Winter

The winter Garden features muted colour palettes, stunning silhouettes and a scattering of colour with winter berries and blooms.

Spring

In spring the Garden is bursting with cheerful rhododendrons, stunning magnolias, delicate cherry blossoms and bloom-full camellias –  to mention a few…

Summer

Summer in the Garden features vibrant colours and fragrant smells for our visitors to enjoy.

Winter Plant ID (Online)

Botanist Latifa Pelletier-Ahmed joins the VBGA to teach about winter plant identification. You will learn about woody and evergreen perennials that can be found in VanDusen Botanical Garden and around the Lower Mainland. Learn about key winter identification features, including bark, buds, and evergreen leaves. A Garden map will be provided to guide you to find highlighted plants in VanDusen Botanical Garden at your leisure (admission sold separately).

Creative Photography 1 (In-Person)

Enjoy the beautiful setting of the Garden while you hone your photography skills. Melissa H. Clark will discuss the most important principles of what makes a great photograph, such as space, emphasis, rhythm, variety, and more. You will be guided through practical exercises and spend plenty of time in the Garden to practice and explore your creativity. Gain valuable input in a feedback session, and finish class feeling more confident.

Winter Watercolour Meetups! (In Person)

In this 6-week program, artist and illustrator Susan Pearson will share her skills and techniques pertaining to the colours you find in the winter months. Snow-covered mountains, landscapes and snowdrops, with just the white of the paper! Textured and muted colours of winter foliage!

You will be working from photographs and fresh cuts from the Garden for inspiration. Susan’s group and individual instructions ensure that each participant can progress at their own pace as they develop techniques such as layering of colour, wet in to wet and dry brush. This course is suitable for novices or those seeking a refresher on watercolour techniques.

Creative Photography 2 (In Person)

Build on your understanding of photography principles, and explore speed and lighting effects. Using traditional techniques such as shooting in black & white, you will dive deeper into what makes a great photograph and why. During the class, you will have the chance to go outdoors to the Garden and capture winter’s vibes from your unique point of view; the class will finish with a feedback session.

This class is for people who have taken class #1 or have previous knowledge and experience and wish to develop their skills.

How to Start Seedlings Indoors (Online)

Another planting calendar is starting, bringing back the joy of getting your hands dirty! If you are a beginner gardener wanting to create your food garden from seeds, it’s better to start early, and this is the perfect class to receive instructions on how to do it.

Join Jennifer Lipka, an MSc Student at the Faculty of Land and Food Systems of UBC, who has plenty of practical experience and will discuss what seeds you need to start indoors and when, how to start seeds indoors and what you’ll need, considering many budgets. Additionally, the class will cover the soil to use, containers and grow lights to buy. The session will finish with a demonstration.

Practical Winter Pruning (In Person)

This time of year is perfect for seeing how the structure of trees, shrubs, and vines can be modified with pruning and how the plant will respond. During this seasonal look at pruning, join former VanDusen gardener Casey Werfl for an overview of the fundamentals of pruning and specifics on tree and shrub structure. Class includes ample time in the Garden to examine plants in need of pruning, see the results of past pruning, and demonstrate proper techniques and clever tips.