Mary-Jane Pilgrim
Peterborough Horticultural Society
Lakefield
- D04
Mary-Jane Pilgrim joined the Peterborough Hort Society and the Peterborough Master Gardeners over 10 years ago and
loves getting out and meeting other gardeners to “talk plants”. The love of gardening is probably hereditary as she grew
up in a large farm family with Dutch immigrant parents. She definitely was not a fan in those days of weeding rows and
rows of vegetables, but loves the colour and fragrance of her garden today. MJ was the president of the society in
Peterborough for the last 8 years and now serves as the Past President. She is now one of two Coordinators for the
Peterborough & Area Master Gardeners.
While not too applicable to this talk, MJ enjoys cycling, playing squash and making/fixing stained glass windows.
Depending on where the club is located, I do ask to be reimbursed for expenses and mileage. This is
typically $125-$150 for clubs in the Peterborough area, however the cost will be higher for
organizations farther than an hour’s drive from my home (located in Lakefield).
- Gardening
| TOPIC | TITLE | DETAIL | OPTIONS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gardening | Basic Botany | A little latin, some discussion on plant families and classification, and a few skills to be able to determine a plant’s family tree. (spoiler alert *quizzes*) | In Person Only |
| Gardening | Horticultural Trivia | A lighthearted but challenging evening of “test your memory” on all things horticulture. Great for challenging your group to put their knowledge to the test, either individually or in groups. | In Person Only |
| Bulbs/Tuber | Bulbs Tubers | How do these garden elements differ? When should you plant? Dealing with squirrels and other pests. Forcing bulbs for more petal power! | In Person Only |
| Gardening | Tips, Tricks & Slips | After many years and thousands of plants, I sometimes think I’ve seen it all — but I clearly haven’t! Learn how to skip some of the biggest challenges and make your gardening journey a little easier | In Person Only |
| Gardening | How Do They Do That? | How do they make weeping trees? What is and why would I buy a “standard” tree? What’s up with grafting? What’s a witch’s broom? What is tissue | In Person Only |
| Gardening | Christmas Gardening Trivia | a light-hearted horticulturally-related evening of fun! | In Person Only |
| Gardening | Garden Disasters! | Prepare. Survive. Thrive. In this talk, we’ll address some of the common misfortunes: Japanese beetles, grubs, lily beetles, cute but menacing critters, and a bit about invasive plants. | In Person Only |
| Gardening | Invasive Plants | Invasive plants are no joke! Many of having invasive plants growing in our yards and in our gardens. But what makes an invasive plant so bad? What harm do they actually cause? And what should we actually do about them to get rid of them? Let’s talk. | In Person Only |
| Gardening | The Dirt on Soap | Home recipes abound for ridding your garden of every single bug, but do we really think that’s wise? What should we use for bugs that we know are not beneficial? A light-hearted look at nasty chemicals and what you may want to use instead | In Person Only |
| Gardening | The History and Horticultural Mystique of Gothic Gardens | Poison gardens, black-flowered ornamentals, moonlit garden designs, and plants historically associated with witches, apothecaries, and folklore. | Gardening |
| Gardening | Edible Flowers Through History and Culture | Not the common pansies and nasturtiums—focus on forgotten edible blooms like dianthus, musk mallow, daylilies, hyssop blossoms, elderflower, and borage variants. | Gardening |
| Gardening | The Horticulture of Scent: Why Some Plants Smell Good… or Terrible | Volatile compounds, why fragrance changes with time of day or temperature, and plants known for their unusual scents (chocolate, vanilla, popcorn, curry, etc.). | Gardening |
| Gardening | Horticultural Hoaxes, Scams & Plant Myths | The “vegetable lamb of Tartary,” fake blue roses, the tulip bubble, Victorian scams, miracle fertilizers, and the resurrection plant that doesn’t resurrect. A historical lesson about scams and hoaxes in our shared plant history. | Gardening |
| Gardening | When Plants Bite Back: The Chemistry of Plant Defenses | Why certain ornamentals are prickly, sticky, stinky, bitter, or toxic; how gardeners work with (or around) these adaptations; and surprising defensive traits in common garden plants. | Gardening |
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