Speaking

Engaging presentations rooted in over twenty years of gardening with place.

Drawing on experience gardening across southern British Columbia—from coastal rainforests and subalpine environments to the sagebrush valleys and dry interior—Jay Akerley offers practical, visually rich presentations that combine horticulture, ecology, and a deep appreciation for place.

Speaking banner

Presentation topics

  • Garden Resilience in a Land of Extremes — design, construction, plant choices, and propagation techniques for native and non-native wildflowers.
  • Crevice Gardens for Small Spaces — ideas for compact spaces and budget-conscious crevice gardens.
  • Native Perennials for Interior BC Gardens — showy native plants grown from seed and used in sunny and shady gardens.
  • Rock Garden Plants of Canada’s Wet Coast — an update of the presentation given at NARGS 2018 in St. John’s.
  • Making the Most of Seed Propagation — approaches and best practices for growing plants from seed.
  • Cacti and Succulents in the Canadian Garden: From Sea to Sky — plant selection and microclimate strategies for succulents.

Suitable for

  • Garden clubs
  • NARGS chapters
  • Horticultural societies
  • Alpine garden clubs
  • Naturalist organizations
  • Community groups

Topic areas

Dryland ecology • Native plants • Pollinator gardening • Rock gardening • Plant exploration • Propagation • Climate-resilient gardening • Gardening with place