Posting this to make it easier for our members and followers to learn about the RBG’s course offerings this spring.
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Royal Botanical Gardens has wonderful programs coming up for the gardener. Register online at www.rbg.ca/publicprograms or call 905-527-1158 ext. 270.
PERENNIAL PLANT COMMUNITIES “The Know Maintenance Approach”
Friday, March 2; 7 to 8:30 p.m. at RBG Centre
Fee: $18; Members: $6
Roy Diblik’s thoughtful way to design perennial plantings welcomes fresh contemporary styles and plant diversity integrated with responsible maintenance methods. By using a selection of regionally dependable perennials and native plants, endless natural plant patterns can be constructed, each respecting time and cost to maintain. Roy discusses the developing partnership between the gardener, plants and nature, always knowing that the beauty is in the doing.
VEGGIE GARDEN REMIX
Friday, May 4; 7 to 8:30 p.m. at RBG Centre.
Fee: $18; Members: $6
Expanding beyond standard garden crops like tomatoes, spinach, and string beans can be intimidating for some vegetable gardeners. Join bestselling author, Niki Jabbour, to shake up your garden and discover unexpected flavours and textures in husk cherries, amaranth greens and yard-long beans (to name a few). Niki outlines dozens of plants for you to consider for your garden.
HARDSCAPING IN THE GARDEN
Wednesday, March 21; 7 to 9 p.m. at RBG Centre.
Fee: $35 (Members 10% off)
We often look at our garden design with only plants in mind. Hardscaping can be as important but is often given little thought. Ben Bushmuller, certified horticulturist, points out various materials to use, what is involved in the installation and why it will enhance your garden design., 905-527-1158, ext. 404. Weather updates are posted before program start time and in the event of weather postponement or cancellation, participants are notified via email at the time of posting.
GARDEN DESIGN FOR BEGINNERS
Tuesdays, February 27 to March 6; 7 to 9 p.m. at RBG Centre.
Fee: $60 (Members 10% off)
Join Andrea Weddum, certified horticulturist, in this two-part program to help enhance your gardens. She teaches basic techniques in design to help with colour, form, lines, scale and textures. She provides assistance with your garden plans that work with your style and property. Get a jump on the gardening season.
MADE IN THE SHADE GARDEN DESIGNS
Mondays, March 19 to 26; 7 to 9 p.m. at RBG Centre.
Fee: $60 (Members 10% off)
No two gardens are alike and some are shady. This can create challenges but with the right plants and knowhow, a shade garden can be a lush thriving oasis. Andrea Weddum, certified horticulturist, introduces plants, design concepts and one-on-one assistance so your garden can be transformed this spring.
HEIRLOOM TOMATOES WORKSHOP
Saturday, March 24; 2 to 4 p.m. at RBG Centre.
Fee: $50 (Members 10% off)
Heirloom tomatoes are open-pollinated, non-hybrid cultivars that often have the best flavour. Linda Crago from Tree & Twig Farms provides all you need to know to grow the best heirloom tomatoes. Participants sow their own tomatoes seeds to germinate and plant in their own gardens.
MAINTAIN A HEALTHY LAWN
Thursday, April 5; 7 to 9 p.m. at RBG Centre.
Fee: $35 (Members 10% off)
Lawns do require a lot of maintenance and Ben Buchmuller, certified horticulturist, points out a sustainable way of keeping your lawns healthy. Often grass is an important part of our garden designs and the maintenance can be daunting. A healthy lawn doesn’t mean lots of fertilizer and a chemical routine.
GARDEN ANYWHERE/ CONTAINER GARDENING
Tuesday, April 10; 7 to 9 p.m. at RBG Centre.
Fee: $35 (Members 10% off)
Tara Nolan, award-winning author of Raised Bed Revolution, discusses the fastest growing strategy for gardening — in containers. Tara reviews types of containers, materials to use and how to utilize a small space with maximum results. She showcases her lettuce table, suitcase planter and many other ideas that suit anyone with limited space. Enhance your gardening techniques.
TRAINING A PLANT INTO A STANDARD
Saturday, April 14; 2 to 3:30 p.m. at RBG Centre.
Fee: $40 (Members 10% off)
A standard grown plant is a single straight trunk topped with a round or weeping mass of foliage. Chris Tarrant, plant propagation and production manager at RBG, demonstrates the pruning process and care. Each participant has their own plant (a Fuchsias approximately 18″ tall and in a 6″ pot) to set up as a standard, and goes home with another rooted cutting to create a standard on their own.
