Because of the long holiday weekend, the May meeting of the Bowen Island Garden Club will be held on the fourth Monday, May 28, rather than the third Monday.
This will be an evening meeting, at 7 p.m. at the Gallery at Artisan Square. Our guest speaker this month will be Gordon MacKay of Alba Plants in Cowichan Bay.
Gordon's love of gardening began in Scotland where he was encouraged and inspired by his father and his uncle and worked with them on many landscape installations and maintenance projects.
He received his college training in Scotland and England, specializing in ornamental plants and their production. He has worked in England, Scotland, Australia and Canada and now has over 25 years experience in both amenity and commercial horticulture. He has worked as a landscape contractor, horticultural/ arboricultural consultant and professional nurseryman.
In 1994, Gordon was offered a job at Island Specialty Nursery in Chemainus, and emigrated to Canada. He now owns and operates Alba Plants in Cowichan Bay where he grows "gems for the rock garden." He also works as a teacher and mentor in horticulture therapy at Providence Farm.
On May 28, Gordon's presentation will be about the propagation and growing of his favourite alpine plants, and also how-tos of crevice gardening. He will bring a selection of his plants for sale.
