Native Woody Plants
of Central and Southern Alberta
Native Woody Plants
of Central & Southern Alberta
with Ken Wright of Wright Nursery
Spend an afternoon with botanist Ken Wright and explore the unique woody
plants and tree shrubs of the Blackfoot. Learn about native plant seeds and how to collect, propagate, and grow them in regions with short growing seasons like the Chinook.
Immerse yourself in First Nations culture and traditions as you delve into the historical uses of these plants for food and medicine. Ken is highly experienced in working with native plants; his comprehensive efforts in their propagation and use have earned him great respect among Western Canadian horticultural professionals.
Join us to explore this corner of history, culture, and biodiversity, witnessing the fruits of Ken's commitment and expertise firsthand.
This is an opportunity you don't want to miss!
Location: Early Dawn Farm
Date: March 18th, 2023
From 1 - 3 pm
$48 per student
PAST EVENT - Click below to request a repeat of this workshop.
THIS IS A NON-REFUNDABLE COURSE
Get to know your instructor, Ken Wright
For Ken Wright, plants have been a lifelong passion. You could say it’s in his blood, given that his parents were "plant people" who travelled around specifically to follow wildflowers.
“My folks were always going where the wildflowers were,” says Ken Wright, owner of Wright Nursery. “They were always looking for what was blooming next. I definitely have the same interest in plants as my parents did.”
That interest first grew into education with the completion of a Bachelor of Science specializing in Botany from Montana State University, and eventually blossomed into a career. In 1988, Ken and his wife Pam opened Bow Point Nursery, which he operated for 30 years before selling.
In 2015, they opened Wright Nursery; a wholesale nursery supplying native seed-sourced plugs and seedlings.
“At Wright Nursery, we are dedicated to plant selection, seed collection and propagation of plants important to southern and central Alberta markets,” says Ken. “We were the first nursery in Alberta to specialize in prairie hardy plants and make them available for sale.”
But what exactly is a prairie hardy plant? They’re plants that can withstand adverse growing conditions like Alberta’s hot and dry summers, chinooks, and cold winters. They survive year after year and look good 365 days of the year, no matter the season.
“Big box stores often sell plants that look great at first, but they don’t survive Alberta’s climate,” says Ken. “One of the reasons we use prairie hardy plants at Wright Nursery is because customers can be confident that their product will survive and look like they see in pictures. It’s survival of the fittest – prairie hardy plants specific to Alberta will survive in our unique climate.”