January 2021 eNews

Welcome back! I hope 2021 will be a very healthy and happy New Year for our Members, volunteers, donors and staff.

My wish is that we can stop talking about 2020 and look to the future. When the pandemic started, we had no idea of the journey that lay ahead — which is something that you can always say, but for 2020 turned out to be truer than ever. Before we close the book on 2020, however, there are some amazing people I want to thank:

Thank you to our 2158 Members! To our volunteers who gave 10,248 hours! To our donors who contributed an incredible $147,758 in donations, bursaries, scholarships and grants! And, of course, to the truly fantastic 10 staff members who keep the HCP going.

Thank you to everyone who stepped up and helped confront the extraordinarily difficult circumstances that 2020 brought us. Your willingness and ability to meet those challenges and opportunities gives us courage, confidence and hope for the future.

Thank you to our staff and volunteers for fighting back against fatigue and frustration. You showed up and you made a difference. No one but you knows how hard it has been — and it’s been hard in different ways for each of you.

Thank you for being hopeful at just the right moments — those are the moments that help keep us moving forward.

Thank you to the networks of support that our family members, close friends and those who love this organization create, sustain and extend to us each day. This was the year in which we learned in unique ways how much we need and depend on one another.

Thank you to those who have been champions for the significance and relevance of our mission during this time. Mission is fundamental; it’s not something we can put aside and hope to find again at a more convenient moment. Keeping our eyes on the mission has helped us navigate difficult times and circumstances.

Thank you to those who have taken seriously what we have learned and are applying it every day. As vaccines start to make inroads against the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever for us to be responsive and agile in a changing situation by paying close attention to what we observe and learn each day. Here at HCP, we take your safety very seriously and ask that you please follow the posted protocols.

I can’t wait to share our new technology plan with you in the February eNews. This project gives us the opportunity to offer some programs online and continue safely into 2021.

Once again, my sincerest gratitude to each and every one of you for giving your time, your effort and your support in making The Gardens at HCP the incredible, safe and welcoming place that it is.

Please stay safe,

Deborah

The start of a new year brings a sense of hope and excitement for what lies ahead -- we all need that right now!

Here at the gardens, we have a few new projects planned for 2021 and will keep you posted on the progress. Make sure you walk our new W̱SÁNEĆ Ethnobotany Trail on your next visit! Click here for more information in an interview with local artist Sarah Jim.

This time of year, the Doris Page Winter Garden is the star! This garden is dedicated to horticulturist Doris Page, who is credited with bringing Hellebores to Vancouver Island and for showing that Victoria is one of the few places in Canada where you can garden year round. Key elements in this garden are coloured bark and stems, berries, flowers and fragrance, evergreen ferns and attractive foliage. Click here for inspiring photos from local garden history expert Joan Looy, accompanied by local jazz musician Miles Black.

Here’s to a bountiful new year in the garden! Happy New Year!

Linda

We are excited to start three blended programs in January, all with blended online/in-person delivery: Level 4, our full-time Landscape Horticulture Certificate program and part-time Level 1! A warm PHC welcome to all of our new students starting this month.

There are still a few spots left in our Garden Nature Academy! This brand new pre-kindergarten program meets on Tuesday mornings for eight weeks. During this time, we’ll use The Gardens at HCP as our classroom and as an educational tool to cultivate joy, wonder and meaningful connections with nature. For more information on this program, future programs or virtual offerings, check out our website or contact our youth programs coordinator Paula (youthprograms@hcp.ca).

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 three 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 or online with Zoom.

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 - Nuthatch (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, February 4

Time: 6:00 - 8:00pm

Fee: $20 per screen

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

Willow Hoop Rib Basket

This is a traditional rib-style basket often called a potato basket, constructed with a willow hoop and woven with a selection of materials including dyed reed, seagrass, water iris leaves and willow bark. This style of basket originates in Europe and is ideal for harvesting and storage. This is a great basket for beginners. Masks required.

Instructor: Joan Carrigan

Date: Tuesday, March 9

Time: 9:30am-4:30pm

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

Cannabis for the Home Grower

Instructor: Jo Wyld

Date: Tuesday, March 9

Time: 6:00 - 9:00pm

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

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, March 13 (rescheduled from February 6)

Time: 9:30am - 4:30pm

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

Backyard Orchard

This workshop is for those serious about cultivating fruit and nuts in an urban space. Ryan Senechal will cover: selection of cultivars, planting, staking and training, soil, nutrients and watering, pruning, plant health and cultural controls, grafting and propagation. The focus will be on apple, cherry, pear, plum, peach, kiwi, Carpathian walnut, butternut, hazelnut, fig, blueberry and raspberry. This course will be outside, please dress accordingly. Masks required.

Instructor: Ryan Senechal

Dates: Saturdays, March 6 and March 13

Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm

Fee: HCP Members $90 / Non-Members $110

Advanced Pruning

If you are a hands-on gardener hesitant to prune small trees and shrubs for fear of injuring or undesirably altering the appearance, this course with certified arborist Ryan Senechal is designed to give you the skill you need. In two sessions, basic pruning techniques will be reviewed and applied to advanced pruning strategies to encourage desirable structure, reduced maintenance and long-term plant health. Your confidence and comfort will grow as you observe and practice field examples of pruning successes and common mistakes. This course will be outdoors. Bring your secateurs. Class size is limited to ensure individual instruction. Masks required.

Instructor: Ryan Senechal

Dates: Saturdays, March 20 and March 27

Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm

HCP Members $90 / Non-Members $110

Forest Therapy Walks

Join Kelly Kiss, ANFT Certified Forest Therapy Guide, to discover “Forest Bathing”, what it is, along with its health and wellness benefits. Forest therapy is inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku, or forest bathing. Shinrin-Yoku means to “bathe in the atmosphere of the forest”. If practiced regularly, “forest bathing” may improve your health, wellness and happiness! Moving slowly over a gentle landscape, the practice of forest therapy is accessible to people of all fitness levels, ages and abilities. Please bring a mask and dress for the weather.

Instructor: Kelly Kiss

Dates: Saturdays, March 21, April 10, May 15, June 19

Time: 1:30 - 4:00pm

Fee: $45

Mason Bees for Beginners

Steve Scanlan from Long Live Bees is committed to raising awareness of the importance of pollinators to our long-term survival. This course on mason beekeeping gives a thorough introduction to raising these friendly and easy-to-keep bees on your own property, whether large or small, and for young or old. Learn how to raise mason bees from cocoons throughout their lifecycle and reap the rewards with increased yields of fruits, vegetables and flowers. Masks required.

Instructor: Steve Scanlan

Date: Sunday, March 28

Time: 1:00 - 3:00pm

Fee: HCP Members $20 / Non-Members $25

Willow Chair Workshop

Join artisan Andrew Kent from The Willow Way for this full-day workshop. In one day, with Andrew Kent’s expert instruction, you can make and take home your own Bent Willow Rustic Chair. This is a great introduction to rustic building. Learn how to make a square frame from pieces of alder and work with different sizes of willow to create your chair. All tools will be provided. Masks required.

Instructor: Andrew Kent

Date: Tuesday, March 30

Time: 9:00am - 5:00pm

Fee: HCP Members $250 / Non-Members $275

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.

Big news! The HCP Library catalogue is now online. From your own computer or smartphone, you can wander through our library like never before. Features include:

Search (simple or advanced)

Browse popular topics

Click book covers for more details

Click ‘Ask About This’ to contact us about a specific title

See titles ‘Similar in this library’

‘Star’ items for this session and email them to yourself or others

Additionally, we have a new service for 2021: Porch Pick-Up! No need to come into the library if you’d rather not. Contact us (using the ‘Ask About This’ button in the catalogue, or email library@hcp.ca) and together we can arrange the details. Please note that Porch Pick-Up service is available during regular library hours only.

Click here to check out the new library online catalogue!

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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