Guardians of the Garden returns to VanDusen with an all new challenge!
Participate in the Conifer Champion Challenge from June 11 to August 31 and complete the activity to collect your second GOG badge and prize.
Learn More2022 is Canada’s Year of the Garden and June 11 – 19 is National Garden Days!
We are holding a variety of events and classes at VanDusen Botanical Garden to celebrate the Year of the Garden!
Learn MoreLearn more about the Medicine Wheel Ceremony and read our interview with Elder Phil L’Hirondelle here.
Sunday June 19th, 12.00pm – 3.00pm
Registration not required.
The Medicine Wheel is a symbol of holistic teachings based on the cycles of nature. People from varying backgrounds and spiritual traditions are invited to gather to celebrate the beginning of a new season in a beautiful outdoors setting at VanDusen Botanical Garden.
Drumming, singing, and prayers will be shared. The ceremony concludes with a potluck/sharing of food (optional).
Learn MoreJune 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day.
This is a day for all Canadians to recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of Inuit, First Nations and Métis peoples.
Learn more about what we are doing to celebrate at VanDusen!
Learn MoreJoin us to learn about the Tree-mendous Trees around us! As a special treat this month, our Indigenous Initiatives Coordinator, Geronimo Alec will join us to share drumming and stories about trees from his heritage. We will also do a tree-themed art project for you to take home.
REGISTRATION FULL
Check out our July Preschool Wonder Walk here!
Learn More
The Desert Plant Society of Vancouver Show and Sale takes place June 25th from 10.00am – 5pm and July 26th from 10.00am – 4.00pm.
For more information call: 604-514-3016
The Vancouver Orchid Society’s Summer Show and Sale takes place July 23rd (9.00am – 4.00pm) and 24th (9.00am – 3.00pm).
Entrance: $7
To learn more email: VOS_secretary@outlook.com
In spring the Garden is bursting with cheerful rhododendrons, stunning magnolias, delicate cherry blossoms and bloom-full camellias – to mention a few…
Autumn colours are absolutely stunning at the Garden, and there are plenty of blooms still showing.
Learn MoreSummer in the Garden features vibrant colours and fragrant smells for our visitors to enjoy.
Learn MoreThe winter Garden features muted colour palettes, stunning silhouettes and a scattering of colour with winter berries and blooms.
Learn More
Chigiri-e is a Japanese art form using pieces of hand-dyed washi paper to create beautiful and detailed images. The result resembles a watercolour painting with a delicate texture. In this hands-on, creative art workshop, you will practice handcrafting skills, learn step-by-step Chigiri-e paper techniques and create two art pieces. Supplies included.
Improve your drawing skills to capture more realistic depictions of flowers. Instructed by local artist, Katherine Dickinson, her demonstrations will guide you through a variety of exercises used to study a flower’s posture and character through line, shape, structure and form, identifying critical angles and accurate proportions.
Experiment with watercolour washes, mixing colours to match the flower’s natural colours and adding dry brush texture markings.
July 9, 10.00am
Make your garden more attractive to pollinators!
Learn how to plan a 4-season pollinator garden that will provide food and other resources for urban insects, as well as encourage nesting sites for these species in your area.
Join instructors Sangeeta Thomas and Neil Dumont on a walk and talk through VanDusen Garden where they will discuss how to use plants to build a habitat that will support a variety of bees, hummingbirds and butterflies!
Discover the regenerative power of body and mind in nature with Kristine Koster, certified Forest Therapy Guide. Inspired by the Japanese tradition of Shinrin-Yoku, forest therapy is the eco-antidote to modern-day stress. Kristine will lead you through a variety of gentle activities in the Garden, all designed to promote relaxation, wellness, and connection.
Learn how the practice of forest therapy boosts immune systems and supports healing. The walk concludes by sharing wildcrafted tea and treats in the Garden.
Gardens come in all shapes, sizes and types. No matter what kind of outdoor space you have, you can incorporate elements and practices that benefit local wildlife. Learn how to select native plants, avoid invasive species, enhance habitat, and other sustainable gardening techniques and tips.
Certified Master Beekeeper Brian Campbell will cover the basics of bumblebee identification to help you get started on this fascinating adventure while exploring the Garden as a bumblebee reserve.
Bumblebees are critical pollinators for BC native plants. During this walk, you will watch bumblebees at work in the Garden and begin to understand their relationship to flowers.
With a focus on plants, explore the native biodiversity on Bowen Island on a gentle walk along shaded forest trails. Led by former VBGA Education Director Gillian Drake, we will discuss our local ecosystems and identify native ferns, trees, and more.
Tour will start at the library, 30m from the ferry dock (no car needed), and will finish in time to board the 1:15 pm ferry back to Horseshoe Bay. Consider making a day of it and visit Bowen’s many cafes, shops and galleries within walking distance of the ferry.
