Mixing it up Conference

Saturday, January 21, 2023 

We had a wonderful time!

Here's an overview of our day of learning and chatting about gardening, when five local speakers offered us possibilities for our changing climate. Practical possibilities, to create resilient gardens, employing sustainable practices. 

Your garden is an ecosystem | Gord Baird

How do you stop climate change from crashing your garden’s party? It depends on the partygoers of course. Gord, owner of the award-winning Eco-Sense home, discussed the relevance of our gardens as ecosystems in the presence of an unwanted guest. He unearthed his observations of the impacts of climate change on his gardens and nursery, shared his successes and failures, and helped us write a more inclusive guest list -- one offering a biodiverse menu and stifling our garden party guests' thirst. Gord's presentation was fun, fast paced and informative – and a bit unconventional.

Sponsored by Gardener's Kit

It all starts with the soil | Dr. Barbara Hawkins

Successful sustainable gardening begins with healthy soils. Understanding soil ecology leads to healthier garden ecosystems. Barbara’s session focused on soil biology, soil chemistry and helpful soil microbes, including mycorrhizae and nitrogen fixing bacteria.

Sponsored by Bartlett Tree Experts

Planting for resilience | Linda Petite

What plants are resilient to our changing climate? With extended periods of drought, heavy rainfall and increasing heat waves, some of our traditional plants are stressed, causing them to be less productive. While we cannot control the weather, we do have some control over what we plant in our gardens. Maintaining healthy fertile soil, growing plants with similar needs together, planting for drought-tolerance, and identifying new plants that adapt to these evolving conditions will help our gardens thrive. Linda drew on her experience as Head Gardener at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific to talk about the emerging winners in the changing climate conditions.

Sponsored by Russell Nursery

Foodscaping the future | Joshua Wagler

Our fragile food supply chain has been tested countless times in recent years. Beyond the pandemic, climate change has been at the root of many of these disturbances, manifesting as floods, fires, drought, and other extreme weather events. These factors combined have given birth to an unprecedented interest in growing food at home, and yet have also provided a unique set of gardening challenges. In this time of great change, our environment is bursting with potential, whether we live in an apartment, on an acreage, or somewhere in between. Looking to the forest as our teacher, Joshua explored powerful plants and extraordinary edibles that can transform our landscape into a foodscape. No matter how large or small, sunny or shady our space, it is possible to cultivate a beautiful, resilient, deliciously decentralized, foodshed for the future starting in your own home.

Sponsored by Wildwood Outdoor Living Centre

New beginnings | Egan Davis

There is nothing more satisfying than propagating our own plants - the process is always a marvel. Egan provided expert instruction on how to start our own plants at home. He covered the principles behind seed germination and vegetative propagation. We learned how to set up and manage a controlled propagation environment, and how to grow seedlings and freshly rooted cuttings. While it may seem like a technical pursuit, the biggest secret to propagation is a love for plants - now we're ready to muster up all our horticultural passion and start propagating!

Sponsored by Peninsula Co-op

Sponsors & Vendors

Many thanks to the following 2023 Conference contributors. Their generous in-kind and cash support allowed us to keep registration fees affordable, reduce expenses, deliver a high quality, fun event and enable us to reach our fundraising goals.

PRINCIPAL Sponsor ($1,000 or more)

Bartlett Tree Experts - Scientific Tree Care since 1907

Supporter of It all starts with the soil by Dr. Barbara Hawkins; a generous cash donation; a $500 tree service item in the Silent Auction; and Douglas Fir tree seedlings for all delegates to plant in new homes to add to our communities' tree canopies.  We welcomed the return of Bartlett, who has been a strong Mixing it up conference supporter since 2017.

CONTRIBUTING Sponsors

Gardener's Kit – Specialty Tools for Keen Gardeners | Supporter of Your garden is an ecosystem speaker Gord Baird and donor of unique garden tools for the Silent Auction and door prizes

Peninsula Co-op – Moving Ahead by Giving Back | Supporter of New Beginnings speaker Egan Davis and donor of Gift Certificates

Russell Nursery – Growing Roots Since 1992 | Supporter of Planting for resilience speaker Linda Petite and donor of a Poppy Bird Bath for the Silent Auction

Wildwood Outdoor Living Centre - For All of Us | Supporter of Foodscaping the future speaker Joshua Wagler and donor of Gift Certificates

SUPPORTERS

• Bolen Books
• Artist Byrony Wynne Jones
• Buckerfields - Saanich
• Cafe Zanzibar
• Dig This - Sidney
• Dinter Nursery
• Fiddlesticks Pottery
• Gardens at HCP
• Gardenworks - Saanich
• Home Hardware - Central Saanich
• Integrity Sales
• Joan Wallace Driving School
• Level Ground
• Lee Valley
• The Root Cellar
• Tanner's Books
• Victoria Conservatory of Music
• Victoria Hospice
• Victoria Master Gardeners and Friends
• Violet Finvers Glass
• West Coast Seeds

These local VENDORS and RESOURCE GROUPS added excitement to the day 

• Bartlett Tree Experts
• Bees Please Farms
• Bee Stories Publishing
• Coastal Prezence
• Compost Education Centre
• Dinter Nursery
• Edible Landscapes Design
• Gardenlore
• Gardener's Kit
• LifeCycles Project
• Organic Gardener's Pantry
• Satinflower Nurseries
• West Coast Seeds

Please support these businesses - print the handy sheet below to plan your garden shopping!