Horticulture Centre of the Pacific

Willow Chair Workshop with Andrew Kent
2024-10-05 09:00 - 17:00 (America/Vancouver) | Horticulture Centre Of The Pacific, 505 Quayle Rd., Victoria, BC, V9E 2J7, Canada
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

HCP Kids - Garden Club Fall 2024
2024-10-05 09:30 - 11:30, 2024-10-12 09:30 - 11:30, 2024-10-19 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

Harvest Festival
2024-10-05 10:00 - 16:00
Join us for a delightful celebration of the beautiful autumn season at our annual Harvest Festival!
Saturday October 5
There will be something for everyone to enjoy, So, gather your family and friends and join us!

Basket Weaving with Soft & Rush Materials
2024-10-06 09:30 - 16:00
Come spend an autumn day at the Gardens with Joan Carrigan, learning how to weave baskets with soft materials such as rush, sedge and flower leaves such as iris and daylily leaves. These materials are lovely to weave with and offer the opportunity to explore a variety of twining patterns. Participants will focus on control of shaping this basket without the use of a mold. 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.
Your registration includes admission to The Gardens at HCP - bring your lunch and enjoy the grounds.
Tool List

Sturdy sharp scissors – like kitchen scissors
ruler
cotton string
spray bottle
an old towel.

Dates, Fees & Registration
Sunday October 6, 2024 | 9:30 PM-4:00 PM
HCP Members $130 / Non-Members $150 Thinking about becoming a member?
Register for this class ONLINE or call 250.479.6162

YP Kids - Garden Nature Academy Fall 2024
2024-10-10 09:30 - 12:00, 2024-10-17 09:30 - 12:00, 2024-10-24 09:30 - 12:00, 2024-10-31 09:30 - 12:00, 2024-11-07 09:30 - 12:00, 2024-11-14 09:30 - 12:00, 2024-11-21 09:30 - 12:00, 2024-11-28 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

Edible and Medicinal Herbs for the Home Herbalist - Fall Workshop
2024-10-13 01:00 - 04:00
Join Registered Holistic Nutritionist and Herbalist Racheal Schnarr for the Fall installment of the “Home Herbalist” series. During the first installment of this class we will review herbalism as a whole, then taste and review some of the best herbs to use during the upcoming cold and flu season. During the second installment we will make the traditional folk remedy of fire cider! You will leave this class with your own batch of fire cider and the confidence to make this revered traditional remedy for yourself, your family, and your friends.
HCP Members $55/Non-Members $65
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 as well at Pacific Horticulture College as the 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.

HCP Kids - Autumn Fairy Gardens
2024-10-13 10:00 - 11:30
Magic is in the air this FALL as we gather inspiration and natural treasures from the gardens and many pathways at HCP. Then the creativity continues with lessons of making and designing our sweet miniature gardens to demonstrate our unique preferences. Plant care, placement, and garden design are all part of the fun and inspiring creative time.
These miniature gardens are perfect for budding gardeners and creative playtime too! Bring along a child to experience this precious session together and plan to make one yourself. Age: 3+ years

Date: Sunday October 13
Time: 10:00 - 11:30 am
Fee: $35/All and $30/ Family Membership
Registration: Online or call 250-479-6162

Planned Giving Seminar
2024-10-18 14:00 - 16:00
This Free Event is hosted by the gardens at HCP for our community. It will cover some of the ways of charitable giving, the benfites of planning ahead, review the process of writing a will and will provide an opportunity ask questions.
Sara Neely of the Victoria Foundation and Dustin Marnell from Infinity Law will be our featured speakers. The South Island Harmony Barbershop Quartet will be performing after the presentations while you enjoy some light refreshments.
RSVP by registering with this link.

Mist & Fog Landscape - Watercolour Painting with Richard Wong
2024-10-19 13:00 - 16:00
Freehand style. Learn how to create a unique landscape painting with spontaneous creativity in this watercolour class with Richard Wong. Richard will cover several techniques and processes that will result in your own unique interpretation of a "valley of mist and fog."

Richard's classes are enjoyable, focusing on stress free learning within a positive and supportive environment. Open to all levels, including absolute beginners.

In-Person and Live Online Delivery available

In addition to the in-person classroom experience with Richard, we can accomodate 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
In person OR online: $80.00 (art supplies not included, see list below)
In person only: $90.00 (art supplies included)

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)
Registration: REGISTER ONLINE or call 250 479 6162
Sign up to the watercolour class interest list 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

Using Ornamental Grasses in Your Garden
2024-10-20 13:00 - 16:00
The workshop will consist of both a classroom session and an outdoor tour of the garden highlighting the different ways of employing ornamental grasses as an integral part of a modern garden landscape. Each will be approximately 1½ hours in duration.
During the classroom session, the emphasis will be on the aesthetics of gardening with ornamental grasses. The versatility of grasses will be explored with sections on mass plantings, statement specimens, integration in perennial borders and the use in containers will all be covered. The development of the new demonstration ornamental grass garden at HCP and the instructor's home garden will be used extensively to illustrate these concepts.
The second part of the classroom session will explore the ever-expanding palate of available grasses to work with. As well as native species there will also be an in-depth review of the most popular exotic grass varieties for our area with an emphasis on the newest cultivars. Finally, there will be an introduction to some of the more interesting new species and cultivars that are becoming available locally.
The outdoor session will consist of a tour of the newly developing demonstration grass garden followed by a tour of the rest of the garden to illustrate more well-established areas where grasses have been used to best effect.
$40 HCP Members /$50 Non-Members
Register ONLINE or call 250 479 6162

Instructor Bio
Mike Rogers – “The Grass Man”
As a keen gardener, when Mike arrived in Victoria from Calgary a few years back, he felt like a kid in a candy shop and enjoys trying to grow anything that will thrive in our balmy Westcoast climate. When he moved into his current house on Craigflower Road in 2018, he quickly discovered that, located as he was between the golf course and the Esquimalt Gorge Park, the unfenced front garden was a deer “super-highway". Consequently he began to look out for truly deer resistant plants to populate his garden. One group of plants that fit the bill was ornamental grasses and so has evolved a love affair with these wonderful plants.
Mike's adventures with ornamental grasses evolved into a series of articles in the Victoria Horticultural Society magazine Gardenry and that led to a number of speaking engagements – one of which gave rise to the moniker “The Grass Man” which he rather enjoys! Research for these articles and talks has resulted in the discovery of an ever expanding plethora of wonderful grasses and so the adventures continue.

HCP Kids - Pro-D Day Camps 2025
2024-10-25 09:00 - 16:00, 2024-11-22 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

Plant Identification & Culture Workshop
2024-10-26 13:00 - 16:00, 2024-11-23 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

Register for Backyard Farmer 2025
2024-11-07 09:30
BYF 2025 Info & Registration

Christmas & Winter Themes: Watercolour Miniatures with Richard Wong
2024-11-17 13:00 - 16:00
Adult Community Education | 3 Hour Workshop
This workshop comes around once a year in time for the season. Join us for a lovely Sunday afternoon at the Gardens at HCP, creating your very own Christmas and winter themed watercolours with Richard's guidance. These little holiday originals can be tucked into greeting cards with a front pocket opening, and gifted to someone special.
Richard's classes are relaxed and enjoyable, open to everyone including those just starting out.
Your registration includes admission to the gardens, so come early for a stroll and some inspiration.
Early registration recommended, as this workshop tends to sell out!

Fees & Registration
$80.00 (art supplies not included, see *list* below)
$90.00 (art supplies included)
Register by phone at 250-479-6162 or Register Online

* 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 watercolour class interest list 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 - Wreath Making for Families
2024-11-29 13:00 - 14:30, 2024-11-30 10:00 - 11:30, 2024-11-30 13:30 - 15:00, 2024-12-01 10:00 - 11:30, 2024-12-07 10:00 - 11:30
Join us for this annual gathering to prepare a wreath for your home this holiday season. Using a selection of greenery along with friendly guidance, create a unique wreath to enjoy or gift! These small sized workshops offer a slower and easier pace for small hands to lend assistance with. All materials provided. One registration is good for up to 4 participants, with up to 5 families at each session.

Dates:

Friday November 29 1-2:30
Saturday November 30 10-11:30
Saturday November 30 1:30-3:00
Sunday December 01 10-11:30
Saturday December 07 10-11:30
Saturday December 07 1:30 - 3:00

Fees: $40/All and $35/Family Membership

Registration opens after Thanksgiving October 14

Registration: click on the date or call 250-479-6162
