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Hours: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Everyday
As always, the HCP staff and I are so honoured to have an opportunity to show our appreciation for our wonderful volunteers with our winter tea. The staff all bake tasty treats and celebrate the end of the year with our garden family, amidst an almost overwhelming amount of love and comradery that we all have for this incredible place and those that make the choice to be on this journey with us. Thank you!!
Also, a reminder that the gardens are closed beginning Sunday, December 17th and reopening Friday, January 12th.
My warmest wishes for a truly magical holiday season, and I look forward to seeing everyone in 2024.
Deborah
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.
Our Annual Fundraising Appeal, Keep the Flowers Blooming is now underway as we reach out to our garden community to help us meet our funding priorities. Your ongoing support is vital to our success. Your donation will help us grow our gardens, providing a year-round spectacle for our community to enjoy. If all of you, our garden supporters, were able to give a donation of $25, we would be able to buy the Garden staff a new tractor and retire our tired 2009 Kubota! But we need more than just one tractor…..
Also, I would love for you to consider our Planned Giving Program. A planned gift is a very thoughtful and personal matter. It is a gift now which The Horticulture Centre of the Pacific (HCP) will receive in the FUTURE. It reflects the donor’s desire to provide for the continued and future success of the HCP. We are holding an education seminar on Planned Giving on October 18th, 2024 so please add that to next year’s calendar. You are also most welcome to reach out to me directly at director@hcp.ca for more information.
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.
Thank you!
Happy Holidays to all our wonderful volunteers!
We wish you a happy and joyful Holiday Season!
JUST 3 DAYS LEFT to shop! Many new items! We just received a new shipment of gorgeous mugs from Hands On Clay Collective - all priced under $50 for a truly unique Christmas gift for that hard-to-buy-for person!Please stop in when you are in the gardens next and find the perfect gift for someone special. Many great deals!
Everyone at the Pacific Horticulture College enjoyed a warm and celebratory Graduation ceremony on November 17th, where students were granted not only their certificates, but also some awards! These notable achievements include the Joyce Parker Plant ID award, a Top Attendance Award, the Perseverance Award, an Excellence in Design Award, and the Jill Stewart Bowen Award. We also had our friend and HCP founder, Diane Pierce, present our overall excellence award. These awards have contributed to our growing success, and we’d like to formally thank all of those for helping us celebrate the achievements of our students. If you would like to be a become a donor of one of our upcoming bursaries, scholarships, or grants, please contact College@hcp.ca
In current news, our Level 3 students just wrapped up their program on December 9th, and our part-time Level 2 students will be finishing their program on December 14th. As for our upcoming Full Time Landscape Certificate Program starting January 15th, 2024. There are 2 spots remaining and applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible! Refer a friend or family member to admissions@hcp.ca
PHC College places great importance on community engagement and service. Next year, as a part of our mandate and strategic plan, PHC would like to become more involved in stewardship and giving back, as such, we are looking for schools and assisted living offsite projects to give back to our community. These efforts not only give back to the community but also provide valuable hands-on experience for our students. Please contact college@hcp.ca for more information.
In the meantime, we wish you all a very happy season filled with kindness, creativity, and a love for our family, friends, and our natural surroundings.
Community Education Click HERE to view 2024 Classes and Workshops
HCP Blog
Read the latest article on our Meadow Making Project HERE.
Our year with HCP Kids has been filled with wonder, some challenges, and lots of joy! Thank you to those who have joined us for family friendly events (Family, Earth, Pollinator, and Harvest Festivals), a morning with your students, planted and crafted in a workshop, celebrated birthdays, or shared a garden wander and storytime.
Our lives have been filled with many challenges over these past months and the power of plants continues to calm, heal and amaze us. We look forward to seeing you all in the new year as we create precious moments and memories together in 2024!
STUDENTS JOBS & VOLUNTEER opportunities. Looking for experience working with children during our JMG Garden Camps this school year? Contact youthprograms@hcp.ca for details.
GROUP BOOKINGS - are available for all workshops and programs? Contact us at youthprograms@hcp.ca
SPRING BREAK CAMPS - registration opens January 7 for Family Membership holders and on the 8th for everyone. These are very popular camps and they book quickly!!
To see more details about a program please use the link in the title.
HOME LEARNERS - EXCITING New Programs coming for 2024!
We are featuring some exciting new short series and workshops beginning in February. Be sure to check our website for more information later this month! As always, our spaces provide unique and hands-on experiences for home learning families and networks! Whether you are a homeschool parent or group teacher, these garden based nature programs are filled with curriculum rich learning experiences for your child. We offer full day, drop in and series programs. If you are looking for inspiration for program ideas, in addition to the program listed HERE, please take a look at SCHOOL PROGRAMS, these can also be provided for your group as can any of our HCP Kids – Workshops.
If you are interested in having us design something for your needs, please reach out to us at youthprograms@hcp.ca .
New for 2024 - Winter Workshops for Early Learners (3-5)
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 The Art of Storytelling for Littles! Ages 3 to 5 years
Dates: Thursdays February 1, 8, 15, 22, 2024 Time: 9:00 am - 10:15 am Fee: $68 or $60/Family Membership Register:Online or call 250-479-6162
The Art of Storytelling for Littles!
We all love a good story and even at a young age children can tell us amazing stories!
Some of us are naturals and some of us need guidance and nurturing. In this garden meetup, we will share stories both from books and experiences to practice our own creative storytelling.
If you have a confident child ready to join a small group on their own, parents are free to do a drop off. We do ask that you stay on site and take time to enjoy the gardens. Some children need to have a familiar adult with them to become their confident self, and we are happy to have an adult stay and participate as a child requires. If you are looking to fill the morning with another beautiful garden time, consider signing up for Nature Crafts. Ages 3 to 5 years
Dates: Thursdays February 1, 8, 15, 22, 2024 Time: 10:45 am - 11:45 am Fee: $68 or $60 with Family Membership Register:Online or call 250-479-6162
The Great Garden Hunt
We all know what happens when a worm is uncovered in the garden ... lots of excitement!
Well imagine a weekly garden wander to look for all of those special discoveries that just happen when you least expect it! Along the way we will be learning lots of fun facts about these amazing garden friends, and forging friendships and interactions with each other. Each meetup will include a theme related craft to take home. Join your child or enjoy the gardens (on your own, or with a friend Mom:) during our meet up time. 3 to 5 years
Dates: Fridays February 23, March 1, 8, 15 Time: 9:00 am - 10:15 am Fee: $68 or $60 with Family Membership Register:Online or call 250-479-6162
NEW SCHOOL AGE WORKSHOPS (5-14)
Seed Starting for Kids
As gardeners it never seems early enough to get started with seed starting. This is an inexpensive way to produce food crops, herbs and flowers, and we will explore them all. There will be lots of seeds planted and brought home to continue growing and enjoying. This is a great skill to have as a budding gardener! Ages 5 to 14 years
Date: Saturday February 10, 2024 Time: 10:00 am - 11:30 am Fee: $35 or $30 with Family membership Register:Online or call 250-479-6162
Crafting with Hearts!
The first known depiction of a heart shape as a symbol of love was in the 1200’s! It was held upside down for the first couple hundred years, before it was flipped into the position that we recognize today. Just in time for Valentine’s Day let’s explore some fun ways to incorporate the famous heart shape into an afternoon of crafting!. Using a variety of materials and plant parts we will create amazing crafts including a wreath, lavender sachet, and heart shaped wildflower seed bombs. Ages 5 to 14 years
Date: Saturday February 10, 2024 Time: 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm Fee: $35 or $30 with Family membership Register:Online or call 250-479-6162
WORKSHOPS FOR FAMILIES
Watch for our Family Day updates coming in the new year for more details.
Thanks to our wonderful volunteer, Bev, for bringing this fundraising opportunity to us! We have redeemed $24,000 in receipts for $240 in gift cards so far! Amazing!! When you are doing your Christmas shopping at Country Grocer - please save your tape and drop it off with us in the new year!
Please drop off your Country Grocer receipts at the Front Desk, it's as easy as that to support our Volunteer cookie program!
Thanks again everyone!
Deborah
Our 2024 wedding bookings are open with new packages available, and we’ve still got some room in the summer! August 2024 is almost full for the weekends, but we’ve still got some room for June, July & September.
Please reach out to me at events@hcp.ca with any questions or inquiries! I’m happy to connect and make sure your special day will be perfect!
We are always booking our pavilion throughout the year for corporate events, meetings, memorials, workshops, birthdays, and more! We are always excited to hear what event you’d like to hold at our beautiful Gardens.
Revenue from annual memberships supports youth programming, horticulture student development, plants and supplies for garden improvements, and volunteer appreciation.
Discounted member rates on Community Education Workshops
Borrowing privileges at the HCP Library
Discounts at select garden centers throughout Victoria
20% off Admission at Victoria Butterfly Gardens
Free admission, free parking, or other discounts at participating gardens in the American Horticultural Society’s Reciprocal Admissions Program
Available now to borrow from the new and growing HCP library children’s book collection. Catered to the needs of our youngest gardeners and naturalists, borrowers will be able to select books about plants, gardens, nature, food, seeds, wildlife, pollinators, climate, water, seasons, sustainability, and the environment to take home and enjoy. Started in October 2023, Canadian Library Month, the campaign to build this much-needed library collection published a wish list on the HCP Library website.
Donations of books and money from supporters will grow this project from an idea to a reality to support children and families of the community. And you can contact us at library@hcp.ca to discuss the details of your gift. Thank you for your support!
And to see other books new to the library check out our Recent Acquisitions.
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