Sarah Holland
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (May 10/02) - Jerry Vandenbilche is a businessman, but he's no stuffed shirt counting numbers behind a desk.

While Vandenbilche works full time for a printing company, he also moonlights as part owner of the Yellowknife Garden Centre.

While talking to him it's obvious gardening is a passion he is eager to share with others at the centre and the spring trade show.

"I love talking to people," said Vandenbilche. "And people want to talk about spring, about gardening."

Vandenbilche's horticultural history spans over a decade.

"I worked at Alberta Nurseries and Seeds for 10 years. Then I moved up here and when my friends, who owned the garden centre, offered to sell it to us (Vandenbilche and business partner Rob Lindskeg), I said 'Sure, why not?'"

The duo have owned the centre, created seven years ago, for three years.

This year is Vandenbilche's second year at the spring trade show, an event he defines simply as "a lot of fun."

This year Vandenbilche plans to have lilies and samples of the centre's various products on display at the trade show. And maybe even a few giveaways amongst the hours of talking and sharing.

"People love to talk about what grows in their yard .... People appreciate the fact that it (the garden centre) is owned by us, just a couple of guys. And they're very supportive of us."

Vandenbilche said people grow amazing gardens in Yellowknife, and he's adamant that anything you grow in the South, you can grow here.

The centre usually opens on the May long weekend, depending on the weather and ferry service, and closes the first week of July.