Renowned Canadian gardener visits Ashwood
Marion Jarvie’s prestigious lecture to an invited audience at Ashwood Nurseries on May 16th was a great success and widely acclaimed. Considered one of Canada’s leading gardeners and plantswomen, Marion is involved with both the Toronto and international gardening communities, teaching regularly at the Toronto Botanical Garden and lecturing all over North America and in the UK. Above all she is a passionate gardener and has been gardening in Toronto for over thirty years during which time she has amassed a remarkable collection of plants.
Marion’s lecture ‘Canadian Surprise’ revealed the surprising range of plants that it is possible to grow in the cold winters and hot summers of Toronto, many of which are extremely familiar to English gardeners. Woodland plants fare particularly well in her garden and many rare and unusual shade-loving plants are grown beneath a wide range of shrubs and small trees of which maples and flowering dogwoods are her favourites. She has a wonderful collection of hellebores as well as an ever- growing collection of dwarf conifers, species peonies and daphnes. This magnificently illustrated presentation focused on her truly inspirational ideas for providing colour, shape and texture in the garden for all seasons as well as putting the spotlight on many new and exciting plant introductions.
During her visit to England, Marion was accompanied by Anna Leggatt, former chair of the Ontario Rock Garden Society and past Director of the North American Rock Garden Society. These two remarkable ladies will be welcoming nursery owner John Massey back to Toronto in September when he will present two lectures: ‘The Magic of the Changing Seasons: Autumn into Winter’ and ‘The World of Hepaticas’ at Toronto Botanical Garden.
Footnote: Marion kindly donated her lecture fee to Ashwood’s Charity of the Year Stroke Support West Midlands.