December 2020 eNews

My “Welcome Back” message for January 2020 asked that we “let 2020 be the year of challenging ourselves to take a new path”, but this has been beyond anything anyone could have possibly imagined! I think it is really important that each of us takes a moment to reflect on the positives and opportunities that this year has brought us. One positive we have noticed at HCP is that there have been more people getting into their gardens than ever before. That being said, I will be very careful with my message for January 2021!

In the spring, we were forced to change our way of life virtually overnight, and the HCP team showed our resiliency by switching to online formats for our plant sales, Pacific Horticulture College classes, and the popular Year Round Harvest community education workshop series. Through the summer, we learned how versatile and creative we can be, and bonded together to make the most of the circumstances we were dealt, including offering our wonderful and safe Picnic in the Gardens weekly features as a way of keeping the feeling of community even while missing our fantastic annual Arts & Music in the Gardens festival.

I think we are all weary of the phrase “unprecedented”, but this year has certainly been unique and not one we will soon forget. We’ve come through a year filled with both challenges and victories. How reassuring it’s been to know that we can count on all of you regardless of what faces us!

I am encouraged and inspired by our staff and volunteers, and know that we will continue to work together to ensure that The Gardens at HCP will continue to be a place of sanctuary for all.

I would like to thank our valued donors and Members for their continued generosity and financial support. Our Fall Campaign has raised over $17,000 to date! Thank you! And thank you to our 2331 Members -- and counting! Your annual membership fees help us with the costs of operating such an amazing place. Once again, thank you to you all.

From all of us at the Gardens, we hope you have a safe and healthy holiday season.

Deborah

The past nine months have changed the lives of people around the globe. We were all forced to change our habits and discover a “new normal” way of living. I want to thank all the volunteers and students for their support in the gardens. So many visitors have commented on how good the garden looked this year, and how grateful they were to have a beautiful, safe place to visit during such a difficult time.

I read an article recently that stated, "Plants just stay their entire life in one space and have to survive from there." That's not so different from many of us right now.

Together, we are stronger! Best wishes for a Happy Holiday.

Linda

Thank you to all of our volunteers who adapted, persevered and remained positive this year. We could not have made it through 2020 without you!

Cheri Le Brun

Volunteer & Community Education Coordinator

Image courtesy of Emma Rossum

I entered 2020 hoping to break a record for The Gardens at HCP: 50 weddings in one year! (We hosted 49 last year.) Unfortunately, we all know what happened next. My heart goes out to every couple forced to change, reschedule, or cancel their plans due to the COVID-19 pandemic, not to mention my fellow wedding vendors who struggled to make ends meet this year. Wedding and event bookings are an important revenue source for HCP, and I’m so grateful to the Members, donors, and my wonderful colleagues for their generosity and hard work. You picked up the slack and allowed me to continue serving our clients without wondering about my job security. Thank you.

Every time we figured out how to hold weddings and events safely and started to get our feet back under ourselves, another Provincial Health Order would come out to knock us over again. I checked the archives today -- BC is on our ninth set of rules for gatherings and events. Fortunately, two things remain true: people who work in the events industry are natural problem solvers, and people who want to get married outside at a nonprofit botanical garden on Vancouver Island are naturally laid back!

In the end, roughly half of our weddings postponed to 2021, and a third cancelled in order to keep things closer to home or because they are waiting for international borders to reopen. I’m proud to say that we have safely hosted 23 weddings so far, with a handful of holiday elopements just around the corner. Ten of those couples were actually new bookings added during the pandemic! I can now eyeball six feet with near-perfect accuracy, and I have a mask for every outfit. While the Takata Garden (pictured above) has always been a popular elopement spot, many couples chose to say their vows underneath the eucalyptus tree after the gardens closed to the public. Scent is a powerful memory-maker and I hope every whiff of soothing eucalyptus oil will bring back cherished memories for many years to come.

Over eight years (at two different venues), I’ve coordinated nearly 250 weddings. I can’t count the number of times I’ve told a stressed-out couple, “All you really need to get married is the officiant, the license, and two witnesses. Everything else is extra.” Those words have never been truer.

There are 47 weddings booked for 2021, including those rescheduled from 2020. Wish us luck!

Megan Stacey

Groups Sales Manager & Event Coordinator

Pacific Horticulture College is bustling with activity as we wrap up our 2020 programs and plan for 2021! First, a most heartfelt congratulations to the six students who persevered and successfully completed the full-time Landscape Horticulture Certificate Program this November: Sage, Michael, Dana, Lindsey, Susannah, and Jessica. Your dedication to the program and love of plants has really shone through this year. We are so proud of you!

We also want to congratulate our part-time Level 1 students, who are finishing their program on December 14. You are such a lovely group of people and we hope to see you back for Level 2! Last but not least, our Level 3 students finish their program on December 18. We are enjoying the mix of PHC alumni and new faces in this class! The contributions of all of our students in the Gardens are so appreciated.

Throughout this demanding year, the PHC instructors have risen to every challenge and adapted to new ways of teaching. A big thank you to all of our fantastic instructors for your resilience and dedication to our students. We couldn't have done it without you!

Stay tuned for upcoming program and course information in January. In the meantime, we wish everyone a happy, safe, and restful holiday season!

This year has been full of surprises and opportunities. We are grateful to all those who have included our school programs and youth programs in their lives. Our outdoor program delivery has always been our strength and what continues to set us apart as a place to learn, play and grow!

We are pleased to announce a new Pre-K program, beginning January 2021 in the gardens. HCP’s Garden Nature Academy will be another outdoor opportunity to connect little ones with the many amazing adventures our gardens provide, including growing food and learning about our natural systems.

Consider this part-time program as a way to connect your child with the outdoors in our safe garden setting. Our group sizes are small and facilitation is with experienced outdoor educators. If you know someone who might benefit, stay tuned for more information coming soon.

Looking forward to connecting safely in our gardens again soon!

Paula McCormick

School & Youth Programs Coordinator

Thank you to everyone who participated in our community education workshops this year! You have exercised great patience and understanding while we adapt our classes to the ongoing pandemic. We are proud to have received excellent feedback so far, and also gained some great new instructors. We will continue to adapt in 2021 and offer safe ways to learn. If you’re unable to attend in person or just enjoy learning in the comfort of your own home, please check out our new online classes!

We look forward to seeing you in class at the Gardens and online in 2021. Have a safe and joyous festive season.

Plant Identification & Culture

Learn so much about plants with instructor Diane Pierce, expert gardener, designer and writer. Diane will introduce you to 25 new plants in each session. You will learn Latin and common names, plant descriptions, cultural requirements, general maintenance and landscape uses. This is an ongoing course and can be joined at any time, all year long, once a month. Discounted rate for paying for 3 sessions up front. Dress for the weather as part or all of the class will be outdoors. Masks required. Check online for class location as some dates may be field trips!

Instructor: Diane Pierce

Dates (all Saturdays):

January 23, February 20, March 13, April 10, May 15, June 19, July 17, August 21, September 18, October 2, November 20, December 4

Time: 1:00 - 4:00pm

Fee: HCP Members $35 / Non-Members $45

Watercolours with Richard Wong - Holiday Miniatures

Join Richard for this fabulous painting and social event in the Couvelier Pavilion at The Gardens at HCP. Safely paint, learn and have fun together. Try something different as Richard shows you how to paint lovely watercolour miniatures on Japanese art paper that will double as original greeting cards. This is a great opportunity to learn and practice Richard's special painting techniques and processes. All levels are welcome, including beginners. A sample image is provided here; Richard will have a number of new images for the class to work with. There will be a half hour break for lunch (please bring your own lunch as the café will be closed). Masks required.

Instructor: Richard Wong

Date: Monday, December 21 (rescheduled from November 24)

Time: 10:00am - 3:30pm

Fee: $85

Watercolours with Richard Wong - Pears (ONLINE)

Relax, paint and connect. Enjoy a lovely learning experience online via Zoom. You can relax, have fun, paint and connect with others while learning how to create beautiful watercolours on Japanese art paper. No painting experience required. This class is an introduction to watercolour, suitable for those just starting out or are thinking about trying watercolour for the first time. Adults and families with children are encouraged to participate. Families with younger children should have a parent present to guide them. More information is available on our website when you click the registration link below.

Instructor: Richard Wong

Date: Thursday, January 14

Time: 6:00 - 8:00pm

Fee: $20 per screen

Watercolours with Richard Wong - Year of the Ox

Join Richard for a fabulous class to start 2021 and to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Learn how to create animals with impact, using watercolour on Japanese art paper. Open to all levels. Beginners are especially encouraged. Richard Wong is a professional wildlife artist. His art is popular. His classes are relaxed, fun and fully supported. Masks required.

Instructor: Richard Wong

Date: Sunday, January 31

Time: 1:30 - 4:30pm

Fee: $55

Watercolours with Richard Wong - Nuthatch (ONLINE)

Instructor: Richard Wong

Date: Thursday, February 4

Time: 6:00 - 8:00pm

Fee: $20 per screen

Random Bird’s Nest Basket

Random weave is one of Joan’s favourite styles of baskets. The structure is beautiful, reminding one of birds’ nests. It is strong, durable and lends itself to sculptural forms in both small and large scale. We will discuss and cover several ways of approaching this technique. Our base material will be round reed along with a selection of Joan’s favourite vines and branches. A tour of the garden to discuss other possible plants for this technique may result in other materials we can incorporate into our baskets. Masks required.

Instructor: Joan Carrigan

Date: Saturday, February 6

Time: 9:30am - 4:30pm

Fee: HCP Members $120 / Non-Members $140

Pruning Ornamental Plants

Gain an understanding of how and why plants respond to pruning. This workshop will help you get the results you want with any plant in your garden. Pacific Horticulture College instructor Patty Brown will take you through the steps, theory and techniques of pruning. The workshop consists of two lectures and one hands on session to practice what you’ve learned. Masks required.

Instructor: Patty Brown

Dates/Times:

Wednesday, February 17 6:30 - 9:00pm

Wednesday, February 24 6:30 - 9:00pm

Saturday, February 27 9:00am - 12:00pm

Fee: HCP Members $105 / Non-Members $125

Cannabis for the Home Grower

Learn the basics of growing cannabis for personal use with Pacific Horticulture College instructor Jo Wyld. This workshop will cover cannabis species and strains, how cannabis is used, starting from seed or clone, considerations and methods for growing outdoors or indoors, common pests and disease, harvesting and relevant legislation. Masks required.

Instructor: Jo Wyld

Date: Tuesday, February 23

Time: 6:00 - 9:00pm

Fee: HCP Members $60 / Non-Members $70

Basket Weaving with Rush and Soft Materials

We will explore weaving baskets with soft materials like rush, sedge and flower leaves such as iris and daylily leaves. These materials are lovely to weave with and offer the opportunity to explore various twining patterns. Shaping soft twined baskets can be done with or without molds and both options will be presented. The ancient skill of making cordage will also be explored. Discussion will cover the identification of useful plants you might find in the garden, sustainable harvest practices and preparation for weaving. Masks required.

Instructor: Joan Carrigan

Date: Tuesday, February 23

Time: 9:30am - 4:30pm

Fee: HCP Members $120 / Non-Members $140

Watercolours with Richard Wong - Seahorse (ONLINE)

Instructor: Richard Wong

Date: Thursday, February 25

Time: 6:00 - 8:00pm

Fee: $20 per screen

Ethics of Wild Harvesting (ONLINE)

Wild harvesting of plant material for food, medicine or craft can be a great way to interact with nature. However, care must be taken to ensure plants are harvested in a sustainable way that promotes continued survival of wild populations. Through the lens of 5 commonly available wild plants, this class will discuss plant usage and sustainable harvesting methodologies. We will also consider locations for harvesting, invasive species and ecological impacts of human disturbance. Resources to support an ethical wild harvesting practice will be provided.

Instructor: Latifa Pelletier-Ahmed

Date: Tuesday, February 23

Time: 6:30 - 8:00pm

Fee: $25 per screen

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.

We normally offer “December by Donation” to the public, but this year, we wanted to do something special for our Members who have gotten us through 2020. For the rest of the month, garden admission will be limited to Members only! Pick up a hot beverage from Charlotte & The Quail and enjoy a slow meander through the peace and quiet. There is so much to appreciate when we slow down and take in the details. Member guest passes will be accepted too.

To renew or purchase a new membership, please click here or phone (250) 479-6162. If you’re looking for the perfect stocking stuffer, we also sell giftable membership vouchers over the phone and in person. Thank you for your support and have a wonderful holiday season!

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