Courses
Botanical Illustration (Online and In-Person)
Enhance your drawing skills and create realistic floral illustrations in this six-session (mixed online & in-person) series with artist and educator Katharine Dickinson. Through guided demonstrations, you’ll practice techniques to capture a plant or flower’s defining features—line, shape, structure and colour—while refining your observation skills.
Exploring the Wonder of Moths & Butterflies
Eager to explore the fascinating world of butterflies and moths? Join Emily Black to dive into their anatomy, life cycles, vibrant colorations, unique behaviours, and essential roles in ecosystems. You will also learn to identify local species and discover how to make your garden more butterfly-friendly.
Pacific Northwest Native Plants
Join Allison Luke in the Garden for an afternoon native plant ID tour! Learn essential plant ID of some of the most common perennials, shrubs, and trees in this region and how to increase biodiversity and beauty in your home garden by adding native plants.
Dig In: Growing Truly Terrific Tomatoes
Transform your tomato patch into a high-yielding haven this summer. In this interactive July workshop, you will learn how to tend, prune, and support your plants at the peak of the season for maximum harvest.
Led by Sangeeta Thomas, Learning Garden Coordinator, the workshop will include a hands‑on gardening portion, and offer tried & true techniques you can use at home.
Sound Immersion in the Garden (July)
Join us for a deeply calming sound immersion experience led by Denise Levine, surrounded by the serene beauty of VanDusen Botanical Garden.
We begin with a brief exploration of the science behind sound and its effects on the body and mind, followed by a guided relaxation, and conclude with a sound immersion with crystal singing bowls to enhance tranquillity and connection with the natural world.
Guided Tour with VanDusen Gardeners: Deciduous Trees of VanDusen Botanical Gardens
Join Andrew Fleming, VanDusen Superintendent and expert gardener, for a talk and tour exploring the wide array of deciduous trees in the garden, with an emphasis on smaller varieties that are well suited for the home garden.
Wildlife Photography Essentials
Join wildlife photographer Liron Gertsman for an in-depth workshop on wildlife photography. We will go over tips, tricks and techniques for wildlife photography that can be applied regardless of your camera of choice, smartphones included.
Chinese Medicinal Plant Tour
Led by Dr. Lily Liu, this Chinese Medicinal Plant guided tour offers participants a unique, engaging, and interactive opportunity to explore living Chinese medicinal plants at VanDusen Botanical Garden. Participants will learn how to identify selected medicinal plants, understand their traditional uses, and discover how they may support health and well-being in daily life.
Nature At Your Fingertips: Intro to Citizen Science Apps
Join Emily Black to unlock the power in your pocket to contribute to local and global citizen science projects!
In this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to use easily-accessible apps and websites to identify local plants and animals using your smartphone.
Guided Tour with VanDusen Gardeners: Water & Our Changing Gardens
Join Andrew Fleming, VanDusen Superintendent and expert gardener for a tour of the garden, examining the garden through this lens. Learn what strategies the gardening team is using to help mitigate water stress to create resilient and sustainable plantings and landscapes.
Sound Immersion in the Garden (August)
Join us for a deeply calming sound immersion experience led by Denise Levine, surrounded by the serene beauty of VanDusen Botanical Garden.
Participants will then be guided through a restorative relaxation experience, accompanied by crystal singing bowls and carefully selected sound instruments designed to foster calm, presence, and a deeper connection to self and the natural world.
Dig In: Cultivating Herbal Teas in Your Garden
Eplore how to grow and craft your own herbal tea blends. Focusing on the Learning Garden’s dedicated tea bed, you will discover a variety of climate-resilient herbs and flowers perfect for fresh or dried brewing.
Led by Sangeeta Thomas, Learning Garden Coordinator, this workshop will cover best practices for growing, harvesting, and drying tea plants to maximize flavor and longevity, alongside tips for maintaining a productive garden all season long.
