In addition to our Zoom and in-person meetings, BGC members are also invited to view past recorded presentations at your leisure (password-protected):
2025 PROGRAM
Planning of the 2025 Program continues, please check back!
Please note that there is no meeting in January.
February 12, 2025: BGC Zoom Event: AGM & “Pocket Forests and Pocket Meadows” presented by Joyce Hostyn of Little Forests, Kingston
Location: Virtual
Time: 7:00 pm EST.
This is a BGC Zoom event. Please note that we will first begin with the Annual General Meeting (AGM) prior to our main event.
Today we hear from Joyce Hostyn, an adjunct professor at Queen’s University and key person behind the Little Forests movement in Kingston. Joyce will present the concepts behind Pocket Forests and Pocket Meadows, and how these compact but diverse spaces benefit the environment.
Members who are registered for 2025 will receive an invitation by email. To request or renew a membership or to arrange a guest pass, please refer to the Membership page.
February 26, 2025: Zoom Event : “Fusion Gardening”, presented by Sean James, hosted by the Pointe Claire Horticultural Society
Location: Virtual
Time: 7:30 pm EST.
BGC members are invited to this talk hosted by the Pointe Claire Horticultural Society. Take advantage of this extra meeting this month thanks to a reciprocal agreement between our two clubs! Sean James will show us how to blend xeriscaping with a judicious choice of native plants that will enhance biodiversity and help manage rainwater runoff where it falls.
Members who are registered for 2025 will receive an invitation by email. To request or renew a membership or to arrange a guest pass, please refer to the Membership page.
March 12, 2025: BGC Zoom Event: “Makeovers for Tired Gardens and Tired Gardeners” presented by Mary Shearman Reid, owner of Green Thumb Garden Centre in Nepean, Ontario
Location: Virtual
Time: 7:00 pm EST.
This is a BGC Zoom event.
In addition to owning Green Thumb Garden Centre, Mary Shearman Reid is a CLHM (Certified Landscape Horticulturist Manager) and a member of Landscape Ontario as well as a volunteer Master Gardener. At this session Mary asks the question: Who is more tired – the garden or the gardeners?! We’ll look at how to bring our gardens back to life, one step at a time, and how to make our gardens more pleasing and manageable … and at the same time have some fun while we’re at it!
Members who are registered for 2025 will receive an invitation by email. To request or renew a membership or to arrange a guest pass, please refer to the Membership page.
March 26, 2025: Zoom Event : “Organic Pest Control”, presented by Edith Smeesters, hosted by the Pointe Claire Horticultural Society
Location: Virtual
Time: 7:30 pm EST.
BGC members are invited to this talk hosted by the Pointe Claire Horticultural Society. Take advantage of this extra meeting this month thanks to a reciprocal agreement between our two clubs! Edith Smeesters will talk about organic solutions to bugs in our gardens and show us how control all starts with prevention!
Members who are registered for 2025 will receive an invitation by email. To request or renew a membership or to arrange a guest pass, please refer to the Membership page.
April 9, 2025: In-Person Event: : “Yoga for Gardening Fitness” presented by Fiona Louise Griffiths, yoga instructor and RN
Location: Herb Linder Annex, 303 Beaconsfield Blvd, Beaconsfield
Time: 7:30 pm EST. Please arrive by 7:15.
As we eagerly look forward to the start of a new gardening season, yoga instructor and RN Fiona Griffiths will speak to us about how Yoga can improve our gardening fitness. Fiona will step us through chair and standing yoga exercises, as well as some mat exercises for those interested. She will also provide hand-outs and fitness links so that we can continue these exercises on our own throughout the gardening season.
Members interested in trying the mat exercises should bring their mat to the meeting. Some extra mats will be available. All exercises are optional, of course!
May 10, 2025: BGC Plant Sale
Location: Centennial Hall, 288 Beaconsfield Blvd, Beaconsfield
Time: Doors open at 10AM. Sale ends at noon or when plants run out.
Don’t miss the garden club’s popular plant sale where we sell many different plants from our members’ gardens!
Arrive early as plants go quickly!!
May14, 2025: In-Person Event: “Mad About Peonies!” presented by Yolanta and Brian Bertram of La Pivoinerie de la Vallée d’Harrington
Location: Herb Linder Annex, 303 Beaconsfield Blvd, Beaconsfield
Time: 7:30 pm EST. Please arrive by 7:15.
Yolanta and Brian Bertram will share with us their journey that brought the dream of their beautiful peony farm, La Pivoinerie de la Vallée d’Harrington, to life. They chose to raise peonies because of their beauty, longevity, history and immense variety. They not only will recount their journey, they will share all that they have learned about growing, caring for and maintaining peonies.
June 7, 2025: Visit to La Ferme Coopérative Tourne-Sol
Location: Les Cèdres, Quebec
Time: 10:00am-1:00pm
Tourne-sol has generously invited BGC and several other horticultural clubs for a special visit to their farm. Tourne-sol is a certified organic cooperative farm about 60 km west of Montreal, whose workers are passionate about healthy food, seed production and ecology. The visit will start with a workshop and a tour of the facilities, after which we can enjoy our bring-your-own lunches in their shaded picnic area while taking the opportunity to meet members from the other groups.
Check out their website to see the innovative things they are doing or sign up for their informative newsletter:
https://fermetournesol.qc.ca/en/pages/a-propos
June 7, 2025 (back-up date June 8): West Island Citizen Advocacy’s (WICA) Annual Garden Tour
Location: Baie d’Urfe
Time: 1:00-5:00pm – Garden tour ends at 4pm, tea ends at 5pm
All proceeds of this fund-raiser for West Island Citizen Advocacy (WICA) fund programs that support vulnerable and isolated people in the community. This year’s tour features beautiful gardens in Baie d’Urfe and a tea party to end the day. Join in by car, bike, or on foot!
Tickets are $25 and will be available for purchase in early May on the WICA website and Facebook page. When you purchase tickets online, a confirmation email will be sent to you with more details.
Note that the back-up date will only apply in an extreme weather situation on the 7th.
June 14, 2025 (back-up date June 15): Tour of Peony Farm La Pivoinerie de la Vallée d’Harrington
Location: Harrington, Quebec
Time: 9:30am-2:30pm
Join us for this delightful outing to Yolanta and Brian Bertram’s beautiful peony farm, La Pivoinerie de la Vallée d’Harrington! Attendees are invited to also bring lunch and make use of the picnic tables and Adirondack chairs; water and fruit will be kindly provided by the hosts. Freshly cut peonies will be available for purchase – cash only. The number of attendees will be limited, based on first-come, first-serve.
Further details will be provided through club communications. Note that carpooling is highly encouraged due to limited parking.
July 19, 2025: Beaconsfield Artists and Gardens Tour (Rain date is July 20)
Location: Beaconsfield
Time: To be determined
The Beaconsfield Artists and Gardens Tour returns! This city event is being held in partnership with the Beaconsfield Artists’ Association and the Beaconsfield Gardening Club. Wander around Beaconsfield and admire a range of artwork and beautiful gardens as local artists and gardeners share their passion with the community.
More details to follow.