Events by this organizer

Darren Heimbecker designed and created
Whistling Gardens, a plant nursery and garden centre as well as an invaluable
resource for those seeking unusual trees and shrubs since 2006.

Whistling
Gardens features 20 classically styled landscaped acres, some of which are
inspired by the old Renaissance gardens of Europe including the Palace of
Versailles. Since its inception, Whistling Gardens has received numerous
municipal, provincial, national, and International awards Darren is a regular
contributor to Fine Gardening Magazine and when not in the gardens he usually
in his studio composing music and choreographing for the seasonal fountain
performances and the upcoming theatrical fountain shows.

Rhododendrons and Azaleas offer great spring displays of bloom and
can also provide splashes of fall foliar colour. In summer, however, these beds
can look a little dull but there are many great companion plants that grow well
with these acid-loving plants that will add colour and texture to the
rhododendron bed in all seasons. This presentation will highlight those species
that provide great options for companion plants in our southern Great Lakes
region, along with a review of the best planting practices to succeed with
rhododendrons and azaleas.

Kevin Kavanagh owns South Coast Gardens and Consulting, a nursery
and landscape design business in heart of Ontario’s ‘Carolinian
zone’.  Kevin spent most of his early career in the
field of nature conservation with the Nature Conservancy of Canada and World
Wildlife Fund Canada.

His interest in North American native plants began while
conducting field studies in the diverse eastern forests of Carolinian Canada,
the Appalachian Mountains and the U.S. southeast. Today, Kevin gets great
satisfaction from growing and introducing customers to plants that provide
benefits to pollinators, birds and other wildlife.

Kevin holds a B.Sc. (Hons.) from McGill University, a M.Sc. from
York University and several years of post-grad research in Botany at the
University of Toronto. He has authored several book chapters and articles
celebrating Canada’s
wild places and the rich plant life of Ontario’s Carolinian zone.