Special Moments in Our Gardens
ONLINE PRESENTATION SEPTEMBER 28, 2027
In-Person Presentation
Nocturnal Neighbours: Gardening for Bats
In-Person Presentation
Presenter: Nicole NolanISA Certified Arborist and Wildlife Ecologist
Speaker ProfileWith a decade of experience as an environmental consultant and urban forester across Eastern Ontario, she holds a diploma in Fish and Wildlife Technology from Fleming College and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in the Davy Lab at Carleton University, where her research focuses on bat distribution and phenology to inform effective mitigation and habitat management. Nicole is passionate about exploring the urban forest as habitat and is an avid native plant gardener and seed collector.
Nocturnal Neighbours: Gardening for BatsWildlife gardens are often designed to support birds, bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. But what about the wildlife that comes out after dark?
Eastern Red Bat in Apple Tree. Photo Credit: Oliver Clarke
Bats are unseen heroes, providing essential pest‑control services for forests, agriculture, and urban landscapes alike. But their cryptic, nocturnal nature makes them notoriously difficult to observe and study. This talk will shed light on these incredible mammals and introduce you to Ontario’s eight bat species: who they are, where they live, and the threats they face.
You will learn about the work researchers in Ottawa are doing to better understand how bats use the urban forest, from tree roosts to foraging habitat and more. We’ll also explore how we can support bats (and their food sources) in our own gardens and neighbourhoods.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Discover the Full 2027 Speaker Lineup
We invite you to explore inspiring season of presentations curated by our Speaker Series Program Leads. Follow the link below to view the complete lineup of speakers, learn about their areas of expertise, and dive into their profiles. It’s a remarkable collection of voices shaping the horticultural conversation in Ottawa and beyond.
https://ottawahort.org/speaker-series-2027/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTE:
* Effective September 23rd, 2026, all in-person presentations will be held at St. Mark's church, 1606 Fisher Avenue, Ottawa. Free parking available behind the church.* Online presentations will be streamed live via Zoom (link provided to members in the Grapevine newsletter), and later posted on the OHS YouTube channel for those unable to attend starting at 7:30 PM.* In-person presentations begin at 7:30 PM, following the OHS announcements and refreshment period from 7:00-7:30 PM.
u003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eJune 16: In-person presentation by Nancy McDonald, u003cemu003eMaster Gardener of Ottawa-Carleton and member of the Ottawa Horticultural Societyu003c/emu003eu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eu003cemu003eCulinary Delights Witu003c/emu003eu003c/strongu003eu003cstrongu003eu003cemu003eh Herbs and Edible Floweru003c/emu003eu003c/strongu003eu003cstrongu003eu003cemu003esu003c/emu003eu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003cemu003eu003cimg src=u0022https://ottawahort.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/NancyMcDonald-290x300.webpu0022 width=u0022244u0022 height=u0022252u0022 alt=u0022u0022 class=u0022wp-image-221018 alignnone size-mediumu0022 /u003e u003cimg src=u0022https://ottawahort.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Nancy-MacDonald-2.webpu0022 width=u0022300u0022 height=u0022244u0022 alt=u0022u0022 class=u0022wp-image-221020 alignnone size-fullu0022 /u003e u003c/emu003eu003cstrongu003eu003cemu003e u003c/emu003eu003c/strongu003eu003cstrongu003eu003cemu003e u003c/emu003eu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003enu003cpu003eNancy McDonald, Master Gardener, will shed a new light on how we can enjoy the fruits of our gardening labor in a different way. Join us for a flavorful gardening talk that explores the culinary magic of herbs and edible flowers. Learn how to grow, harvest and use these aromatic and colorful plants to elevate your cooking and add beauty to your plate. You'll discover creative ways to incorporate garden-fresh ingredients into everyday meals and special occasions.u003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eu003cemu003eSpeaker profileu003cbr /u003eu003c/emu003eu003c/strongu003eNancy McDonald grew up on a farm on PEI and learned the practical aspects of gardening from her parents. Her love of flowers came from spending time in her grandmother’s beautiful mixed garden. After 42 years of a very fulfilling nursing career, Nancy’s thoughts turned to retirement and volunteer opportunities. She has been a member of the Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton for 15 years. As a Master Gardener, Nancy completed the Pollinator Steward Certification in 2024. She is a member of the Ottawa Horticultural Society and continues to enjoy her small suburban garden and the birds, bees and butterflies that visit. She also enjoys making flavorful recipes in her kitchen using herbs and edible flowers from her garden.u003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003e***********************************************u003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eDiscover the Full 2026 Speaker Lineupu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003enu003cpu003eWe invite you to explore inspiring season of presentations curated by our Speaker Series Program Leads. Follow the link below to view the complete lineup of speakers, learn about their areas of expertise, and dive into their profiles. It’s a remarkable collection of voices shaping the horticultural conversation in Ottawa and beyond.u003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003ca href=u0022https://ottawahort.org/speaker-series-2026/u0022u003eView the Speaker Series 2026 Programu003c/au003eu003c/pu003e
