YP Summer Camps 2024 - July 29 to August 2
2024-08-01 09:00 - 16:00, 2024-08-02 09:00 - 16:00 (America/Vancouver) | Horticulture Centre Of The Pacific, 505 Quayle Rd., Victoria, BC, V9E 2J7, Canada
During these camps, we will be busy with seasonal gardening activities in our very own HCP Kids Garden! There will also be an exploration of the many natural systems that keep our gardens growing, garden arts and crafts, and more.
Fees: $225.00 or $200.00 with a Family Membership
Registration will open April 3 for those with a Family Membership, April 4 for General Public

HCP Kids - Natural Plant Dyes
2024-08-01 13:30 - 15:30
The history of natural dyes can be traced back to the earliest civilizations, where plants, insects, and even minerals were used to create a variety of colours. In this session we will explore some plants that contribute their pigments for dyeing, in our Herb Garden as well as natural spaces at HCP. With some guided foraging, we will collect plant materials and create some paper and fabric items to take away. Age: 7+ years (recommended)

Date: Thursday August 01, 2024
Time: 1:30 - 3:30 pm
Fee: $35/child or $30 with Family Membership
Registration: Online or call 250-479-6162

YP Half Day Garden Arts Camp 2024 - August 6 to 9
2024-08-06 09:00 - 12:00, 2024-08-07 09:00 - 12:00, 2024-08-08 09:00 - 12:00, 2024-08-09 09:00 - 12:00
The program runs 9 to noon daily and our time is spent gathering and using natural materials to create garden art as well as a variety of other mediums for 4 or 5 days in July and August. Limited to 16 participants. For children between 5 and 12 years (School age)
Fees: $100.00 or $80.00 with a Family Membership
Registration will open April 3 for those with a Family Membership, April 4 for General Public

YP Summer Camps 2024 - August 12 to 16
2024-08-12 09:00 - 16:00, 2024-08-13 09:00 - 16:00, 2024-08-14 09:00 - 16:00, 2024-08-15 09:00 - 16:00, 2024-08-16 09:00 - 16:00
During these camps, we will busy ourselves with seasonal gardening activities in our very own HCP Kids Garden! There will also be an exploration of the many natural systems that keep our gardens growing, garden arts and crafts, and more.
Fees: $225.00 or $200 with a Family Membership
Registration will open April 3 for those with a Family Membership, April 4 for General Public

Introduction to Summer Pruning Fruit Trees Workshop
2024-08-17 10:00 - 12:00
with Gordon Mackay
Pruning at this time of year allows us to include the stone fruits (cherry, plum, peach, nectarine and apricot) in our pruning schedule, and of course apple and pears can still be approached at this time of year too. Traditionally, it's the time of year for growth control but with the opportunity to use dwarf rootstocks, this doesn't have to be the only reason to summer prune.
The aim of this workshop is for students to gain the confidence and knowledge to tackle pruning thier own trees at home. Their will be an opportunity to ask questions and we will have some time outdoors to work to help demonstrate the pruning techniques on some of the trees at the Horticulture Centre. This will all be helpful towards the ultimate goal of pruning/training fruit trees; increased fruit production and healthier trees.
HCP Members $40/Non-Members $50
Register ONLINE or call 250 479 6162
Instructor Bio: Gordon Mackay
Gordon was fortunate enough to have a (very basic) pair of Felco secateurs thrust into his hands as a teenager while apprenticing for his father, maintaining and installing gardens in The City of Glasgow. This led to more learning as he attended the same College as his father and was the first 2nd generation student at the renowned Threave School of Gardening in southwest Scotland. It was on this two year full-time program that he was truly bitten by the horticultural bug; in particular plant identification (awarded top plant I.D. student over the duration of the two years), arboriculture and plant production/plant propagation. This inspiration led to further training as he ventured further south to attend the 3 year Diploma program at Pershore College of Horticulture in England with a middle year in industry. Gordon was fortunate enough to work his middle year at Wyevale Nurseries in Hereford, one of Europe's largest and most reputable wholesale producers of quality hardy nursery stock, with production aimed at both the retail and landscape sectors.
Along with teaching at the HCP and Pacific Horticulture College, Gordon runs his own arboriculture business. His obsession with plants is almost matched by his love for all things honey bee related and has been fortunate enough to have been working with the bees for over 20 years.

Plant Identification & Culture Workshop
2024-08-31 13:00 - 16:00, 2024-09-28 13:00 - 16:00
with Jane Tice
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.
Please register ahead of time especially for field trip classes

One Saturday per month, 1pm – 4pm.
HCP Members $40.00 per session
Non-Members $50.00 per session

Cancellations:
Note that this class required 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. Note that registrations less than one week prior to the class date may not be eligible for a refund if registration minimums are not met.
2024 Dates:
To register, call 250 479 6162 or click on a date below.
One Saturday per month – 1pm – 4pm.
August 31
September 28
October 26
November 23
December 14

YP Kids - Garden Nature Academy Fall 2024
2024-09-12 09:30 - 12:00, 2024-09-19 09:30 - 12:00, 2024-09-26 09:30 - 12:00, 2024-10-03 09:30 - 12:00
The Gardens at HCP is our classroom and we explore all of it; from the native plant and ethnobotany trails to the HCP Kids Garden and to the surrounding trails and forests. Some of the nature-based activities at our program include nature art, gardening for food and pollinators, nibbling on edible plants, flowers and vegetables, songs and games! This program is based outside, rain or shine, with access to the lower classroom portable for the bathroom, snack, storytime and warming up or for those extra stormy days. Outdoor school is about children having time to explore their own interests through child-led and play-based learning in nature. Being outdoors develops an appreciation for the natural world and our responsibilities related to its preservation. Ages 3 - 6

Dates: Sept 12 through Nov 28, 2024
Times: 9:30 - 12:00 noon
Fees: $300.00 /child or $240.00 per child with a Family Membership
Register: Online or call 250-479-6162

Watercolour Series with Richard Wong - September 2024
2024-09-12 13:00 - 15:15, 2024-09-19 13:00 - 15:15, 2024-09-26 13:00 - 15:15
Richard Wong's Watercolor on Japanese Art Paper art classes are a great place to start the fall. Sign-up for all three, or individually, if you can't make them all.
These classes have an Eastern flavour. Learn some outline brush techniques combined with some freehand style to create your own lovely paintings. Richard will guide you. His classes are fun and stress-free, suitable for all levels. Beginners are especially encouraged.
Thursday Sept. 12, 1:00-3:15 PM: "Sweet Peas with Butterfly"
Thursday Sept. 19, 1:00-3:15 PM: "Magnolia with Songbird"
Thurs Sept. 26, 1:00-3:15 PM: "Wisteria with Weasel"
Click here to register.
Register early if you wish to book the 3-class package, space is limited.
Your registration includes admission to the Gardens at HCP on the day of your class (last admission 3:30). Bring your receipt and arrive early to enjoy the grounds and be inspired by nature.
Fees & Registration
$50/single class; OR $135 for 3-class course package (students bring their own supplies*)
$60/single class; OR $165 for 3-class course package (includes $10 for supplies provided by instructor)
*Art Supplies required if you are bringing your own

masa paper (several 8x10" pieces). Option: regular 140lb watercolour paper
Windsor newton watercolours: bring all your colour
paint brushes (medium and small), pencil, eraser, paper towels, containers for rinse water & Holbein watercolour spray bottle (available at Opus Art Supplies on Herald)

Registration now open for the Series or individual sessions here.
Sign up HERE to receive updates on Richard's 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

HCP Kids - Garden Club Fall 2024
2024-09-14 09:30 - 11:30, 2024-09-21 09:30 - 11:30, 2024-09-28 09:30 - 11:30, 2024-10-05 09:30 - 11:30
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. Ages 3 and up

Date: Saturday’s September 14 - October 19, 2024 (6 weeks)
Times:

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

Fees:

Preschool (3 to 5)$120/child or $105/child with a Family Membership
School Age (6 to 14) $135/child or $120/child with a Family Membership

Registration: Online or call 250-479-6162

Fall Plant Sale - Members Only 2024
2024-09-20 09:00 - 16:00
Save the Day! Fall Plant Sale September 20th - Members Only.

Fall Plant Sale 2024
2024-09-21 09:00 - 16:00
Fall Plant Sale 21 September 2024

HCP Kids - Pro-D Day Camps 2025
2024-09-23 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

Willow Chair Workshop with Andrew Kent
2024-10-05 09:00 - 17:00
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 techniques. Learn how to make a square frame from pieces of alder & work with different sizes of willow to create your chair.
While these chairs can be made alone, if you would like to bring a helper, the registration fee is for up to 2 participants making one chair together.
Please note that you will need to bring your own lunch and snacks to this full day workshop.

Please Note: This workshop is full, but you can join the waiting list below and be notified of upcoming Willow Chair Workshops.

Saturday October 5, 2024, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Fee (includes materials)
HCP Members $285 / Non-Members $305
Log in as a current member to access discount pricing, or phone 250-479-6162 to renew and register.
Cancellations
Note that this class requires a minimum of 2 registrants (not including helpers) in order to run. If the minimum is not met, the class will be canceled or postponed. Please contact communityed@hcp.ca if you need to cancel your registration. Note that registrations less than one week prior to the class date may not be eligible for a refund if registration minimums are not met.

Instructor Bio: Andrew Kent
The Willow Way's roots go back all the way to 1993 when I made my first willow chair in a workshop with Kate Lawes. Over the next five years, Kate and I opened and ran a store in downtown Nanaimo, attended many large and small shows, and hosted numerous willow furniture workshops. Many of the designs I use are traditional, coming from Kentucky by way of Pemberton, BC. Some are then updated with design ideas suggested by the materials themselves.
I grew up on a rural island and have always felt at home in the woods. A keen mountain biker, I am passionate about the outdoors and Vancouver Island. Many of my days are spent hunting for materials, foraging local species of willow and alder, and finding the best shoots and whips for each piece, which directs the creative construction.
From forest to finished product, the entire willow furniture process is an adventure and ever-evolving, which to me is the real beauty of this work. Most of the materials are natural and not milled, which means not one project is the same and it's always a new experience.
I think people respond to my work because it is more than just your average rustic furniture – it is handmade with materials that are otherwise not utilized. My passion for nature and for the creative process comes through in each piece.
Andrew Kent
