Adult Continuing Education

A Watercoloured Garden  Using the plant collection at VanDusen as your inspiration, learn watercolour techniques such as layering of colour, wet into wet, dry brush, splattering and using salt. This course is suitable for novices or those seeking a refresher on watercolour techniques. Supplies are not included in fee and a supply list will be provided with your course confirmation.

Instructor:  Susan Pearson
Cost: Member: $165 / Non-member: $180

Getting to Know Acrylics - NEW CLASS OFFERING!  An introduction to acrylic painting, this course is suitable for novices, or those seeking a refresher on acrylic techniques. While making use of the beautiful setting of VanDusen (weather permitting), this course will cover the basics of colour theory, paint handling and application, the study of light and shadow, composition and visual perspective. Supplies are not included in fee and a supply list will be provided with your course confirmation.

Instructor:TBD
Cost: Members: $165 / Non-member: $180

Macro Photography in the Garden - NEW CLASS OFFERING!
Zoom in close and expand your photographic vision! Suitable for intermediate level photographers, this class will cover creative and technical aspects of macro photography. Topics will include: exploiting the built in features of your camera for more creative images, placing your subjects for harmonious compositions and how lens choice affects your photographs. Students should bring a tripod and an SLR camera (strongly recommended).

The class will consist of a 1 hour presentation indoors, followed by 2 hours outside in the garden for hands-on photography. A discussion night will follow - bring in your 2 favourite photos for a chance for some feedback with the instructor and the rest of the group.

Instructor: Suzanne Goodwin
Cost: Members: $60 / Non-member: $75

Biodiversity in Your Backyard - NEW CLASS OFFERING!
Kick off the International Year of Biodiversity with an exploration of how you can enhance the variety of life in your urban environment. This class will look at the concept of Naturescaping, and how to attract wildlife such as birds, butterflies, and beneficial insects in an aesthetically pleasing way that keeps the neighbours happy. Participants are encouraged to preview the topic by looking at the Naturescape BC Provincial Guide.

Instructor: Al & Jude Grass
Cost: Members $28 / Non-member: $38

Mason Bee Workshop
Brian Campbell provides an introduction to mason bees - what they are and how to attract and keep them in the home garden. Learn why and how to wash the cocoons to keep your mason bees happy and productive. Find out what kind of nest they prefer and how to make one for your garden. The focus will be on hands-on demonstrations and practical, useful information that can be applied immediately in your backyard.

Instructor: Brian Campbell
Cost: Members $40 / Non-member: $55.00

Introduction to Botanical Latin - STILL NEW!
Are you overwhelmed by the strange, incomprehensible names that you find in gardening books and on plant labels? What do they mean and where do they come from? What’s the difference between albus, alba and album? Join Estelle and spend an engaging Thursday evening figuring it all out.

Instructor: Estelle Bogoch
Cost: Members $30 / Non-member: $40

Grow Your Winter Palette - NEW CLASS OFFERING!
Plants with appeal in the winter are the focus of this class. Enjoy your garden more in the winter months by selecting plants with interesting shape, branching, bark, or perhaps some flowers or residual fruit. Weather permitting, the class will include a walk in the Garden with Gerry. Please dress appropriately.

Instructor: Gerry Gibbens
Cost: Members $50 / Non-member: $65

Bumblebee Workshop - NEW CLASS OFFERING!
What's the buzz about bumblebees all about? These hardworking, gentle creatures are one of our most important pollinators and deserve their space in the urban garden. Participants in this workshop will make their own bumblebee nest for their garden, discover the needs and preferences of bumblebees, and go out to look for bees in the Garden.

Instructor: Brian Campbell
Cost: Members $50 / Non-member: $65

Biogeography - Plants of the World - NEW CLASS OFFERING!
Approximately 200 million years ago, the supercontinent Pangaea began to split up and spread apart, eventually forming the continents as they are today. This continental drift + a lot of time = fascinating similarities & differences between plant species. This class will look at Rhododendrons, Magnolias, and more, taking you from China to Eastern North America and then to the Southern Hemisphere to explore biogeography in the garden. Class will be both indoors and out.

Instructor: Egan Davis
Cost: Members $25 / Non-member: $35

The Art of Pruning
Forsythia? Hydrangea? Learn how to prune these shrubs and more! Roy will cover the basics for successful pruning, including timing, understanding growth habits, the proper ways and locations to cut, and overall shape of the plant.

Instructor: Roy Jonsson
Cost: Members: $38 / Non-member: $53

Get Gardening with Egan

Discover the fundamentals of good gardening practices with VanDusen’s award-winning gardener, Egan Davis. He will touch on a variety of subjects including: proper plant selection for your garden, soil properties and amendments, managing pests and diseases, planting and transplanting, pruning, good watering practices and much, much more. Much of this course will be spent out in the Garden so dress for the weather and for gardening!

Instructor: Egan Davis
Cost: Members:  $165 / Non-member: $180

Success with Seeds
It’s time to grow! Learn how to start your own seeds on a windowsill or in a cold frame. This hands-on course will cover choosing the right soil mix, preparation of seeds, germination, hardening off and transplanting seedlings. Participants will pot up a selection of seeds collected at VanDusen to take home. (Don’t forget Seedy Saturday on February 27th at the Garden)

Instructor: Egan Davis
Cost: Members $32 / Non-member: $42

Get Set for Spring
Spring can be a very busy time in the garden; both for the plants and the gardeners. Learn time-saving tips and techniques for spring planting, from planning and site preparation to low-maintenance plant choices. Roy Jonsson will also include seasonal suggestions for pruning, lawn maintenance, weeding, and irrigation.

Instructor: Roy Jonsson
Cost: Members $25 / Non-member: $35

Apple Grafting Workshop
Build your own apple tree! But first, you must learn about the ancient craft of grafting. Several common types of grafts will be discussed and demonstrated. You will “build” a fruit tree suitable for home gardens by grafting an apple scion onto a dwarf root stock. Bring a sharp knife suitable for whittling.

Instructor: Leonard Basaraba
Cost: Members: $50 / Non-member: $65

Garden Makeover

 Join Gerry to renovate a part of VanDusen’s Sino-Himalayan collection. As you overhaul a plot in the Garden, class participants will divide and transplant perennials, prune trees and shrubs for size and shape, and discover proper ways to move plants. This is very much a hands-on class, so dress for the weather, in work clothes, and bring your gardening gloves.

Instructor: Gerry Gibbens
Cost: Members $32 / Non-member: $42

Easier Gardening with Arthritis - NEW CLASS OFFERING

Enjoy your garden in ways that minimize stress on the joints while maintaining your strength and mobility. A registered Occupational Therapist and a Horticultural Therapist will discuss how to make gardening easier by modifying your existing gardening equipment, making your garden more accessible and proper gardening techniques. Weather permitting, a portion of the class will be spent in the garden looking at examples of best practices. This class is presented in partnership with The Arthritis Society.

Instructor: Arthritis Rehabilitation Specialist
Cost: Members $10 / Non-member: $10

Contain Yourself  Spruce up your balcony or patio this summer with beautiful, colourful plantings in containers. Container gardening is perfect for apartment, condo or townhouse dwellers and this is a great crash course in how to do it. Topics include soil preparation, fertilizers, plant selection, presentation and maintenance of your containers.

Instructor: Roy Jonsson
Cost: Members $30 / Non-member: $40

Pre Plant Sale Tour - NEW CLASS OFFERING  Planning on attending VanDusen’s Annual Plant Sale, but not really sure which plants to buy? This tour will take you on a journey through the Garden to see mature examples of many of the sale plants. We’ll also take a sneak peek at the plants in the sales area (but no buying!) Instructor: Gerry Gibbens

*** Bring the whole family to VanDusen today! We have scheduled HSBC Family Programs to coincide with these tours. One adult goes on the Plant Tour while another enjoys Earth Day activities with the kids.

Instructor: Gerry Gibbens
Cost: Members $25 / Non-member: $35

A Basket of Love for Mom - NEW CLASS OFFERING  Create an edible garden in a basket for a wonderful cook in your life - just in time for Mother’s Day! Or, sign up with your Mom for some botanical bonding and each take home your own basket of delicious plants. Cost includes all materials, including a basket, selection of herbs, veggies and edible flowers (depending on availability.)

Instructor: Estelle Bogoch
Cost: Members $55 / Non-member: $70

CSI: Your Garden - NEW CLASS OFFERING
It’s a bug!? It’s a fungus!? It’s...it’s... What is it that’s going wrong in my garden? How can you tell if your plants are suffering from nutrient deficiency, pests, disease, or overwatering? This class will give you the basics for identifying what may ail your plants.

Instructor: Nancy Moore
Cost: Members $25 / Non-member: $35

Front Yard Design 
Feel like your front yard could increase its curb appeal? Nancy Moore will illustrate how a well thought out planting design can change the way you use and view your property. Topics include choosing a garden style to match your home’s architecture, selecting plants, framing and screening.

Instructor: Nancy Moore
Cost: Members $35 / Non-member: $45

Garden Design Fundamentals 

Explore the essential principles of landscape design and learn how to apply them effectively to create your own unique garden. Topics covered include effective use of colour, plant selection, design styles, and hard surfaces. Learn to use the principles to develop a design that suits your very specific needs

Instructor: Estelle Bogoch
Cost: Members $35 / Non-member: $45

Design Your Small-Space Garden
Have a small garden? Learn how to turn it into a gorgeous, lush, and visually interesting oasis! This course explores the challenges and opportunities in small-space design, emphasizing patios, balconies and small yards. You will analyze and design your small-spaced garden during class and as homework. Bring measurements and two colour photographs of your space, an eraser, pencils and a ruler. Design paper will be provided.

Instructor: Estelle Bogoch
Cost: Members $100 / Non-member: $115

Landscape Design Walking Tour
Stroll around the VanDusen neighbourhood with a great garden designer and discover why some gardens “work” better than others. See examples of how design principles are applied effectively and then use this knowledge to improve your own garden. Bring a clipboard and paper and dress for the weather, rain or shine. We will meet indoors first for a short briefing.

Instructor: Estelle Bogoch
Cost: Members $32 / Non-member: $42

($5 discount if also registered for another garden design class – please mention at time of registration)

Design with Grasses
Ornamental grasses can be absolutely stunning when used appropriately in the landscape. Their water and maintenance requirements are often quite low as well. During this class, you will discover some of the popular and more unusual grasses that grow well in our climate, how to use them in the garden and maintain them successfully.

Instructor: Estelle Bogoch
Cost: Members $30 / Non-member: $40

You, me and a Tree - NEW CLASS OFFERING!
Have fun and design a garden with your child in this very hands-on and interactive program. Adult and child will create 3D representations of landscape features using modelling clay and other materials and use them to plan their perfect garden. This class will explore fun and easy, child-friendly gardening ideas such as veggie teepees, Jack-and-the-Beanstalk races, rainbow and salsa gardens. Participants will also make newspaper pots and plant up some interesting veggies to start their garden. Children must be at least 8 years old.

Instructor: Karen Myskiw
Cost:
-Members $65 for pair (1 adult, 1 child)
-Non-member $80 for pair.
-$25 for each additional child or adult (member or non-member)

Yoga in the Garden
Begin your day in the beauty and tranquillity of VanDusen, before the Garden is even open to the public. Yoga outdoors in the Garden will set a perfect tone to carry you through your day. You are welcome to explore the Garden after class too! Please bring a yoga mat or thick towel to class.

Instructor: Natasha Grbich
Cost: Members: $70 / Non-member: $85

Pilates in Paradise - NEW CLASS OFFERING!  Pilates is a non-impact exercise that works to develop a strong and balanced “core”. This method uses six fundamental principles (control, centre, concentration, precision, flowing movement and breath), resulting in a strong and stable spinal column, improved posture, balance and flexibility. Please bring an exercise mat and wear comfortable stretch clothing. You are welcome to explore the Garden after class!

Instructor: TBD
Cost: Members $65 / Non-member: $75