Laurelle Oldford-Down Art's Nursery
Laurelle Oldford-Down is a retired Landscape Designer, local apple grower, and all-round crazy plant lady. She loves helping new gardeners fall in love with their own little piece of nature and has owned and operated her own design and build company for over 25 years. She has a reputation for unusual and choice residential planting for keen gardeners from White Rock to North Vancouver. Three of her gardens have been featured in municipal garden tours.
Laurelle is a member of the BC Fruit Testers Association and has over 100 potted and in the ground heritage and connoisseur apples not seen in supermarkets. She's been helping home gardeners get excited about growing fruits and berries at VanDusen Gardens and UBC Apple Fest for years. She is an instructor for the Fruits and Berries portion of the VanDusen Master Gardeners in Vancouver.
She writes articles and is part of the social media team for Art's Nursery Home and Garden. She is a sought-after speaker, and is often rebooked by popular demand by clubs on Bowen Island, North Van and in the valley
Laurelle is a mother of two now adult young ladies, 2 large dogs and 2 rather chunky orange cats. She lives in Cloverdale with hubby, daughters and the rest of the zoo and loves playing in her gardens and sharing her enthusiasm, plants and a smile with everyone that comes by!
Known for her outstanding communication to the public on the latest trends in gardening, Laurelle has recently been presented, by the British Columbia Landscape & Nursery Association, with the Garden Communicator of the Year Award.
There is more than one way to achieve an amazing garden space. Large or small, in containers or the ground, contemporary to traditional design, everyone has questions. Join two opinionated, experienced, landscape designers, nursery people and all-round style hounds in this light-hearted and interactive Q&A. Be prepared for their candid opinions of the do’s and don’ts on everything PLANTS. They will answer your questions and help you demystify and simplify gardening in the Pacific Northwest. Laurelle Oldford-Down, the Art’s Social Media Star, and John Cowie, our Nursery Manager, have over 50 years of knowledge, design and experience between them and while they may not always see eye-to-eye on some gardening elements, they do agree to give you honest, practical and engaging gardening advice!
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