Grow your own Microgreens & Sprouts (Online)

Tuesday, December 1 6:00pm - 7:30pm

Get your greens this winter! Microgreens and sprouts can be grown at home all year round. Learn the difference between these types of plants, and the required growing conditions for each. In this online class, you will gain an understanding of the systems and products that you need to grow greens at home. Dr. Yael Stav will demonstrate the steps to prepare your own microgreens tray or sprouting jar, and will provide you with the knowledge and resources to start your own. Buy your own sprouting kit from VanDusen and complement this class with hands-on learning.

Winter Succulent Gardening (Online)

Saturday, December 5 10:00am - 11:30am

Don’t let the winter stop you from growing a beautiful outdoor succulent garden. With VanDusen’s classes offered online, this is your chance to see an outdoor backyard succulent oasis, located on Bowen Island, BC! Get an in-depth look at the growing design and techniques of a succulent savvy gardener in Zone 8. Learn about appropriate plants for a Canadian winter succulent garden, as well as indoor tips on grow lights, set-up, and propagation. Whether you’re growing in a low water or rocky context, Melinda can help you get great-looking succulents all year round.

Watercolour Painting for Beginners (Online)

Saturday, January 16 2021 10:00am - 12:00pm

Join Susan Pearson for this beginner’s class in watercolour painting. Whether you’re painting a still life, botanical subject, landscape, or abstract expression Susan will guide you through colour mixing, and the techniques of applying paint to paper. Experiment with wet into wet, wet on dry, and bringing colours to clear in this fun and foundational workshop.

Landscape Design Series (Online)

Tuesday, January 19 2021 - Tuesday, February 2 2021

Whether you’re designing a small green entrance to your home or an expansive backyard oasis, this online class will equip you with the essential principles of landscape design. Join Janis Matson, horticulturist and owner of Shoreline Landscape Design, for this 3-part workshop series. Learn foundational concepts of design, such as soil, slope, sun exposure, and irrigation. Expand your learning with the principles and elements of design like focal points, scale, colour, balance, and more. Bring photos or drawings of your garden and work on your own property’s design with feedback and insight from the instructor. Leave inspired and ready to design your garden.

Supporting Wild Birds Through Winter (Online)

Saturday, January 23 2021 10:00am - 11:30am

Join the VBGA and the Vancouver Avian Research Centre (VARC) to explore how birds benefit our ecosystems. Take a closer look at species that stay year-round, and how to help them survive through the colder months. This talk will delve into the challenges birds face and the science helping to protect them. Learn what you can do to create bird-friendly spaces helping our feathered friends thrive.

Design Your Indoor Micro-Farm (Online)

Saturday, February 6 2021 10am - 11:45am

Transform your home or small garden into an urban micro-farm in this online lecture presented by sustainable design professional Dr. Yael Stav. In this holistic class, explore living walls, vermi-compost, window farms, and other indoor planting systems to add edible greenery to your home without taking up much space. Learn principles of planning your garden, managing water and light requirements, and which plants are most suitable.

Botanical Illustration Level 1 (Online)

Wednesday, February 10 2021 - Wednesday, February 24 2021

Learn how to draw plants from an aesthetic and botanical perspective while improving your observation and artistic skills. This 3-session course is ideal for anyone wishing to approach a beginner level of botanical drawing. Instructor Katharine Dickinson will guide students through contour and gesture drawing exercises, followed by longer studies using line and tonal drawing techniques.

Courses