Learn something new or pick up a new hobby with VanDusen Botanical Garden. This winter they are is offering a plethora of educational courses as well as hosting a variety of speakers that all relate to botany and ecology, gardening and design, and botanical art.
Watercolour Painting for Beginners (Online)
Time: Saturday, January 16, 2021 – 10am – 12pm
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. Register Now
Landscape Design Series (Online)
Time: Tuesday, January 19 2021 -Tuesday, February 2, 2021 – 6:30pm – 8pm
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. Register Now
Supporting Wild Birds Through Winter (Online)
Time: Saturday, January 23, 2021 – 10am – 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. Register Now
Design Your Indoor Micro-Farm (Online)
Time: 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. Register Now
Botanical Illustration Level 1 (Online)
Time: Wednesday, February 10, 2021 -Wednesday, February 24, 2021 – 11am – 1pm
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. Register Now
Collage of Watercolour (Online)
Time: Thursday, February 18, 20211 – 11am – 1pm
With just a few brush strokes, join this workshop to see what your paints and paper can do. Learn how to make bright watercolours without going muddy. Focus on the 3 primary colours of reds, yellows, and blues to create a patchwork of many colours. Experiment by allowing your colours to bleed into each other, or practice containing your colours in this creative and colourful online class. Register Now
Spring Plants for Pollinators & Beneficial Insects (Online)
Time: Saturday, February 20, 2021 – 10am – 11:30am
Artist, author, and educator Lori Weidenhammer joins the VBGA to offer a beginner’s guide on gardening to feed people and pollinators alike. Her book Victory Gardens for Bees discusses strategies for supporting the declining bee population, including pollinator identification, habitat-building, and planting guides. Whether you’re learning to grow your own gardens on boulevards, yards, or balconies, this class will provide you the foundation for building your own victory garden for the bees this spring. Register Now
