There were lots of fresh gardening ideas to be excited about! Plus, all the latest information about what we as gardeners can do to make a difference to the ecosystem.
Seven local experts shared their knowledge on What’s New in the Gardening world.
After 3 years, we were together in-person! It was great opportunity to see old friends and make new ones.
Climate-Ready Plants and People:
Approaches from UBC Botanical Garden – Dr. Tara Moreau
Climate change and its impacts are experienced by plants and people across our gardens and landscapes. This session will explore how UBC Botanical Garden is building its capacity to steward and protect plants for future generations through its conservation collections, education, research and engagement programs. Participants will learn about climate adaptation initiatives underway at botanical gardens, tips for thinking about planning in their own garden and the importance of gardens in protecting biodiversity.
Feeding the Soil—Nature's Health Plan for Your Garden (and You) - Anne Biklé
Author Anne Biklé will discuss new science about the soil microbiome and its implications for gardening and farming. She'll draw on her past book The Hidden Half of Nature, as well as her latest book, What Your Food Ate to share the multiple benefits of a living soil. The way gardeners and farmers nourish the life of the soil, especially its tiniest creatures- the microbes - profoundly influences the looks and resilience of gardens as well as the nutritional qualities of plant and animal foods.
The Complete Talk on Ground Covers – Gary Lewis
Ground covers are widely thought of as utilitarian, but these plants also offer a diverse range of beautiful and intriguing options with a variety of colors, textures, and forms. They can unify a landscape, knit together plantings and hardscape, and add extra layers of beauty, dynamism, and surprise. As a replacement for lawns, they can reduce our use of water, chemicals and carbon-based fuels, and transform a yard into a diverse landscape of habitat and food for native insects, birds, and other wildlife. Gary will highlight the functional and aesthetic uses of ground covers in the landscape including tips and tricks for designing with ground covers to take your outdoor space to the next level and how they can help make gardens more sustainable. He will illustrate all these benefits and uses of ground covers with beautiful photos taken from his travels to gardens around the world!
Gardening for Bees: An Ecosystem Approach – Tiia Haapalainen
Learn about the diversity of local bees, their wide variation of physical traits, and ways of living. By observing how natural habitats function, gardeners can adopt simple practices to support pollinators and insects as a whole to create a healthy garden that supports biodiversity.
Growing Up: Vertical Gardening Techniques and Tips – Dr. Yael Stav
In this talk, the opportunities for and benefits of developing unused vertical surfaces for gardening, including growing food in small space, will be reviewed. Various systems and technologies available for vertical gardening will be presented and many visual examples of vertical gardens – large and small – will be included. The considerations for setting up a successful vertical garden on fences, walls, and balconies, such as watering, weight, light and plant choices, will be discussed.
Plant Wise: State of Invasive Species in the Horticulture Industry – Diane Watson & Allison McCabe
This update from the Invasive Species Council of BC will highlight their new and improved Recognized PlantWise Retailer program designed to make it easier for consumers to choose non-invasive species for the garden. We will also hear the latest information on the Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) surveillance program in the Lower Mainland as well as other emerging invasive insect species in the area.
