gardening

Barbara Holst, right, calls the herb garden fronting Jude Somers’ Oak Bay home a magical place. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)

These herbs are grown for snipping, and Oak Bay guests sure do

Garden invites tasting, smelling and even conversation

 

Sahasi Erven’s Ukraine flower flag is pictured at Beacon Hill Park on Friday (July 22). Erven’s garden won’t reach its 100,000-flower goal, but that hasn’t stopped him from spreading his message of love and peace, both locally and abroad. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)

Greater Victoria man keeps flower flag alive with message for Ukraine

Sahasi Erven looks to give garden new life, possibly in a new spot

 

Sahasi Erven is pictured having a laugh by his garden at 2201 Chambers St. on July 8, 2022. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)

Victoria carpenter counters war in Ukraine with love for flowers

Sahasi Erven to unveil record-size Ukraine flower flag at Beacon Hill Park

 

Flowers bloom in a garden bed outside Government House. The residence is noted for the gardens on its grounds. (Black Press Media file photo)

Government House gardens recognized in national list

Listed as one of the 100 Garden Moments in Canada as part of celebrations for the Year of the Garden

Flowers bloom in a garden bed outside Government House. The residence is noted for the gardens on its grounds. (Black Press Media file photo)
Artist Mario Labonte shows off some of his work in a garden during a previous edition of Esquimalt’s Urban Art Tour. (Courtesy of Esquimalt Community Arts Hub)

Esquimalt Urban Arts Tour returns Saturday

Visitors can tour local gardens and artists throughout the township

Artist Mario Labonte shows off some of his work in a garden during a previous edition of Esquimalt’s Urban Art Tour. (Courtesy of Esquimalt Community Arts Hub)
(Facebook/Victoria Hospice)

Tickets on sale for Victoria Hospice’s Teeny Tiny Garden Tour

June event features variety of local home gardens

(Facebook/Victoria Hospice)
The Victoria Horticultural Society is hosting its first major plant sale in years, May 14 at the Garth Homer Centre. (Facebook/Victoria Horticultural Society)

‘First big plant sale in many years’ coming to Saanich’s Garth Homer Centre

Victoria Horticultural Society members dig deep for May 14 fundraiser event

The Victoria Horticultural Society is hosting its first major plant sale in years, May 14 at the Garth Homer Centre. (Facebook/Victoria Horticultural Society)
Russell Nursery in North Saanich is celebrating its 30th year in business. Co-owner Laurel Rassenti is preparing for blossoming gardeners when the weather gets a little warmer. (Wolfgang Depner/News Staff)

Weather slows early gardening season but boom expected across Greater Victoria

Warmer weather will bring the green thumbs out of hibernation, businesses predict

Russell Nursery in North Saanich is celebrating its 30th year in business. Co-owner Laurel Rassenti is preparing for blossoming gardeners when the weather gets a little warmer. (Wolfgang Depner/News Staff)
Members of the Oaklands Community Garden do some planting during the recent grand opening event. (Courtesy of Oaklands Community Association)

PHOTOS: Oaklands community gets growing with new garden plots in Victoria

Food security, community spirit celebrated at grand opening this month

Members of the Oaklands Community Garden do some planting during the recent grand opening event. (Courtesy of Oaklands Community Association)
Philip Steenkamp, president and vice-chancellor of Royal Roads University, and Solara Goldwynn, food systems manager, plant the first crops of the university’s new kitchen garden. (Justin Samanski-Langile/News Staff)

Royal Roads University unveils new food garden to support community needs

Wednesday’s unveiling also served as the kickoff for the 2022 Vision in Bloom fundraising campaign

Philip Steenkamp, president and vice-chancellor of Royal Roads University, and Solara Goldwynn, food systems manager, plant the first crops of the university’s new kitchen garden. (Justin Samanski-Langile/News Staff)
Residents picked up seedlings, soil and other materials as part of the Get Growing, Victoria! program in the Fernwood neighbourhood in a previous spring. The materials will be available to eligible individuals and families starting April 21. (Photo courtesy of Aly Sibley Photography/City of Victoria)

Free mulch, compost program targets underserved Victoria communities

Gardening materials will be available in neighbourhoods all over the city this month

Residents picked up seedlings, soil and other materials as part of the Get Growing, Victoria! program in the Fernwood neighbourhood in a previous spring. The materials will be available to eligible individuals and families starting April 21. (Photo courtesy of Aly Sibley Photography/City of Victoria)
The Canadian Orca Rescue Society, founded in 2016 to help create positive change, announced its new community garden project at Bay and Alston streets in Vic West. (Courtesy of CORS)

New Victoria community garden grows food security, orca awareness

Ground being broken on Vic West allotment on Saturday (April 2) at noon

The Canadian Orca Rescue Society, founded in 2016 to help create positive change, announced its new community garden project at Bay and Alston streets in Vic West. (Courtesy of CORS)
Sooke is not participating in this year’s Communities in Bloom program. (Kevin Laird - Sooke News Mirror)

Sooke pulls out of Communities in Bloom provincial competition

‘It’s a year to take a pause for applause,’ mayor says; Sooke has won six of the last nine years

Sooke is not participating in this year’s Communities in Bloom program. (Kevin Laird - Sooke News Mirror)
Flowers

Slow flowers

Growing sustainability in the floral industry

  • Mar 14, 2022
Flowers
The Victoria Seed Library is holding information sessions for prospective members in February, March and April. (Twitter/lifecyclesprjct)

Victoria Seed Library looks to grow membership 2022

Budding members invited to learn more at information sessions

The Victoria Seed Library is holding information sessions for prospective members in February, March and April. (Twitter/lifecyclesprjct)
Paula McCormick, youth programs coordinator, helps children in the garden on a rainy day. (Photo courtesy of Erica Van Dyk)

PHOTOS: Botanical gardens in Saanich offer space for youth to connect with nature and gardening

The Gardens at HCP offer a variety of programs for family and youth

Paula McCormick, youth programs coordinator, helps children in the garden on a rainy day. (Photo courtesy of Erica Van Dyk)
Paula McCormick is the youth program leader in the Gardens at HCP, here she is pictured at the Annual Harvest Festival with pumpkins – soon to be turned into festive pumpkin people. (Megan Atkins-Baker/New Staff)

Annual festival in Saanich creates opportunities for families to celebrate harvest season

The Gardens at Horticulture Centre of the Pacific is dedicated to delivering natural learning

Paula McCormick is the youth program leader in the Gardens at HCP, here she is pictured at the Annual Harvest Festival with pumpkins – soon to be turned into festive pumpkin people. (Megan Atkins-Baker/New Staff)
Volunteers tend to fruit trees and surrounding plants in the Vic West community orchard. The City of Victoria is offering new start-up grants to eligible community organizations for the establishment of neighbourhood gardens. (Courtesy City of Victoria)

Victoria offers start-up cash for new community gardens

Funding available to help underserved neighbourhoods create local food source

  • Sep 25, 2021
Volunteers tend to fruit trees and surrounding plants in the Vic West community orchard. The City of Victoria is offering new start-up grants to eligible community organizations for the establishment of neighbourhood gardens. (Courtesy City of Victoria)
Teale Phelps Bondaroff (from left) with Rob Boyce, Lara Lannon, Blesela Garachico and Joe Mercer. The group of neighbours maintains a seed/seedling exchange box on Dunedin Street in Saanich. (Courtesy of Blesela Garachico)

Pollinators, pokemon come together in Greater Victoria’s latest little library

Seedling libraries get their own designation on Victoria Placemaking interactive map

Teale Phelps Bondaroff (from left) with Rob Boyce, Lara Lannon, Blesela Garachico and Joe Mercer. The group of neighbours maintains a seed/seedling exchange box on Dunedin Street in Saanich. (Courtesy of Blesela Garachico)
Travis Lee president of Tri-Eagle Development, stands amid the green rooftop on the Vancity building on Cedar Hill Cross Road in Saanich. His company has installed green roofs on three of its commercial buildings in Greater Victoria. (Megan Atkins-Baker/News Staff)

Green roof on Saanich’s Vancity helps reduce energy costs

Developer encourages District of Saanich to advocate for similar commercial treatments

Travis Lee president of Tri-Eagle Development, stands amid the green rooftop on the Vancity building on Cedar Hill Cross Road in Saanich. His company has installed green roofs on three of its commercial buildings in Greater Victoria. (Megan Atkins-Baker/News Staff)