Primula 'Wanda'

This time of year is hardly the most appealing for walking around the gardens, especially when accompanied by rain and a cold wind. But the plants themselves have their own natural rhythms and already there are some early signs of spring.

Primulas are a genus of plants that are generally cold hardy and tolerate our damp conditions; indeed the name primula comes from the latin word for first ( primus), indicating their tendency to be some of the first flowers of the year to bloom. And in the Winter Garden already one of the oldest and toughest varieties, Primula 'Wanda', is putting out its purple flowers.

Stinking Hellebore

  Not far away winter aconites ( Eranthis hyemalis) are brightening the beds with their low-lying vivid yellow flowers. This is a plant that evolved in deciduous woodland environments. Flowering early to make the most of the available sunlight before the emerging tree canopy hides it away, they will soon disappear back underground, living the rest of their year in the dark as a tuber. As members of the buttercup family ( Ranunculaceae) winter aconites are notoriously poisonous and they share this characteristic with another genus in that same family, the much-loved early flowering hellebores. The tall green-flowered Stinking Hellebore or Bear's Foot ( Helleborus foetidus) lives up to its name with its pungent foliage but perhaps more appealing are the compact Lenten or Winter Roses ( Helleborus spp. ) of which the Doris Page Garden has so many fine examples. On the south-facing slope of the upper beds there is a planting of Hellebore Honeyhill Joy

Helleborus 'Honeyhill Joy' and Ilex aquifolium 'Crinkle'

( Helleborus x nigercors 'Honeyhill Joy' ) that is currently looking quite beautiful. With their dark blue-tinged leaves and cream-yellow flowers they make a perfect complement to thevariegated holly ( Ilex aquifolium 'Crinkle') beside which they are growing.

And if by chance you are looking for something to help counteract the malodorous stinking hellebore, there is nearby a most sweet-smelling sarcococca (Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis) in flower.

One more way to support The Gardens! We have an account at the Bottle Depot!

 

Our account name is: The Gardens at HCP

How to donate on this account :

The Gardens at HCP

  

Please advise the cashiers at the beginning of the transaction that you would like to donate the bottles onto our account. Please note: Your friends / family / co-workers etc who will be donating to this account must only reference this account by account name and not by any account numbers that may be found on some of the account transaction receipts. Each depot will have a different account number for your account. 

 

You can donate at any of the Bottle Depot Branches: 4261 Glanford Ave, 655 Queens Ave, 3961 Quadra St

 

 

Gain an understanding of how and why plants respond to pruning. This workshop will help you get the results you want with any plant in your garden. Patty Brown, Pacific Horticultural College instructor will take you through the steps, theory and techniques of pruning. The workshop consists of two lectures and one hands on session to practice what you've learnt.

This workshop is for those serious about cultivating fruit and nuts in an urban space. Ryan Senechal will cover: selection of cultivars, planting, staking & training, soil, nutrients & watering, pruning, plant health & cultural controls, grafting & propagation. The focus will be on apple, cherry, pear, plum, peach, kiwi, Carpathian walnut, butternut, hazelnut, fig, blueberry & raspberry.

Saturdays, March 2 & 9

9:00 am - 12:00 pm

 

Learn all you need to know to set up your own mason bee home. This workshop will cover all the ways we can promote pollination with the Blue Orchard Mason Bee. We will look at all the different types of bee housing, from paper tubes, cardboard tubes, routed wooden blocks, composite trays, bamboo, drilled blocks and more. We will also touch on other native bees that take over when the mason bee dies.

Sunday, March 3 

1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

 

What kind of soil do you have in your garden? How can you improve your soil health? If figuring out how to care for your soil seems like a complex and daunting task, then this workshop is for you.
Instructor Christina Nikolic of the Organic Gardener's Pantry will teach you how to determine the soil types and how they function. You will learn about organic matter and living organism in the soil and how these impact plant health. You will also be introduced to safe and simple fertilizers and amendments to improve your soil health. The home gardener will leave with the basic knowledge and resources to make the best of the soil conditions in their own gardens. 

Saturday, March 9th 

1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

 

There are lots of great reasons for having your own cutting garden including the reward, the scent, the beauty, nurturing our environment, bringing loveliness into our homes, giving joy to others, growing for a special occasion, participating in the local flower movement, being outdoors and getting some great exercise. This three hour course is for the recreational grower. It will include useful information and handouts on how to start and maintain a cutting garden over the growing season. We will discuss soil preparation, seed starting and care of seedlings, planting out, watering, dividing and growing dahlias, a list of top 10 things to grow including sweet peas, an overview of things we can cut in the early spring, mid, late spring and summer as well as how to ensure the best vase life. Eiddwen Thomas, Cartref Gardens is a farmer/florist in North Saanich. She has grown flowers commercially for 16 years on less than an acre and is passionate about growing for cutting. www.cartrefgardens.ca

Saturday, March 23 

11:00 am - 2:00 pm

 

If you are a hands-on gardener hesitant to prune small trees and shrubs for fear of injuring or undesirably altering the appearance, this course with certified arborist Ryan Senechal is designed to give you the skill you need. In 2 sessions, basic pruning techniques will be reviewed and applied to advanced pruning strategies to encourage desirable structure, reduced maintenance & long term plant health. Your confidence and comfort will grow as you observe and practice field examples of pruning successes and common mistakes. This course will be outside, please dress accordingly and bring your secateurs. All other equipment will be supplied. Class size will be limited to ensure individual instruction. 

Sundays, March 24 & 31st 

1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

 

Learn the basics of growing Cannabis for personal use with college instructor, Jo Wyld. This workshop will cover cannabis species and strains, how cannabis is used, starting from seed or clone, considerations and methods for growing outdoors or indoors, common pests and disease, harvesting and relevant legislation. Each participant will receive seeds to take home and try.

Sunday, April 7th 

9:00 am - 12:00 pm

 

It's nearly planting time!  Some of us have been known to "jump the gun" with a bit of seeding in the privacy of our homes. Oldtimers know to use caution; newtimers are advised to make good use of oldtimers' advice! While the weather is still a bit chilly and the sun still low, however, we might also suggest having a look around for books on the subject.

                                                                         

They can be found under more categories than just "propagation." For instance, there's a book in our library  called "Seeds of Woody Plants in North America" that might inspire you to start a small forest. . .  or at least to start replacing some of the trees being lost these days to houses and bike lanes!

                                                                                                                   

Or, if you are more interested in food than in forests, the National Research Council of Canada has put out an excellent publication called simply "Vegetables of Canada." There aren't any fancy pictures in this one - just facts!  On the shelf beside it is a much slimmer book: "The Victorian Kitchen Garden." This one has some coloured pictures - should you happen to crave a bit of colour - but it also has charming drawings.  This would interest history buffs particularly. 

 

Farther down on the same shelf may be found the "12-month Gardener." (This one would possibly be viewed with horror by those who think the usual gardening season is quite long enough!)  And further along - for the really hardy types - there is "Winter Gardening."

 

As there is a growing concern about the cost of food, as well as concern about our environments, anyone with a bit of yard or access to a garden plot is well advised to avail themselves of every snippet of information they can get.. . . and the Horticulture Centre is here to help you!

 

The Gardens at HCP library is open:

9 am - 1 pm on Wednesdays

10 am - 1 pm on Saturdays

For more information please contact library@hcp.ca.