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Horticulture Centre of the Pacific - April 2024 eNews
Spring PlantSale
April 27-28 9-4 daily
We have noticed a lot of winter damage here in the gardens.
The deep freeze that arrived in January resulted in burnt foliage to some broadleaf plants and death to some of the tenders. Spring is for planting, and we have a great selection of unique plants to choose from, so come early for best selection.
Admission to the gardens is free during plantsales, so take time to peruse the Gardens. Victoria Master Gardeners, staff, volunteers, and our Horticulture students will be available to help answer all your questions.
All proceeds raised from the plantsale support the maintenance and development of our not-for-profit teaching gardens.
Stop by the gift shop, West Coast Seeds, VI Wool Pellets and Handy Hoops are available.
Mark your calendars! Earth Day - April 22nd Spring Plant Sale - April 27th and 28th Tomato Day - May 18th AGM - May 30th 5:00pm in the Couvelier Pavilion Arts & Music in the Gardens - August 10th
Message from the HCP Board of Directors
The HCP’s Board of Directors has recently restructured its mandate to put a greater emphasis on horticultural education for our community. Our broader educational focus will help to support and enhance our HCP College, along with our Community Education, and our Child & Youth programs. Notably, our many and diverse demonstration gardens will continue to be cared for by our professional HCP staff, with support from our office staff, and from our very important team of committed volunteers.
With this new direction, your HCP Board has also restructured the management of the organization, creating two senior positions with a Director of Operations, Lynn Evans and a College Director, Karen Reburn, both reporting directly to the HCP Board. With this new structure, the position of General Manager was no longer required. We would like to thank Deborah Donahue for her service and contributions and wish her the best in her future endeavours. We hope you will join us in welcoming our new Management Team and participate in our upcoming events as we build for the future. Respectfully, HCP Board of Directors
Thank you so much for your generous support!
As a charity, the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific depends on the support and generosity of others to help us make a difference. The maintenance of our gardens is funded through our memberships as well as donations, sponsorships, grants and income from our gardens through admissions, plant sales, events and weddings. Even though much of the creation and maintenance of the gardens is carried out by teams of hardworking and cherished volunteers, there is still a large financial commitment when caring for nine acres of curated gardens and the Conservation Park.
Your donations provide essential support.
And thank you so much for your continued support -- we couldn't do it without you! Visit our website or phone (250) 479-6162 to donate today.
Current Hours: Weekdays 10am-3pm
Weekends 9am-3pm
The 2024 full-time certificate program students are busy this month as they continue with their hands-on Practical Skills as well as their Irrigation, Plant ID, Introduction to Food Growing, Soils and Landscape Design classes. Students were able to start their own food growing gardens this month, in addition to taking some special topics including Apiculture and Bonzai.
The part-time Level 1 Apprenticeship students are coming close to finishing their program this May. This month they will be taking courses in Plant ID, Turfgrass Management and Plant Health. As always, PHC is so impressed with the dedication of the part-time students!
We’ve set our dates for our next programs, and they are already filling up quickly! Please contact admissions@hcp.ca with any inquiries to make sure you can join us this year.
Program Dates: October 28 to December 6, 2024 Program Details: Monday to Friday from 9 am – 4 pm Delivery: Full-Time and Blended (a combination of in-person and online classes). Weeks 1 - 4 will be online and the final 2 weeks (weeks 5 and 6) will be in-person at Pacific Horticulture College. Open for Applications: April 2, 2024 Application Deadline: September 30, 2024
NEW Partnership Program with Rocky Point Bird Observatory … check this out!!
Learn to Draw - A Barred Owl with Ashlea Veldhoen
Has your child always been excited to draw the things they hold most dear? Do they have a natural curiosity about the world around them? Do they love birds and aspire to be able to draw them? This workshop will inspire them to continue drawing, through strengthening their observation skills, hand-eye-coordination, focus and patience as we move through 10-steps to drawing one of Victoria’s most commonly seen owls – the Barred Owl. We will be sharing some handy bird facts throughout the workshop an encourage children to bring their own bird field guides or pictures of their favourite bird to share with the group at the end.
This workshop will follow a step-by-step process that is easy and fun for beginners, and is best suited to children 10 years old and up. Younger learners are welcome, but we encourage parents to use discretion when signing up younger learners, as this workshop will need some patience and focus to complete.
Parents are encouraged to draw alongside their child. Each family will receive a small printed guide that they can take home to continue practicing. The basic steps included in this guide can be used to draw any bird once learned, so your child can have fun applying what they’ve learned to different species they see at home. Dress for the weather! Spaces are limited to 15.
Date: Sunday May 5, 2024
Time: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Ages: 10+ years recommended
Fee By Donation: $15 donation is encouraged to cover the cost of materials
BIRTHDAYS in The Garden! (A couple spaces left for late spring bookings)
We offer a 2 hour unique birthday experience for children in the gardens. Our parties are based on fun and engaging nature themes, including Terrarium Gardens, Mythical Creatures, Fairy Gardens, Enchanted Forests, Herbal Creations, among others. See our complete list of workshops HERE . Explore the gardens, create an amazing take away craft, then host your guests for refreshments. For more information contact our School & Youth Programs Coordinator at youthprograms@hcp.ca .
Workshops for Early Learners
Exploring Nature Through Crafts
Our gardens and natural surroundings offer many opportunities for foraging and creativity. Together we will use our time to explore seasonal interests in the garden, then gather a variety of materials, using a weekly theme to make a take away project that will delight and entertain. Extra hands are always welcome as we create and assemble. Please plan to stay if your child benefits from your support or if you crave some nature crafting of your own! Looking for a morning filled with fun? Consider signing your child up for Stories in The Garden.
Imagine a gentle nature walk with your child to calm and inspire you both! This rain or shine outdoor program on our endless pathways provides us with many social and nature connections. This is followed by a storytime that encourages the development of listening skills and small group interactions. Plan to bring along your favourite story blanket and snack to enjoy during the story with your child and invite a friend. Minimum registration is required. Please share word of this engaging program with your friends and make it a play date! Consider making a morning with us and add Exploring Nature Through Crafts too!
We look forward to welcoming you to this springtime themed fairy garden workshop. Beginning with a garden walk for inspiration, let's create a special miniature garden depicting all the colour that the season has to offer! This making workshop provides your child with another creative way to connect with nature and become a plant steward while experiencing joyful moments of play for days, weeks and months to come! Need some playtime too? Why not sign up and make your own miniature garden!!
We love our Spa times! Many spa treatments are based on herbs and other plants for their healing and nourishing qualities. In this session, we will learn about a few of the many helpful plants we often find in our gardens and pantries, explore how to use them, and create a basket of healthful and restorative products to gift Mom.This hands on crafting session will provide children with a working knowledge of some common plants and how to use them for self care. All materials will be provided for a beautiful gift basket of handmade spa items.
We have come up with a very special way to share the love of tea and time together. This Tea Time with Mom session will include an informative garden tour to explore plants for tea making followed by a tea brewing time and tasting. Plan to join us for this journey into tea time and celebrations of plants and how they help create joyful moments together. A great gift for a special Mom and Child in your life!
Does Dad Love to Barbeque? Herbs can really enhance this meal experience to add flavour and interest too! Join us for a garden journey to explore garden herbs to grow for culinary uses and create a make and take planter to gift Dad for Father’s Day! Each planter includes a pot, 3 herbs and plant markers for gifting beautifully.
The role of pollinators has continued to evolve and we have been amazed at the essential role these garden helpers play in food production. Let’s explore the key role that butterflies play in this, the plants that support their full life cycles and how to create a butterfly garden at home. Lot’s of sharing of seeds to set you up for success!
Creating a Forest Habitat at Home (Miyawaki Method)
We are creating a pocket forest at HCP this spring as a project with help from a generous grant from Pollinator Partnership. The space adjoins our Meadow Makers Project Garden that was installed in 2023 and will offer more pollinator rich native plantings for habitat and foraging. This method of afforestation was developed by the Japanese botanist and plant ecology expert Professor Akira Miyawaki, and draws inspiration from nature's ecosystems to create 100% organic, dense and diverse pioneer forests in as little as 20-30 years. Please join our project lead Paula McCormick on a journey of positive change with this onsite presentation.
Dates: Sunday June 23 2024 Time: 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm Fee: $35/individual or $45/Family Register: Online or call 250-479-6162
If you are interested in having us design something for your needs, please reach out to us at youthprograms@hcp.ca
Gardening in Summer-Dry Climates
Nora Harlow & Saxon Holt
This is the book for us right now. Climate trends suggest extended summer droughts may become more common on the Pacific Coast. The philosophy behind Gardening in Summer-Dry Climates is to plant climate-adapted plants in harmony with our natural landscape. Most of the book is a compendium of plants that thrive with moderate to no summer water on the Pacific Coast. The brief descriptions include plant origins, USDA hardiness zones and Sunset climate zones to help determine what will succeed in your garden. The Plants for Special Places section includes lists for both plants for dryish shade and plants for coastal gardens. The Guide to Plant Selection charts types of plant, exposure and flowering season. Some Thoughts on Design is an important section of the book. Water, wildfire, carbon capture and soil are discussed. The overarching theme is about making gardens that respect the natural world, and design as a continuous and interactive process. From the Preface: “Garden Earth requires our stewardship and we gardeners can be a positive force for sustainability.”
Gardening in Summer-Dry Climates is available to borrow now from the HCP library.
And to see other books new to the library check out our Recent Acquisitions.
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