Gardening Talks with Steven Biggs
Practical ideas, unexpected crops, and stories that get people excited to grow food.
I’m a horticulturist, author, and lifelong food gardener. My talks combine useful gardening advice with photographs and stories from my Toronto garden and the growers I meet.
Available live online for groups anywhere, with selected in-person engagements in the Toronto area.
“I just wanted to say how inspiring and amusing your talk was last night. I enjoyed it a lot. I went home wanting to turn my front yard flowers into vegetables.”
Choose a Gardening Talk
Help your audience see new possibilities for growing food, with practical advice they can use in their own gardens.
Each talk runs approximately 45 minutes, followed by questions. I can adjust the length to fit your program.
Olives, Lemons, and Figs
A Mediterranean Patio
Imagine picking a fresh lemon or ripe fig just steps from your kitchen—even where winters are cold.
Drawing on my own Toronto garden and the experiences of other growers, I share how to grow these Mediterranean favourites in pots, keep them a manageable size, and get them through winter. Find out what each plant needs, what to expect from the harvest, and why a greenhouse isn’t essential.
An inviting introduction for gardeners curious about growing something unexpected.
Eat That Yard!
Edible Landscaping for Home Gardens
A beautiful garden can feed you, too. Explore ways to weave vegetables, fruit, herbs, and edible flowers into your home landscape.
Drawing on my Toronto garden and gardens I’ve visited, I share ideas for mixing edibles with ornamental plants, choosing crops for colour and texture, and finding growing space beyond the backyard vegetable patch.
Your audience will leave with plant ideas and inspiration to create a garden that looks good and tastes good.
Grow Food in Containers and Small Spaces
A few pots can turn a patio, balcony, or driveway into a productive food garden.
I share practical ways to make limited growing space work, drawing on my own container gardens, rooftop, and driveway. Learn how to choose containers and potting mixes, keep plants watered and fed, and grow upwards to make room for more.
Explore self-watering planters and wicking beds, too, with ideas for reducing watering chores and keeping crops growing well.
Inspiring Tomorrow’s Gardeners
Gardening with Kids
A vegetable patch might look like a maze to a child. A handful of bean seeds might become a prized collection. Gardening begins with whatever catches their interest.
Drawing on experiences with my own children and young visitors to my garden, I share playful plants, simple projects, and ways to let children take the lead.
With stories and ideas from Gardening with Emma, the book I co-authored with my daughter, this talk explores how gardens can nurture curiosity and confidence—and why success can look different for every child.
For parents, grandparents, educators, and anyone who wants to share a love of gardening with children.
Looking for a Specific Fruit Topic?
I also offer individual talks on growing figs, lemons, and olives in cold climates, plus No-Fuss Fruit, featuring easy-to-grow fruit crops for home gardens.
Not sure which talk fits your group? Tell me about your audience, and I’ll help you choose.
“Steven has been a very popular speaker at my events, with his knowledgeable and at times humorous style. He never lectures; rather he engages the audience and has an easygoing and approachable manner. Steven is a grower and his experiences bring his topics to life. I can’t wait to get him back!”
“Steven is one of our best speakers. His presentations are always clear and down-to-earth, yet highly informative and amply infused with practical advice derived from his own personal experience. Steven always gets a great response from our attendees.”
What Event Organizers Say
Previous Speaking Engagements
I’ve presented for Toronto Botanical Garden, Royal Botanical Gardens, Canada Blooms, the Ontario Horticultural Association, and garden festivals in Calgary, Peterborough, and Stratford.
My audiences also include horticultural societies, Master Gardener groups, libraries, garden centres, and community organizations.
Enquire About a Gardening Talk
Tell me about your group, the date you have in mind, and whether you’re planning an online or in-person event. If you’re still choosing a topic, I’m happy to help.
I’ll reply with availability and a fee for your event.
Prefer email? Contact steven@foodgardenlife.com.