Horticulture Centre of the Pacific

HCP Kids - Garden Club Spring 2025
2025-05-10 09:30 - 11:30, 2025-05-03 09:30 - 11:30, 2025-04-19 09:30 - 11:30, 2025-04-12 09:30 - 11:30, 2025-04-05 09:30 - 11:30 (America/Vancouver) | Horticulture Centre Of The Pacific, 505 Quayle Rd., Victoria, BC, V9E 2J7, Canada
Do you know a child or youth who loves the outdoors and thrives in the garden? Our HCP Kids' Garden provides many opportunities for land-based engagement activities, including seed starting and propagation, planting, garden maintenance, pollinator habitats, and so much more. Each weekly class will have us in this amazing teaching garden where we grow our own food crops. Hope you can join us with your pre-k learner or drop-off (or join) your school age child. There are lots of takeaways, including seeds, transplants and more! Please pack your child's own garden gloves if you have some and bring along a water bottle (and snack if needed:) Ages 3 to 14 (Children under 6 must be accompanied by an adult)

Dates: Saturday's, March 8 - June 7, 2024 (10 Weeks - no classes March 15, 22 or 29, or April 26)
Times:

Preschool (3 to 5): 9:30 am - 11:00 am
School Age (6 to 14): 9:30 am - 11:00 am

Fees :

Preschool (3 - 5): $160.00 or $140.00 with a Family Membership
School Age (6 - 14): $180.00 or $160.00 with a Family Membership

Register: Online or call 250-479-6162

HCP Home Learners - Interconnectedness: Our Keystone Species
2025-05-08 13:15 - 14:45, 2025-05-01 13:15 - 14:45
Sustainability comes in lots of different forms. Let's begin a journey of discovery as we explore methods of producing our own food, the importance of soils, and how pollinators play a crucial role in this process. This 3-part series will include lots of hands-on planting of seeds and transplants for take away as well as providing a foundation for the better understanding of food growing systems and their interconnections. For Grades 4 to 8

Dates: May 1, 8 & 15
Time: 1:15 - 2:45 pm
Fee: $90 or $75 with Family Membership
Register: Online or Call 250-479-6162

HCP Kids - Garden Nature Academy Spring 2025
2025-05-08 09:30 - 12:00, 2025-05-01 09:30 - 12:00, 2025-04-24 09:30 - 12:00, 2025-04-17 09:30 - 12:00, 2025-04-10 09:30 - 12:00, 2025-04-03 09:30 - 12:00
The Garden Nature Academy is a half day program on Thursday's. The outdoors offers safe and seasonal opportunities for your preschooler to explore
through play, games, songs, and activities! These outdoor sessions will include time in our vegetable garden, as well as numerous pathways, and native plant forest areas to
explore. The small group sizes and our experienced nature educators help to create a nurturing and engaging environment for young children to learn, play and grow. Ages 3 to 6 years

Dates: Thursdays Apr 3 to Jun 19
Time: 9:30 am to 12:00
Fees: $300 or $240 with a Family Membership
Register: Online or Call 250-479-6162

HCP Plant Sale 2025!
2025-04-27 09:00 - 16:00, 2025-04-26 09:00 - 16:00
April 26 & 27
9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Find many unique plants propagated from the Gardens at HCP
10% discount for HCP Members
Admission to the Gardens is free during the Plant Sale, so come and visit us!
Plant List

Plant Identification & Culture with Jane Tice
2025-04-26 13:00 - 16:00, 2025-03-29 13:00 - 16:00
Adult Community Education | 3-hour class
This is a monthly class in which participants will be introduced to 20 new plants in each session.
If you are a new gardener, new to Victoria or just want to brush up on your plant knowledge, this is a great place to get started. This is a monthly class where participants will be introduced to 20 new plants which fit with our local climate. Plants are selected for our local growing conditions and the value they bring to the garden. Part of the class will be in the classroom and part will be out in the gardens to view the plants for that month. Dress for the weather and bring something to take notes.
You registration includes all-day admission to the Gardens at HCP (9:00 am-3:30 last admission)
Please register ahead - minimum enrollment is required.

Last Saturday of each month – 1-4pm.
HCP Members $40.00 per session
Non-Members $50.00 per session

Location
Meet in The Classroom, located in the parking lot to the left of the cafe - 505 Quayle Rd, Saanich.
Please dress for the weather as part of the class takes place outdoors in the Gardens at HCP.
2026 Drop-in Session Dates
Click a date below to register online, or call 250-479-6162.
Jan 31, 2026
Feb 28, 2026
Mar 28, 2026
April 18, 2026 **Note earlier than usual date for April**
May 30, 2026
June 27, 2026
July 25, 2026
Aug 29, 2026
Sept 26, 2026
Oct 31, 2026
Nov 28, 2026
Dec 12, 2026 **Early class prior to winter garden closure**

Cancellations:
This class requires a minimum of 6 registrants in order to run. If the minimum is not met, the class will be canceled or postponed.
Please contact communityed@hcp.ca if you would like to cancel your registration. Registrations less than one week prior to the class date are not eligible for a refund.

Free Talk: How to Garden with Deer
2025-04-26 13:00 - 14:00

Home Herbalist Series - Spring Workshop
2025-04-26 10:00 - 12:00
Adult Community Education | Health & Wellness | 2-hour workshop
Join Registered Holistic Nutritionist and Herbalist Racheal Schnarr for this year's new and refreshed Home Herbalist Series. This series is more immersive, covers new herbs, and features new seasonal info booklets.

The Spring instalment of the Home Herbalist Series will focus on spring teas, steams, poultices and more. We'll learn about Spring Herbalism including which herbs to harvest locally and preparations you can make at home (including a wild spring salad!), then we'll make our own custom herbal tea and steam formulas. An assistant will be available during this practical portion, so that Racheal is available to assist you in depth with making your own personalized formula.

Date & Location
Saturday, April 26, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
The Classroom at The Gardens at HCP, 505 Quayle Road, Saanich
PLEASE NOTE: This class takes place during the Spring Plant Sale at the HCP and parking in the HCP lot may be limited. More information will be provided in the week prior to the class.
Fee & Registration
HCP Members: $65.00
Non-Members: $70.00 Interested in the benefits of Membership?
REGISTER ONLINE or call 250 479 6162

Instructor Bio: Racheal Schnarr
Racheal Schnarr is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist (R.H.N.) and Herbalist who studied at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition and Pacific Rim College.
In addition to working as an R.H.N., Racheal operates a small botanical dispensary using herbs grown exclusively in her garden. She lives her passion of “connecting people with plants” both in her private business and previously at Pacific Horticulture College as past College Administrator.
Through years of practicing clinical nutrition at multidisciplinary clinics as well as in her own private practice, she tapped into her passion for sharing the power of holistic nutrition and herbal medicine with her clients. Racheal's practice and classes are fun, hands-on, empowering, education based and are led in a supportive and open environment. Developing a deep relationship with plants, growing herbal medicine, ethical harvesting, food growing, food justice and living in reciprocity with the land on which we grow, forage, and learn are pillars in Racheal's practice and everyday life. She enjoys getting fresh air and her hands dirty when in her home garden, foraging the wild with her dog Josie, and occasionally working for her sister, a Landscape Horticulturist.

Watercolour Painting with Richard Wong: Hedgehogs
2025-04-24 13:00 - 16:00
Adult Community Education | 3-hour Workshop
Enjoy new reduced fees for Richard's Spring 2025 watercolour classes!
While Hedgehogs are not native to Canada, they are sure cute to paint. This class will be sure to please! Join us for some fun and laughter and learn how with Richard's guidance.
Richard's classes are fun and relaxing, and suitable for all levels. Beginners are encouraged
Date & Location
Thursday, April 24, 1:00-4:00 PM
The Classroom at the Gardens at HCP, 505 Quayle Road, Saanich BC V9E 2J7
In-Person and Live Online Delivery available
In addition to the in-person classroom experience with Richard, we can accommodate up to 6 students online via zoom.
Online students must provide their own supplies (see supply list below).
Please note that the classes are shown in Pacific Time.
Fees & Registration
In person OR online: $50.00 (art supplies not included, see list below)
In person only: $60.00 (art supplies included)
REGISTER ONLINE or call 250 479 6162

If You Are Bringing Your Own Art Supplies:
- Masa paper (several 8x10" pieces). Option: regular 140lb watercolour paper
- Winsor Newton watercolours: bring all your colours
- Paint brushes (medium and small), pencil, eraser, paper towels
- containers for rinse water & Holbein watercolour spray bottle (available at Opus Art Supplies on Herald)

Sign up to the Community Education e-news for information on Richard's upcoming classes

Richard Wong, Artist Statement & Biography
“How I Became A Wildlife Artist”

This great adventure of mine started fairly innocently.
I spent a glorious 25 years with the provincial government of British Columbia working in finance and policy (Ministry of Environment). During that time, I came to appreciate our wildlife and natural environment, all so delicately balanced! Then it came time to retire. So I did.
My life as a wildlife artist started soon thereafter. With time on my hands, and a Christmas gift of art supplies (from my wonderful spouse), I enrolled in art classes (2010). First it was traditional watercolor classes. Then it was Chinese brush lessons. I soon discovered Japanese art paper, and my career (second) as a professional wildlife artist began. Learning to paint, especially watercolor, allows me to capture the very essence of wildlife and nature like no other medium. Much of our wildlife is affected to the point where we are losing them rapidly. So I do what I can to spread this message of awareness: to paint and capture our wildlife in beautiful, vibrant watercolors; to teach others how to do this; and along the way, to engage and connect people and communities through my love of art. This love has taken me to Australia and the United States, where I've taught, presented and shown my work (Watercolor on Japanese Art Paper). I now paint (professionally), teach and sell from my lovely home base in Victoria, BC, Canada.
Wishing everyone a very lovely journey as we embark on yet another wildlife/art adventure full of wonder, excitement and discovery!
Sincerely,
Richard Wong
Professional Wildlife Artist
Watercolor on Japanese Art Paper

Introduction to Permaculture
2025-04-19 09:00 - 12:30
Adult Community Education | Horticulture | 3.5 hour workshop
Bethany Couture will introduce you to the amazing world of permaculture, a holistic approach to land and life management that emphasizes sustainability, self-sufficiency, and diversity. This class introduces you to the core principles and ethics of permaculture, exploring its practical applications in urban and rural settings. It will teach you how to cultivate flourishing, food-yielding ecosystems with techniques like proper plant selection, companion planting, composting, soil management, water conservation, and more. Discover how permaculture can help you work in harmony with nature, fostering ecological abundance while reducing environmental impact. This class provides a comprehensive foundation for anyone looking to learn more about permaculture and how to integrate it into their life and garden.
Registration includes all-day admission to the Gardens at HCP.
Date & Location
Saturday, Apr, 19, 2025 - 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM
The CLASSROOM at the Gardens at HCP, 505 Quayle Road

Fees & Registration
$55.00 HCP Members
$60.00 Non-Members Interested in becoming a member?
REGISTER ONLINE or call 250 479 6162

Instructor Bio
Bethany Couture
Bethany Couture is a holistic horticulturalist from Victoria BC. Through her studies, she realized there must be more sustainable ways to cultivate sustenance from the land, which led her down the path of permaculture and wove together her passions for horticulture, herbalism, mycology, self-sufficiency and environmental sustainability. She is the lead steward of the permaculture garden at the Horticulture Center of the Pacific and is the permaculture instructor at the Pacific Horticulture College. She also runs her own horticulture business, Garden Alchemist, which designs landscapes abundant with edible, medicinal, and native plants.

Home Learners - Garden Creatures
2025-04-16 09:45 - 11:15, 2025-04-09 09:45 - 11:15, 2025-04-02 09:45 - 11:15
Worms, snails, birds and beetles! Join us in the garden to discover all the amazing creatures that call this place home. Together, we will learn about who they are, what they need to survive and how we can help their habitat thrive. For K - Gr 2

Date: April 2, 9 & 16, 2025
Time: 9:45 am - 11:15 am
Fee: $90 or $75 with Family membership
Register: Online or call 250-479-6162

Introduction to Backyard Beekeeping
2025-04-13 13:00 - 15:00
ADULT COMMUNITY EDUCATION | WORKSHOP | 2 HOURS
Have you ever wanted to start keeping bees but didn't know where to start? Would you like to see improved fruit production in your garden along with the potential of having your own honey? Learn the basics of beekeeping with Gordon Mackay.
In this workshop we will cover the basics of how to start your first colony. We will look at the various parts of the hive and what is involved in setting up and maintaining your colony in your first year. We will talk about some of the potential challenges and ways to mitigate these. The favourite plants that honey bees are attracted to will also be covered.
Date & Location
Sunday April 13, 2025 - 1:00-3:00 pm
The Classroom at the Gardens at HCP, 505 Quayle Road, Saanich
Fees & Registration
$40.00 HCP Members
$45.00 Non-Members Interested in Membership?

Register ONLINE or call 250 479 6162

Instructor Bio: Gordon Mackay
The instructor is Gordon Mackay who has been keeping bees since the 1990's. He was originally inspired by the incredible organizational skills and work ethic of bees when he was a horticultural student at Threave School of Gardening in southwest Scotland. Keeping bees has led to a strong desire to learn more and he has twice attended the beekeeping courses led by Andrew Abrahams at the Black Bee Sanctuary on Colonsay Island, Scotland.
Gordon hopes to share some of his enthusiasm and experience working with the bees. Along with being a beekeeper, Gordon is also an arborist and nurseryman, with a particular addiction to dwarf conifers and alpine plants.

HCP Kids - Fairy Gardens Apr 2025
2025-04-12 13:30 - 15:00
Join us for some fun and creative time as we enter the world of fairy garden making! Your child will be introduced to garden design as we visit various gardens looking for inspiration, collecting items in nature to create furnishings with. and followed by a hands-on lesson to make their own garden to take home. These miniature gardens offer hours of play potential for children of all ages. This workshop will include an indoor garden version suited to keeping in a child’s room. Plant care, planting techniques, and furnishing making will all be featured. 6+ years

Date: 12 Apr 2025
Time: 1:30 - 3:00 pm
Fee: $35/child and $30/family membership
Registration: Online or call 250-479-6162

Finger Painting without the Paint
2025-04-12 10:00 - 14:00
Adult Community Education | Arts | 4-hour workshop (break included)
Swing into Spring with artist, author, and inspiring instructor Wendy Picken. Explore the mixed medium techniques she has developed over the past 30 years. Learn how to create beautiful flowerscapes while exploring the Gardens on paper.
This class is suitable for beginners, for those with no art experience, artists interested in new techniques and those who have taken the class in the past and wish to refresh and explore in a fun, supportive environment.
All supplies and materials are included. Class size limited.
Registration includes all day admission to the Gardens at HCP.
Date & Location
Saturday Apr. 12, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM (break included, bring a lunch)
The CLASSROOM at the Gardens at HCP, 505 Quayle Road
Registration & Fees
HCP Members $85.00
Non-Members $95.00 Interested in Membership?
Register ONLINE or call 250 479 6162

HCP Kids - Pro-D Day Camps 2025
2025-04-11 09:00 - 16:00
These non-instructional day camps feature an outdoor program that includes time in our very own HCP Kids Teaching Garden where we grow food, learn to support natural systems and enjoy the many wilderness areas surrounding us!

Time: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Fee: $45
Dates 2025:

Friday - May 16

Register by Clicking on the Date or call 250-479-6162
Camp is fully booked: registration for waitlist only

HCP Kids - Fairy Doors Apr 2025
2025-04-05 13:30 - 15:00
How many times have you found a special door leading into a magical tree or nature space? Curious how to make one of your own? Let’s explore the use of pre-made doors and collect and use natural materials to create a one-of-a-kind entry for magical creatures in our gardens. These little doors are suited to outdoor uses and make perfect gifts for giving. Join a child in your life for this hands-on crafting experience together. Everyone will have a chance to make 2 miniature doors. Age: 6+ years

Date: 5 April 2025
Time: 1:30 - 3:30 pm
Fee: $40/child and $35/family membership
Registration: Online or call 250-479-6162

Designing Gardens for Pollinators with Emony Nicholls
2025-04-05 09:00 - 11:00
ADULT COMMUNITY EDUCATION | WORKSHOP | 2 HOURS
During this workshop discover what all the buzz is about our pollinators -- learn about native pollinators, their importance to ecosystems and our food supply, and the issues they are facing. Find out how these bees and butterflies and birds like to live and what they like to eat with practical information on creating a garden in the Victoria region that will be a pollinator paradise.
And if the flowers are blooming, we will learn how to identify some of the common pollinators in your garden and take a stroll to see who is buzzing around.
Your registration includes all-day admission to the Gardens at HCP (9:00-3:30 last entry)
Date & Location
Saturday April 5, 2025 - 9:00 am - 11:00 pm
The Classroom at the Gardens at HCP, 505 Quale Road, Saanich
Fees & Registration
$35.00 HCP Members
$40.00 Non-Members Interested in Membership?

REGISTER ONLINE or call 250 479 6162

Instructor Bio: Emony Nicholls
Emony has worked as an environmental consultant, entrepreneur and biologist for over 25 years.
For seven of those years, she owned and operated a native plant nursery in Ontario growing plants for, designing, and installing ecological restoration projects in the most easterly tallgrass prairie in North America.
Her graduate research was on the connection between pollinators and plants and how that relationship drives the evolution of plants. As part of her work, she did taxonomic identification of native pollinators during graduate school and fell in love with them for their diversity and individual beauty.
Emony is on a mission to empower homeowners on how to support pollinators by providing habitats in our own back yards. In 2020 she left work with the provincial government as a biologist and now lives and works on Salt Spring Island.
