Bringing Mason Bees to your Garden

Friday, March 31 10.00am - 1.00pm

Are you interested in bringing Mason and other solitary bees into your garden? Instructor Neil Dumont will cover everything you need to know to get these powerful pollinators to take up residence in your backyard.

Mason bees out pollinate honeybees ten to one and can add a boost to your spring garden. Learn how to set up their ideal home, where to source cocoons, how to care for them after the season and much more. This session includes a 2-hour presentation indoors plus a 1-hour Garden walk.

Intro to Pacific Northwest Mushrooms (Online)

Tuesday, April 4 6.30pm - 8.30pm

Springtime offers new opportunities for mushroom enthusiasts. With regular showers and warming soil, mushrooms show up with increasing frequency in both urban areas and forests alike.

This class is an excellent introduction to mushroom foraging. It includes the basics of how mushrooms work, why they are critical to healthy ecosystems, where to find them, the basics of identification, and some common poisonous species.

Watercolour: Abundant Spring Blooms

Thursday, April 6

With a curious eye, let’s observe spring blooms!

In this three-session series, paint atmospheric, imaginative still-life paintings from fresh-cut botanicals and photo references! Susan will demonstrate wet into wet backgrounds, layering of colours, dry brush and the use of speckling and salt. Stay inspired! All levels welcome.

Deciduous Tree ID (Online)

Tuesday, April 11 6.30pm - 8.00pm

Latifa Pelletier-Ahmed joins the VBGA to teach about deciduous tree identification.

Participants will learn about native and commonly cultivated species found in VanDusen Botanical Garden and around the Lower Mainland. Learn key characteristics of the most common deciduous tree families and recognize them in urban and wild environments. A Garden map will be provided to guide you to find highlighted plants in VanDusen Botanical Garden at your leisure (admission is sold separately).

Introduction to Qigong

Monday, April 17 - Monday, May 1 11.00am - 12.00pm

Join Anita Wong of the YS Traditional Chinese Medicine & Martial Arts College for an introduction to Qigong. Qigong is a meditation in motion, and a simple but effective system to enhance overall health and fitness. This exercise incorporates breathing techniques with body movements and directs energy throughout the meridians.

Through this four-session course, you will relax the body and mind, strengthen bones, enhance balance, and improve blood circulation. This series is suited for beginners and experienced students, with easy-to-follow steps and deep relaxation. Class starts with Qigong practice, followed by some Taichi steps to close.

Designing Gardens for the Senses (Online)

Wednesday, April 19 6.00pm - 8.00pm

Go beyond designing a garden that looks good, and create a garden that feels and smells good too! Join Janis in this experiential and interactive class, equipping participants with the tools and understanding to create a sensory haven on your property. Explore how to design gardens that are welcoming and multi-sensory; incorporating texture, colour, scent, sound, touch, and movement into the garden.

Storytelling and Hula at Bloedel Conservatory

Thursday, April 27 - Thursday, May 4 6.30pm - 8.00pm

Join Poh Tan in this two-session storytelling time to connect with plants at Bloedel Conservatory. In addition to being a scientist, Poh is also a hula dancer, and she learned with Kumu Josie de Baat from Halau Kia’i O Ka Hula. Join us to learn a few basic steps of hula and how hula can help tell meaningful stories about our environment.