Manitoba Horticultural Association – 2005 Annual Convention, Neepawa, Manitoba

Feature speaker Holly Mawby, gardendwellers Farm, Churchs Ferry, ND is an educator by profession and highly skilled at it.  Jokes and banter kept the audience's attention while she delivered a wealth of information in three very organized presentations.  Her message in Planning and Planting a Child's Garden was to let go of convention and look at gardening from a kid's perspective.  In Gardening in Small Spaces she illustrated square foot gardening, container gardens, hanging gardens, going up instead of going out, and use of colour to give the illusion of more space.  Her Landscaping lecture covered all the tenets of home landscape design.

Manitoba Horticultural Association – 2008 Annual Convention, Brandon, Manitoba

Guest speaker Holly Mawby, gardendwellers Farm, Churchs Ferry, North Dakota was back by popular request.  Having appeared on stage in a grass skirt in Neepawa, Holly’s arrival was eagerly anticipated by those who remembered that event.  She did not disappoint.  Her Japanese arrangement hairdo was a creative coup.

Holly’s presentation, Gardening Around Your Abilities, was timely for those of us who are beginning to experience back twinges or locking knees while labouring in our gardens.  Holly’s review of tool adaptations and common sense advice (Take plenty of rests in the shade!) should certainly help us enjoy gardening for many more years.

Her second talk, Colourful Flower Beds, focused on the colour wheel and its usefulness to the garden designer.  She explained the different colour schemes and illustrated how they could be used to create desired effects in the garden.  She cleverly proved that if you really want your yellow marigold bed to be purple, stare at it fixedly and it will transform!

Connie Laugerquist of the International Peace Gardens and Holly show off thier enthusiasm for the 'Tropical Paradise' theme at the 2006 Manitoba Horticultural Association Conference in Neepawa MB Canada.  Holly sports a living grass skirt she and Barry grew for the occassion.

Areas of Expertise

Growing & using culinary & tea herbs

Color use in garden and landscape

Home landscaping

Using art in the garden

Gardening for people of all abilities, adaptive tools, and therapy gardens

WWII Victory Gardens

Perennials for northern gardens
Labyrinths in the landscape

Annual & perennial selection
Other topics as requested

Presentations that are Educational, Entertaining, and Enthusiastic

Holly Rose Mawby

Native North Dakotan

35 years experience in the field of Horticulture in North Dakota and Minnesota

25 years experience as a speaker, presenter, and garden writer

Horticulture Teacher in southern Minnesota for 7 years

Bachelors degree in Business and Industry Education specializing in adult learning

A.A.S. degree from the University of Minnesota in General Horticulture with an emphasis in Landscape Design

Caretaker of gardendwellers FARM,

Editor for the North Dakota State Horticultural Society quarterly newsletter
Director of the Entrepreneurial Center for Horticulture at Dakota College in Bottineau, ND

Previous Clients
and Engagements

North Dakota Long Term Care Association

Manitoba Orchid Society

Wahpeton Breckenridge Chamber of Commerce and Pretty Bloomers Garden Club

Bismarck Mandan Garden Club

Manitoba Horticulture Association

NDSU Extension Grand Forks County & Horticulture Society

Hannah Greenhouse

NDSU Extension Towner County

Lake Region State College Continuing Education

Feature articles for www.northscaping.com

Contributing author for the 2006 and 2007 Prairie Garden books

Regional newspapers, garden clubs, and home-makers groups

Please email or call 701-351-2520 to discuss prices and topics available.