Coalition, Ben uses his skills and experience to help recover natural habitats on rural and urban properties using native plants in wetlands, prairies, forests and more.

8 AMY TURNBULL Amy Turnbull gardens in rural Middlesex County. She has a PhD from the University of Calgary in microbiology. Currently she teaches biology and does agricultural research at Fanshawe College. Amy is a member of the London Middlesex Master Gardeners. She spends all her free time in her 5000 sq ft vegetable garden with her four year old.

JIM FITZGERALD Jim Fitzgerald has been a member of Stratford Master Gardeners for fifteen years. He and his family live on a large, garden-filled lot in Sebringville.

9 JIM FITZGERALD Jim Fitzgerald has been a member of Stratford Master Gardeners for fifteen years. He and his family live on a large, garden-filled lot in Sebringville. As a life-long gardener, he s been getting his hands soiled since his dad gave him his first trowel at the tender age of four. As well, for over 40 years, he has been starting and raising almost all his own flowers and vegetable plants from seed in his own home, graduating over the years from one small cold frame to a hobby-sized greenhouse. He also has experience in growing, exhibiting and judging vegetables at area fairs and flower shows. He specializes in giving seminars on starting and growing your own plants, as well promoting the joys of running a hobby greenhouse. Jim also cultivated a large vegetable garden in the Community Garden in Stratford for the 15 years. All his gardens have supplied his family, many friends and neighbours with a wide variety of vegetables every summer, fall and well into the winter. His extensive experience in starting, and growing a wide variety of vegetables and flowers has given him a good knowledge, useful to beginning and experienced gardeners alike.

BRENDA SUTHERLAND and JUDY LARKIN Brenda Sutherland and Judy Larkin, 'the Dirty Girls' of Earth Bound Gardens on the Bruce Peninsula, invite you to join them for their presentation 'Let's Talk

10 BRENDA SUTHERLAND and JUDY LARKIN Brenda Sutherland and Judy Larkin, 'the Dirty Girls' of Earth Bound Gardens on the Bruce Peninsula, invite you to join them for their presentation 'Let's Talk Dirt(y). Having spent over 30 years working in soil, they believe gardening starts from the ground up. Whether you garden in vegetables or flowers -the life of your soil is the key to success!

SEAN JAMES Sean James named by GardenMaking magazine as one of 20 Making a Difference, gardening has been Sean James hobby and profession for over 35 years.

11 SEAN JAMES Sean James named by GardenMaking magazine as one of 20 Making a Difference, gardening has been Sean James hobby and profession for over 35 years. A graduate of Niagara Parks School of Horticulture, a Master Gardener, a public speaker, writer, and teacher; Sean focuses on eco-gardening techniques, which makes sense since he grew up surrounded by nature near Crawford Lake in Campbellville. He sits on several environmental committees and has appeared on many television and radio shows. Sean founded Fern Ridge Landscaping & Eco-consulting and ran it for over 20 years, recently handing it over to his leadership team. He now owns Sean James Consulting & Design, with projects including designing, consulting, teaching, speaking and writing.

STEVEN BIGGS and EMMA BIGGS Steven Biggs is an urbanite with an agricultural science degree and work experience in the agricultural sector, I make sense of farm, garden, and food issues for the urban

12 STEVEN BIGGS and EMMA BIGGS Steven Biggs is an urbanite with an agricultural science degree and work experience in the agricultural sector, I make sense of farm, garden, and food issues for the urban public and write about urban food thinkers, trends, and happenings for the farm sector. I have worked in horticulture and agriculture for more than 25 years. Along with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Guelph, I have worked in greenhouse and nursery production, plant propagation, biological controls, horticultural supplies, and farm marketing. Emma Biggs is a 13-year-old Toronto gardener and garden writer, garden speaker, and garden video and radio host. My special passion is tomatoes. I grows lots of different types! I garden in containers, raised beds, the ground and on the garage rooftop. I like growing food in the city!

CATHY and GARRY PARSONS Cathy Parsons is a nurse by background who currently works full time in health care as a professional practice consultant at St. Joseph s Health Care London.

13 CATHY and GARRY PARSONS Cathy Parsons is a nurse by background who currently works full time in health care as a professional practice consultant at St. Joseph s Health Care London. In this role she also supports corporate strategies for a healthy work place using her knowledge of positive psychology. Garry Parsons currently works part-time as a Funeral Director, but just retired last year from his full-time job at Stratford General Hospital as a Respiratory Therapist. For those of you old enough to remember he was also a broadcaster at several of the London radio stations in the 1980s! They absolutely adore their three children, Aaron and Emily who live in Ottawa, Ryan who is finding himself in Australia and, their dachshund dog Sadie!

14 TESSA FERYN Tessa Feryn

15 JOANNE WEBER Joanne Weber

Ontario Horticultural Association 2016 District 5 Annual General Meeting

Ontario Horticultural Association 2016 District 5 Annual General Meeting Hosted by East York Garden Club Saturday, April 23, 2016 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Latvian Canadian Cultural Centre 4 Credit Union