Floral designer finds her niche in art

Lawrence house bringing in local experts to help with variety of gardening issues

Gardeners unite.

The Lawrence House Centre for the Arts is hosting a gardening series where local gardening experts will share their blooming knowledge.

The series which runs during the month of April will feature four sessions dealing with everything from landscape design to fragrant herbs.

"If I had a dollar for every time someone said low maintenance, well ..." said Paul Churchill, landscape designer with Sipkens Nurseries on London Line.

Churchill will talk about landscape design and colour in gardens when he is the featured expert during the April 7 session.

"First words out of most people's months is low maintenance. I am going to try to make it easy and self-sufficient, generally improving their yard," said Churchill.

The landscape designer said he hopes his session will help those who attend to have the garden they want instead of just looking through magazines at the gardens they wished they had.

Ginny Schleihauf of Gardiners - and the Other Side in Mitton Village will talk about having a healthy garden in dry conditions.

"I will hopefully help them maintain a garden with a drought problem," said Schleihauf.

Using perennials will also be discussed in Schleihauf's April 14 session, where she will introduce attendees to drought-resistant perennials as well as the perennial of the year.

The April 21 session will feature water gardens. Jeff Baarschers of Degroot's Nurseries will cover planning, design materials, plants and fish that can be used in water landscape design.

"The focus will be planning and knowledge. Doing things right the first time ends up saving people money in the end," said Baarschers.

The last instalment of the gardening series will be held on April 28. Cynthia Cook of Forest Glen Herb Farm will talk about fragrant herbs. The hands-on session will give participants the chance to make their own bouquet from sprigs of dry flowers and fragrant herbs.

The gardening series is $40 for the entire series or $12 per session. All sessions will be held at the Lawrence House.