Spring

In spring the Garden is bursting with cheerful rhododendrons, stunning magnolias, delicate cherry blossoms and bloom-full camellias –  to mention a few…

Summer

Summer in the Garden features vibrant colours and fragrant smells for our visitors to enjoy.

Fall

Autumn colours are absolutely stunning at the Garden, and there are plenty of blooms still showing.

Winter

The winter Garden features muted colour palettes, stunning silhouettes and a scattering of colour with winter berries and blooms.

Botanical Drawing and Painting Flowers (Online & In Person)

Improve your drawing skills to capture more realistic depictions of flowers in this four-session series. Instructed by artist and educator Katharine Dickinson, her demonstrations will guide you through various exercises on capturing a flower’s identifying features through line, shape, structure and form and observing critical angles and accurate proportions.

Explore watercolour techniques for botanicals, mixing and matching a flower’s natural colours, and applying washes and dry brush details.

FREE: Birding Session with the Feminist Bird Club

Join the Vancouver Chapter of the Feminist Bird Club for a FREE birding meetup at VanDusen Botanical Garden! Julia (she/her) and Daniella (she/her) will lead a bird walk/sit in the Garden as part of the annual Vancouver Bird Celebration. The Feminist Bird Club (FBC) was founded in 2016 with the goal of making birding and the outdoors inclusive and accessible for everyone.

This event offers a mobile birding tour along the Garden pathways, with a seated birding option available for those who prefer to observe from a stationary position within the Garden.

Designing Gardens for Small Spaces (Online)

Let’s have some fun in our small gardening spaces!

Join Janis Matson to discuss and understand the design elements and principles, limitations, and potential when designing and gardening in smaller spaces. This session will focus on best practices and creative ideas that make a small space POP—from plants to hard features to garden accents.

A Visit with O.W.L. (Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society)

This is your chance for a meet and greet with some of nature’s most beautiful birds, offered through the Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society (O.W.L).

O.W.L specializes in the rescue and rehabilitation of injured and orphaned raptors from all over B.C. Learn about how the birds find their way to O.W.L., how they are cared for, and eventually released back into nature. Participants will also meet the teaching birds up close.  Photo ops are available (no flash please).

Discover Birds at Bloedel

Join a member of the VBGA Education team for this all-ages program to celebrate our feathered friends. Meet the birds of Blodel and discover the biodiversity hidden under the Conservatory dome through a mini-tour and activity!

Gardening in a Changing Climate

Discover how to develop your garden’s resilience to the evolving seasonal realities of our changing climate: hot, dry summers, intense storms, and unpredictable cold snaps.

Learn gardening techniques to help you and your food garden adapt to extreme weather and varying conditions. Instructor Rhiannon Johnson will teach you how to make your garden more resilient to temperature and precipitation changes.

Peak Perennials in June

Perennials occupy a unique niche in our gardens: some are tireless workhorses, providing long-season interest, while others offer a short but spectacular show.

During this workshop, we’ll spend our time outdoors exploring the garden—from the Eastern North American to Ornamental Grasses collections—and identifying standout perennials for the summer season. Using the criteria mentioned above for plant selection, you’re sure to discover a few new additions that you’ll be eager to introduce to your own garden.