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This edition features Head Gardener's Message: "Tips for Summer Watering" , Arts & Music reminder, Community Ed, & HCP Kids Youth program highlights, Pollinator Days, plus the Bookend. We hope you enjoy it.
Horticulture Centre of the Pacific - June 2025 eNews
Our Mission is to bring a diversity of people together to learn, enjoy and participate in the rewards of horticulture and environmental stewardship.
Here are some tips to help you irrigate your garden effectively:
irrigate close to the ground to reduce evaporation and water loss to wind
water in the morning before heat from the sun begins to evaporate the water
evening watering can lead to problems with plant diseases
add a good layer of mulch (3-4 inches) to your garden beds - it holds the moisture, cools the plants' roots and suppresses weeds
collect rain water and re-purpose used kitchen water instead of letting it go down the drain
choose drought-tolerant species and native plants which are adapted to our dry summers
during prolonged drought, let your lawn go dormant and turn brown. It will green up again when the rainfall and cooler temperatures return in the fall
potted plants tend to dry out more quickly than those in the ground. (In the heat of the summer you may have to water your hanging basket twice a day if it is in full sun.)
newly planted trees and shrubs should be watered 2-3 times a week if no rain occurs, be sure to direct the water on the root ball
established plants should be watered thoroughly once a week
Explore our summer selection of Adult Community Education talks, classes and workshops. Find out how to enjoy drop-in Yoga on Thursdays in the Bonsai Garden, paint California poppies in watercolour, ready your landscape for wildfire season, or create a herbal “first aid kit” for your summer escapes. We are also offering lunchtime demos, expert talks and activities outdoors in the Rotunda, free with your admission to the gardens. This month, join artist Wendy Picken for drop-in garden drawing (June 13), or learn to support pollinators at home with Bethany Couture during Pollinator Week (June 18.) For the latest updates, join the Community Education E-news, or visit this summary of new classes currently open for registration.
Warm congratulations to the 2025 graduates of the Master Gardener Training Program at HCP, who were celebrated at the May meeting of the Victoria Master Gardeners Association (VMGA). Between January and May, they completed 100 hours of training, broadening their horticultural knowledge in topics such as botany, soil health, pests, food production, design, and choosing the right plant for the right place. Are you interested in next year’s program? Join the MGT interest list and receive up-to-date information on the program and how to register later this summer.
Thank You Volunteers!
This May we launched a new initiative created by our amazing Library Volunteer team. Please join our volunteers on the lawn outside the HCP Library for Nature Tales in the Garden, a drop in storytime for preschool children and parents.
For more information about volunteering at HCP please contact Kim, Volunteer Coordinator at volunteers@hcp.ca
"Our 31st annual Arts & Music in the Gardens at HCP, this August 9th and 10th! Admission is $10 (including members), children under 12 are free.
100% of admission proceeds goes toward keeping the Gardens growing."
We hope to see you there! If you are interested in becoming a vendor or musician for the event please contact artsandmusic@hcp.ca for an application or more information. "
The Many Gardens at HCP
HCP features a wide variety of Demonstration Gardens: including The Doris Page Winter Garden, The Rhododendron & Hosta Garden, Anne's Garden - dedicated to Anne Jardine, the Children's Garden, Birds, Bees & Butterflies, Bonsai Collection, Conservation Area, a Cutting Garden, a Drought Tolerant/Mediterranean Garden, a Heather Garden, an Herb Garden, a new Iris Garden, just coming into its blooming season,
an HCP Kids Junior Master Gardeners' Garden Plot, a Fuchsia Garden- newly renovated, a Lily Garden, the Mixed Hardy Borders Garden, the Native Plants and Western Wood,s a newly constructed Patio Garden, a Permaculture Garden, the Takata Garden, an Urban Garden and a Veggie Garden. Something for every one with plenty of places to sit and enjoy the views.
Next time you're exploring The Gardens, be sure to stop by our cozy, ever-growing gift shop. Discover a thoughtfully curated selection of locally crafted treasures, including handmade soaps, wood-burned coasters, flower-embedded resin earrings, and gardening essentials like West Coast Seeds, Hori Hori garden tools, books, and more.
Keep an eye out for new arrivals like Queen Bee Farm teas and handcrafted ceramics, as well as the return of The Gardens lip balm by Whiffcraft, made exclusively for HCP. Whether you're treating yourself or searching for the perfect gift, our shop offers something special to take home and remember your visit by.
You may also call us at 250-479-6162 to register or inquire.
HCP is looking for a secondary school student to fill our Summer Camp Support Staff position. Find our job description here.
To apply, submit a cover letter and resume with at least three references to HCP’s Youth Program Coordinator, Paula McCormick (youthprograms@hcp.ca) by June 16, 2025.
HCP Memberships offer a wealth of benefits for the body, heart & spirit.
Share your love of plants and nature with a friend.
Reminder -
Check your membership - renew within a month before the expiry date to get a 10% early renewal discount!
Family and community friendly activities in The Gardens at HCP on Sunday June 22 (9:00 am – 2:00 pm) will be featured to celebrate the amazing role that pollinators of all shapes, species, and sizes contribute to our planet.
Visit Rocky Point Bird Observatory’s touch tables featuring bird pollinators and other interesting activities.
Attend Wild Birds Unlimited free talks and see their pollinator display of products.
Visit the Victoria Master Gardener Association information and question table featuring lots of pollinator friendly planting suggestions.
Join local children’s author Cynthia Mackey for a reading of her newly published book “If a Butterfly Lands on Your Toe”. Also, Cynthia will also be available for a Meet the Author open forum.
Garden entrance is discounted to $9 with a same-day C&Q receipt {children under 16 receive complimentary entry}.
Hours: Weds to Sunday 9am-3pm
FEEL WORLDS AWAY | DINE WITH THE FLOWERS "Charlotte & The Quail" has called The Gardens home since 2010. "Our lives have forever changed with the time spent here. The Gardens have given us perspective, peace & patience. The seasons have offered us repetition, reminders & reassurance.
Library is open for browsing and borrowing Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm. Check out the Library Catalog
Held By the Land - A Guide to Indigenous Plants for Wellness by Leigh Joseph, an ethnobotanist from Squamish First Nation. 2023
This 192 page book is a field guide to plants that were and are vital to indigenous communities in the Pacific Northwest.
Forty-four culturally significant plants are identified with Indigenous, English and Latin botanical names. Each plant has a two page spread with a line drawing illustration, a description of habitat, a botanical description, information on sustainable harvest and timing of harvest, and the plant gift to health and wellness.
Includes an Apothecary Supply list.
A recipe accompanies each plant description. A great time to make a nourishing cuticle oil with dried common horsetail, or perhaps a delicious Stinging Nettle pesto.
Thank you for reading, we hope you enjoyed the content. hcp.ca
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