June 15, 2024, 1- 4:30 pm

All levels of experience and knowledge are welcome.

An inspiring half-day of experiential learning and inspiration at a beautiful lakefront farm, led by: Sas Long, floral designer, and flower farmer; and Ben O’Brien, landscape designer and plantsman. This half-day, active workshop is for anyone interested in learning about, planning, and implementing naturalistic gardens and using sustainably grown flowers and plants for use in floral design. This workshop will be held on East Lake Farm, surrounded by the beauty of a 8-year naturalistic garden project and commercial flower growing plots.

What to expect:

- Ben will lead a farm walk discussing each of the distinct garden areas, plant selection, layout, and installation;

- Learn about pollinators, hedgerows, native plants, design, garden maintenance—and view some uncommon but beautiful plants, not often seen in traditional gardens;

- Learn about naturalistic planting, how to attract a diversity of wildlife to the garden, and see how plants can be combined beautifully to exclude weeds;

Participants will take home a detailed recommended plant and book list as well as a gift certificate to Books & Co. to go towards their gardening books.

-Sas will lead a walk through the flower fields to harvest blooms to create your own arrangement;

- Learn how to create beautiful, naturalistic flower arrangements using Floralora flowers, as well as bits foraged from the abundant wild farm landscape;

- Create your own unique floral arrangement to take home and learn how to prepare vessels to maintain the shapes you want without using harmful floral foam. A vessel will be provided and yours to take home.

- Get expert gardening and design advice from Ben and Sas relating to your own garden questions while enjoying a glass of delicious local wine and appetizers overlooking the gardens and fields of flowers and vegetables at beautiful East Lake Farm.

Sas Long is the owner and head flower girl of Floralora Flowers. Sas grows 2 acres of annuals, perennials, shrubs, and vines for cut flower production while running her seasonally-inspired floral design studio In PEC. In her goal to connect people with the beauty and awe of the natural world, she grows unique varieties of flowers and presents them in ways that reflect their perfect imperfections.

Ben O'Brien is a landscape designer and owner of Wild by Design. Born and raised in PEC—much of his childhood spent just down the road from East Lake Farm—Ben studied landscape architecture at the University of Guelph before returning home to start a design business, founded on his passion for plants. Wild by Design specializes in making artfully crafted, richly planted, lovingly tended gardens uniquely suited to Prince Edward County.

The Small Print

-This workshop requires moderate mobility due to the uneven outdoor field and path terrain;

-In the event of weather conditions that don’t allow for an enjoyable atmosphere, our rain date is TBD;

-A minimum of 5 participants are necessary to run the workshop;

-Lunch is not included in the workshop but a mid-afternoon snack and beverages will be offered!