Adult Continuing Education

Digital Photography Workshop
Expand your photographic knowledge, technique, and understanding of a digital camera's functionality to improve your photos. This course will cover principles of digital photography and the common functions on digital cameras. For novice to intermediate students, this workshop combines lecture, taking photos outdoors in the Garden, and a feedback session. Rain or shine, but bring a large umbrella if it rains.

Instructor: Ron Long
Cost: Members: $65 / Non-member: $80

Watercolour in Winter
Susan’s popular watercolour painting course is now available in winter, when you can use the muted winter season colour tones and contrasting textures as 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: Members: $155 / Non-member: $175

Enlighten your Photos
Light effects are crucial to good photography. Train your eye to notice light effects and recognize their photographic potential. This workshop will focus on how to perceive light, and use light effects, both indoors and out, in order to create more visually effective photos. Workshop combines lecture, taking photos outdoors in the Garden, and a feedback session. Rain or shine, but bring a large umbrella if it rains.

Instructor: Ron Long
Cost: Members: $66 / Non-member: $75

Watercolour in Spring
Using the colourful spring season and plant collection at VanDusen as 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: Members: $155 / Non-member: $175

Flower Photography Workshop
Flowers possess more photographic possibilities than may initially meet the eye. This workshop will cover many of the technical and aesthetic aspects of flower photography and will greatly increase the satisfaction you derive from your own flower pictures. All skill levels welcome. Workshop combines lecture, taking photos outdoors in the Garden and a feedback session. Rain or shine, but bring a large umbrella if it rains.

Instructor: Ron Long
Cost: Members: $65 / Non-member: $80

Mason Bee Workshop
Discover mason bees, including how to attract them and keep them in your home garden. Learn how to wash the cocoons and why it’s important to do so, and what kind of nest they prefer and how to make one. The focus will be on hands-on demonstrations and useful information that can be applied immediately in your backyard.

Instructor: Brian Campbell
Cost: Members: $35 / Non-member: $45

Gardening for Bees
Bees need plants, plants need bees, and humans need both. Learn about many of the bee species commonly found throughout Metro Vancouver and what they require for a healthy habitat. Find out what they forage on, where they nest, and what gardeners can do to help bee conservation.

Instructor: Brian Campbell
Cost: Members: $25 / Non-member: $35

*NOTE: The time for this class in our printed catalogue is incorrect. This is the correct time.

Introduction to Botanical Latin
Explore the scientific names of plants in a lively and fun class. Understanding botanical names can tell you a lot about a plant – its native origin, ecology, history, physical appearance, cultural uses, and more! After this introduction to botanical names, you will easily use names that may once have seemed incomprehensible or unpronounceable.

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

Plant ID for Beginners
Knowing what characteristics to look for on plants and how to describe them are major components of plant identification. This course will introduce you to the plant parts and terminology used in plant identification so you can get out there and identify plants on your own. This session will focus on stems, leaves and flowers. A 10X hand lens is required, and a limited number will be available to purchase at class.

Instructor: Nyssa Temmel
Cost: Members: $40 / Non-member: $50

Bee Safari
Mason bees, bumblebees, honeybees and more! Discover our local bees and learn simple and easy ways to help our backyard bees thrive. Class will start indoors, then head outside for a bee safari throughout VanDusen’s rich bee habitat. Children over age 10 are welcome to participate in this class.

Instructor: Brian Campbell
Cost: Members: $25 / Non-member: $35

Botany on Bowen Island
Explore the botanical diversity around Killarney Lake as you walk through mature secondary growth forest, shoreline and riparian communities, and along the boardwalk covering marsh and swamp. Led by a botanist, this tour will introduce you to many B.C. native ferns, trees, and more. Tour will start at the library, 30m from the ferry dock (no car needed), and will finish in time to board the 4:00 ferry back to Horseshoe Bay. Consider making a day of it and visit Bowen’s many cafes, shops and galleries within easy walking distance of the ferry.

Instructor:Claudia Schaefer
Cost: Members: $25 / Non-member: $35

The Essence of Good Gardening
This course is an engaging combination of the fundamentals of good gardening practices, a little bit of botany, plant identification and taxonomy, and insightful tours of the Garden. VanDusen gardener, Egan Davis, uses a unique blend of demonstrations and examples in the Garden to cover a variety of subjects including: plant selection, soil properties and amendments, pest and disease ID and management, planting and transplanting, basic garden design and much more. Most of this course will be spent out in the Garden.

Instructor: Egan Davis
Cost: Members: $170 / Non-member: $185

Plant Propagation Workshop
Discover how to make new plants in this hands-on workshop held in a greenhouse at VanDusen. Learn the tips and techniques for various propagation methods including seeds, dividing perennials, air and mound layering, and taking cuttings. Participants can take home practice materials.

Instructor: Egan Davis
Cost: Members: $40 / Non-member: $50

Fruit Tree Basics
Sometimes even seasoned gardeners shy away from growing fruit trees. This is your chance to learn the basics about year-round training and maintenance, rejuvenating mature trees, and selecting new plants from a nursery. It's time to enjoy the fruits of your labour.

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

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

Instructor: Leonard Basaraba
Cost: Members: $55 / Non-member: $70

How to Hire a Great Gardener
Need help maintaining your garden and don’t know who to hire to do the job? Having spent many years in the landscaping business, Estelle will suggest good qualifications to look for in a reliable gardener, what questions to ask, and how to know when you’ve found the right person for your own situation.

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

Fix your own Lawnmower
Look into the engine of a lawnmower and grass trimmer during this overview of the air, ignition and fuel systems of these and other small engines. Learn how to troubleshoot problems and how to maintain your equipment, such as the proper way to sharpen mower blades and change the oil.

Instructor: Egan Davis
Cost: Members: $40 / Non-member: $50

Growing Veggies in Containers
Which vegetables, and specific varieties, grow best in containers and when should they be planted? What soil mix is best and how should you water your plants? Learn how to get the most out of your balcony or patio by using vertical space resourcefully, selecting appropriate plants and containers, and more.

Instructor: Janis Matson
Cost: Members: $30 / Non-member: $40

Companion Planting
Companion planting is the deliberate planting of certain crops in proximity to one another, because they benefit one another in pest control, nutrient uptake, pollination, and increased crop yield. With a focus on vegetable growing, learn which plants repel insect pests, which plants effectively share space (and resources) together, and which plants should never be planted near each other.

Instructor: Karen Myskiw
Cost: Members: $25 / Non-member: $35

Creative Containers
Get creative with container gardening, and enjoy beautiful, colourful plantings on your balcony, patio, or beside your front door. Topics include soil preparation, fertilizers, plant selection, design and maintenance of your containers.

Instructor: Bettina Harvey
Cost: Members: $30 / Non-member: $40

Plant a Salad in a Basket Workshop
Plant up a beautiful basket mixture of herbs, veggies, and edible flowers. Learn maintenance techniques to keep your edibles growing all summer. Nothing tastes better than your own salad, ready to pick just outside your door. All supplies are included.

Instructor: Estelle Bogoch
Cost: Members: $60 / Non-member: $75

Integrated Gardening – veggies and flowers
Bring edible plants into your existing floral or ornamental garden and enjoy a new beauty and bounty. Learn how to incorporate vegetables and herbs using small spaces, alcoves, vignettes or well-placed containers. Although applicable for large landscapes, this course will be particularly useful to gardeners with a small garden space where they wish to have year round beauty and something to harvest.

Instructor: Janis Matson
Cost: Members: $30 / Non-member: $40

Native Plants for Urban Gardens
Integrate B.C. native plants into your garden. Discover beautiful native species to add colour, texture, fruit and flowers while serving a key ecological role in our urban environment. Used correctly, native plants are easy to maintain and well adapted to our local growing conditions. Plus, they are great for our local pollinators, birds, and more!

Instructor: Karen Myskiw
Cost: Members: $25 / Non-member: $35

Keep Good Lawns from Going Bad
A grassroots look at what it takes to control critters such as the European Chafer beetle, how to preserve beauty and turf out needless maintenance. This course will cover natural pest control, watering and selecting best turf grass and groundcovers for your site. Outdoor water-saver kits will be given free to each participant.

Instructor: Maria Keating
Cost: Members: $20 / Non-member: $25

Delicious Designs – The Potager Garden
Essentially ornamental vegetable gardens, potager gardens combine the practicality of an English kitchen garden with the style and grace of French fashion. Plants are chosen for both their edible and ornamental natures and are put together in such a way that it looks pretty while still providing food for the household. This course will include hands-on exercises for planning and cultivating your own garden; and generating a concept design to implement in your own yard, balcony, or deck. Some homework may be required. Please bring to the first class: 2-3 colour photos of the outdoor area you want to work on, measurements of the space you want to design; pencils, eraser, and ruler.

Instructor: Karen Myskiw
Cost: Members: $135 / Non-member: $150

Designing with Colour
Combine colours in your garden in appealing and intriguing ways, creating year round interest. Learn to develop your eye for choosing bold contrasts, shape and size of foliage or flowers, and effectively accenting your home's colour. We'll also discuss choosing garden accessories that can enhance colour in your garden such as containers, birdbaths or artwork.

Instructor: Janis Matson
Cost: Members: $30 / Non-member: $40

Right Plant, Right Place
Every garden has micro-climates. They are created by the shade of a large tree, a rocky and dry slope, the side of the house where the sun bakes down for a few hours a day. Give your plants the best chance to thrive by planting them in the right conditions. This course will take you through the process of assessing your property correctly and drawing up a site plan.

Instructor: Catherine Dale
Cost: Members: $25 / Non-member: $35

Landscape Design Journey
Join Estelle on a fast-paced journey of design. With half a day in the classroom and half a day on a tour of neighbourhood gardens, you’ll finish the afternoon bursting with enthusiasm and enough information to create your own special place. Bring pencils, an eraser, and lunch, and prepare for any weather condition.

Instructor: Estelle Bogoch
Cost: Members: $65 / Non-member: $80

Small-Space Garden Design
This course explores the challenges and opportunities in small-space design. There will be an emphasis on patios, balconies, and small yards in condominiums, apartments, and townhouses. Learn about site analysis, the use of walls and ceilings, colour, and plant choices ideal for the small garden. Bring the measurements of your garden and two coloured photos of your house and garden area.

Instructor: Estelle Bogoch
Cost: Members: $55 / Non-member: $65