June Meeting - June 10 - Introduction to Soil Science and Its Application in Garden Settings

Join us at the Britannia  Community Centre in the 55+ Room at 7:00pm 

Topic: Introduction to soil science and its application in garden settings. 

Bio: Morgan is a backyard gardener and soil scientist with a background in agricultural research. She completed her Masters at UBC in which she looked at the effects of biochar (a soil amendment) on nutrient dynamics in a coarse textured agricultural soil. She enjoys sharing practical applications of the fundamentals of soil science, believing that this foundational knowledge can be used as a tool to deepen the relationship with the environment and how we garden.

  

      For June Meeting:

• Non-members are welcome to drop in for $4. Invite your friends!
• Please bring your own tea cup and, if you like, something that is looking lovely in your garden this month.
• There will be door prizes! (And by the way, you’re always welcome to bring/donate garden-related things  — plants, books, tools — to be awarded as door prizes.)
  
  
  See you at Britannia on Tuesday, June 10! 

Also note - No meeting in July and August!

Remember that the Garden Tour is June 15!

East Van Garden Tour! Sunday, June 15

This year's East Vancouver Garden Tour is on Father's Day, Sunday, June 15th. It's our one fundraiser for Britannia Neighbours, and the proceeds go to maintaining the Napier Square Greenway (at Napier and Commercial). 

We use the money we raise to buy plants and supplies, and to pay someone to water the Greenway in the warmer/dryer months.

This year’s tour will feature about ten wonderfully diverse home gardens, both well established and newer ones.

The gardens are a mix of ornamentals, flowers, vegetables, and fruit trees. There will either be home gardeners or Master Gardeners at each garden to chat and answer questions.

To start the tour, you check in with us and pick up your map (indicating where all the gardens are and including brief descriptions of each of them) at our usual home base at Figaro’s Garden (https://www.figarosgarden.ca) at 1896 Victoria Drive. 

The tour will be in an area close to Figaro's, so you will likely be able to walk to a starting spot ... and the tour itself should be comfortably walkable for most people.

Once again this year we need to limit the number of tickets we sell so the gardeners whose gardens we visit are not overwhelmed. 

And we won't have tickets available on the day of the tour. You'll need to get your tickets for the tour ahead of time. 

There are two ways to get tickets this year — online through Simpli Events or in person (cash only) at Figaro's Garden:

• Click on photo above to get your tickets online. (There's a small Simpli Events service charge on top of the $20 for each ticket.)
• Drop in to Figaro's Garden to buy tickets (exactly $20 — in person and cash only) while they last!! (You might want to call first to be sure they have tickets -- 604-253-1696.)

Tickets will be available until Saturday, June 14th or until we sell out (whichever happens first). Avoid disappointment and get your tickets early!

 

Annual Plant Sale - Sun. May 4-10:00 am

 Plant Sale

Date : Sunday May 4th
Location: Rose Street (same as usual) - there will be a sign🌻
Time:  1000 until the plants are gone! 

Plants can be dropped off at Sandy’s house any time the week before the sale and if you need pots call Sandy 604 992 5817

Save boxes (medium) they are useful for people to get plants home 
General garden items ( tools , pots etc ) always welcome 

Japanese beetle precautions still in place so NO soil and plants in soil to be moved east of commercial drive.

House plants and veg starts in sterile soil OK 
Volunteers welcome 0830 for set up and sales . 

Call Sandy 604-992-5817 or Janet 778-878-4850 for more info if needed.

April Garden Club Meeting - Common Mistakes Gardeners Make

Our April 8th Meeting will be Common Mistakes Gardeners Make with Amanda Jarrett. 

We will be meeting at the Britannia +55 Community Room at 7:15 pm (new time) 

Amanda Jarrett’s Bio - Originally from England, Amanda Jarrett is a professional horticulturist, Organic Land Care Professional and has her Red Seal in Horticulture. Recently retired as an instructor, writer and coordinator for horticulture and garden courses at Douglas College, Langara College, Gaia College, Vancouver School Board and the Burnaby School District. Her consulting business, Amanda’s Garden Consulting Company, offers advice to home gardeners and professionals. The accompanying website, The Garden Website.com,

 https://www.thegardenwebsite.com/, features timely and informative garden information. Amanda is also a freelance garden writer, photographer and author of Ornamental Tropical Shrubs.   

March Meeting- All the ways we water the garden with Allison Luke 💧

Join us on March on Tuesday, March 11th at 7:00 pm at Britannia  Community Centre in the 55+ Room. Our speaker Allison Luke will talk to us about strategic and smart watering practices taken from the UBC Botanical Garden. 🚰🚰

 With so many different types of gardens that range in style, values, size, and aspect, it’s difficult to prescribe a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to watering. Fortunately, there are many strategies to take within the irrigation toolkit. Using examples straight from UBC Botanical Garden, we’ll look at a spectrum of irrigation systems and smart watering practices. After all, a botanical garden is a collection of smaller gardens, each with its own distinct character, microclimate, and plant palette; chances are, you’ll find something that applies to your space too. 

Allison’s Biography: With over 20 years of experience working outdoors, Allison’s career has spanned both the private and public spheres, most recently as Principal Instructor of the Horticulture Training Program at UBC Botanical Garden. She is certified as a Red Seal Horticulturalist, ISA Certified Arborist, and is currently doing her Masters in Urban Forestry Leadership at UBC. As an educator passionate about botanical literacy and hands on practical skills, she leads workshops and tree tours for the public, businesses, and garden clubs.

https://botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/allison-luke-named-principal-instructor-of-the-ubc-botanical-garden-horticulture-training-program/ 

East Van Seedy Saturday - March 15

 https://farmfolkcityfolk.ca/seedy-events/east-vancouver-seedy-saturday/

East Vancouver Seedy Saturday

Join us for our 3rd Seedy Saturday! We’ll have free seeds, a community seed swap, fun activities, and more. Admission is by suggested donation ($2). All ages welcome.

Britannia Gym D, 1661 Napier Street, Vancouver, BC V5L 4X4

More information: https://gwcseedlibrary.wordpress.com/events/seedy-saturday/

Community Seed Swap: Trade seeds with community members! While not mandatory to bring seeds, we encourage you to because it helps make the seed swap more fun and interactive. 

**IMPORTANT NOTE**
No plant material, soil, or growing medium permitted in the seed swap. This includes some plants (e.g. chayote, sweet potato) that are more commonly started from a sprouted fruit, tuber, etc. Learn more about pests, disease, and invasive species (e.g. Japanese beetle).

Master Gardeners Spring Seminar - Sunday, March 9

 https://mgabc.org/event/spring-seminar-2025/

Spring Seminar 2025

Grow Different

Ideas To Transform Your Garden Get ready to think outside the box. Our five speakers will inspire you with practical advice to improve the resiliency of your garden and transform where we live and beyond.

TREES TALKS AND WALKS: Cherry Tree Guide Course

 Here’s an education program you might be interested in. 

https://mcusercontent.com/c9c89ee29de6c41d2395d78c1/files/75590d49-6e90-6cc3-f6ee-29ddd314923f/VCBF_Cherry_Tree_Guide_Course.pdf

No January Meeting and February Meeting will be Zoom

 Hi Gardeners 

Happy New Year!

Note there is no meeting in January. 

February Meeting will a collage of photos from member gardens. This meeting will be Zoom. 

Cheers

Havi