We have an account at the Return-It Bottle Depot! The next time you’re bringing in your refundables, please advise the cashier at the beginning of the transaction that you would like to donate the amount to The Gardens at HCP.

Please use our name and not the account number you may see on a past receipt, as the account number is different at each Bottle Depot location. The three Victoria locations are 4261 Glanford Ave, 655 Queens Ave, and 3961 Quadra St.

Visit the Return-It website to see which beverage containers are eligible for a refund.

The Thrifty Foods Smile Card Program is changing on June 15.

The active grant, which provides 5% to The Gardens at HCP under the current program format, will be in effect until June 15, 2021. To maximize earnings for our organization, please load your existing Smile Card or pick up one from the HCP office and load it by June 15. We receive a 5% contribution based on the total amount loaded onto the card. Remember to load funds onto the card at the start of your grocery order before scanning items.

The June eNews will outline the new program in detail. Thank you!

It’s a new month; don’t forget to check your bright green 'Gardens at HCP' membership card to see if it has expired! Memberships are a great value and include:

Free admission to the Gardens

A free guest pass with each membership

Discounted rates for additional guests

10% off plants and gift shop purchases

Discounted member rates on Community Education Workshops

Discounts at select garden centres throughout Victoria

Free admission, free parking, or other discounts at participating gardens in the American Horticultural Society’s Reciprocal Admissions Program!

Revenue from annual memberships supports youth programming, horticulture student development, plants and supplies for garden improvements, and volunteer appreciation. You can purchase or renew your membership today online or by calling (250) 479-6162.

Our new database system allows you to manage your membership, donations and workshop registrations online. Current members and most past members have an account already.

When you attempt to log in for the first time, you will need to reset your password. Please note that the password recovery email expires after 48 hours, and may be in your spam folder. Don’t hesitate to phone us if you need any assistance.

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Mother's Day is this Sunday, May 9! What could be better than a year of garden visits? Our giftable memberships are for sale at the main office/gift shop. Your loved one will receive a card with a membership voucher inside to redeem with us. The membership is activated on the day they redeem the voucher.

Albert is a well-known figure around The Gardens at HCP and has several visitors who come to see him just as much as they do the gardens. One of his biggest fans refers to him as a “work of art” and most would agree. For those who have not had the privilege of meeting Albert in person, he is a large orange cat who resides in the gardens. Or rather, he used to reside in the gardens and some of you have been enquiring about his whereabouts and wellbeing.

Although Albert generally presents himself as dapper and handsome, he does have a rather serious heart condition that requires frequent medication. As a result, he has taken early retirement from his PR position at the Gardens to move in with one of our staff for full-time care. Albert now lives with Community Education Coordinator Cheri Le Brun and her husband, as well as her small-but-mighty dog Poppy and a timid border collie called Drum. Albert is one of the pack - some might say the leader of the pack. He spends his days being pampered, lazing around in a beautiful orchard and “admiring” the birds. Although he misses the Gardens and his many public admirers, he dutifully accepts the luxuries that retired life has to offer. Albert’s exact birthday has never quite been pinned down, but we celebrate it over the May long weekend and he is turning 7 years old this year. Happy Birthday, Albert!

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May Book Sale! 50% off all our Books for Sale during May. See our expanded and updated list on our website By Title or By Subject. Come to the library during open hours to make your purchase. Please note that we can only accept cash in the library.

Expanded Open Hours! We are now open on Thursdays 10:00am-1:00pm. Say “Welcome Back!” to Lea the next time you’re in on a Thursday. As you know, we’re also open Saturdays 11:00am-1:00pm (and on Wednesdays 10:00am-1:00pm for PHC students and HCP volunteers only).

Heirloom Vegetable Gardening
by William Woys Weaver

A master gardener’s guide to planting, seed saving and cultural history. You could say that seeds connect us to our future, and heirloom seeds also connect us to our past. When we plant seeds this spring, we will be hoping and working for future harvests. When our ancestors saved seeds from their harvests, they also dreamed of the future. When we plant their heirlooms we are carrying on the tradition of planting a wide assortment of seeds and plants cultivated for characteristics such as flavor and yield. In Heirloom Vegetable Gardening, William Woys Weaver documents plant histories as well as stories and lore about 280 vegetables from artichokes to yams. Colour photos (like the one of the striped Listada de Gandia eggplant) make choosing just what to plant a challenge, and the many line drawings add a sense of history and character to the vegetables discussed. While the definition of “heirloom” seeds is under debate (post-war? 100 years?) and the reasons for growing them vary, it is generally agreed that they are invaluable for people and the earth. So consider borrowing this HCP Library book for a good look at what the ‘heirloom’ talk is all about.

Check our online catalogue for more titles and click the blue "Ask About This" button to reserve a copy of any book. Questions? Contact us at library@hcp.ca.