Free educational sessions offer lots of learning and fun
Guelph, Ont., March 10, 2026 – Our Healthy Landscapes speaker series is back! We’re hosting a range of fascinating educational sessions through March, April and May, with topics ranging from healthy soil to invasive plants to bird-friendly gardens and more. Snag your free tickets from the City’s Eventbrite page so you don’t miss out!
Session options for all sorts of interests
Creating healthy soil
Sessions on March 18, March 25 and April 1, 7–9 p.m.
Victoria Park East Golf Club, 1096 Victoria Road South
Robert Pavlis presents a three-session series of talks on exploring how to truly improve your soil. Whether you’re tending a sprawling garden, nurturing raised beds or keeping container plants thriving, this series will give you the knowledge and confidence to build soil that supports healthier, stronger, more resilient plants.
Register for Creating healthy soil. You only need to register once to attend all three soil sessions.
Close the garden gate; prevent invasive plants
April 2, 2026, 7–9 p.m.
Virtual session
Master Gardener Cathy Kavassalis explores how commonly used garden plants can move beyond our garden beds and spread across land and water systems. Once established, invasive plants affect farming, forestry and fishing industries, while causing long-term ecological damage and ongoing economic costs that negatively impact us all.
Register for Close the garden gate.
Gardening that works anywhere
April 9, 7–9 p.m.
Victoria Park East Golf Club, 1096 Victoria Road South
A special night with three of our top Master Gardeners, each giving a different presentation to expand your gardening knowledge. Heather Rajotte’s talk deals with edible ornamentals, Kiki Alwan discusses terrariums and Lyanne Schlichter shares practical methods for using raised garden beds.
Register for Gardening that works anywhere.
Gardening for the birds
April 15, 7–9 p.m.
Victoria Park East Golf Club, 1096 Victoria Road South
Join Arboretum Naturalists Joseph Langlois and Christa Wise for an inspiring and interactive journey about transforming your backyard into a vibrant haven for local birds. Together, we’ll explore the colourful cast of species commonly found just beyond your doorstep—learning how to identify them, understand their diets and seasonal habits, appreciate their behaviours and tune your ear to their distinctive songs.
Register for Gardening for the birds.
Wildscaping: Explorations in naturalistic planting design
May 6, 7–9 p.m.
Victoria Park East Golf Club, 1096 Victoria Road South
This talk dives into Wildscaping, Tony Spencer’s visionary approach to designing dynamic, wildlife-rich spaces that reconnect us to nature and prepare us for the extremes of a changing climate. Learn how to link home and landscape in a powerful, symbiotic loop and get inspired to build your own piece of “new nature.”
Register for Wildscaping: Explorations in naturalistic planting design.
About the Healthy Landscapes program
Beyond the annual speaker series, the City’s Healthy Landscapes program offers free on-site consultations to help you craft a beautiful landscape without spending tons of time, water and money. Sign up for a Healthy Landscapes visit for help finding ways to reduce the demands of your yard without sacrificing beauty. Learn more and register for your own free Healthy Landscapes visit.
For more information
Karen McKeown, Landscape and Yard Program Coordinator
Compliance and Performance, Wastewater Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2109
[email protected]
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