Courses

The Vancouver Botanical Gardens Association is delighted to present free, guided birding tours at VanDusen Botanical Garden with experienced guide, Emily Black. Join your guide for a leisurely two-hour tour through the Garden to look & listen for the many species of birds that frequent the area while they share their enthusiasm and knowledge of the Garden’s avian inhabitants. There are two tours happening in December – register below!

From remote South Pacific atolls to the Arctic and Pacific Northwest, Isabelle Groc has spent her career documenting science and conservation in the field. In this presentation, she shares how she selects stories, collaborates with scientists, and works in challenging environments, revealing how visual storytelling deepens public understanding of nature. She will also highlight recent projects on urban hummingbirds and migrating shorebirds. At the in-person session, she will offer several of her books for sale, including her hummingbird book which features some photographs taken at VanDusen Gardens.

Join Instructor Susan Pearson for a creative journey into making your watercolour paintings shine. While colour plays a vital role, the thoughtful use of white spaces and watercolour techniques can bring your artwork to life. In this 5-session series, you’ll learn how to plan ahead and use well-placed whites to improve your creations.  

Participants are required to bring their own supplies.

Discover the art of crafting baskets and trivets from invasive English ivy!  

In this hands-on experience led by Grace Nombrado, with support from Adrian Avendano, you will learn to prepare and weave ivy into your own basket or trivet to take home.  

Please note that the outdoor portion runs rain or shine. Only extreme weather will move the class fully indoors.