gardening

New hours went into effect at Saanich Parks and Public Works Yard for spring and summer seasons on April 6. (District of Saanich/Twitter)

Spring, summer hours in effect at Saanich Public Works Yard

Residents reminded to practise social distancing, prepare to unload without staff help

 

Tiny packets of carrots ready to be distributed in Victoria. (Submitted/Victoria Seed Share)

Free Victoria seed sharing collective bags work experience funding

Fully volunteer run Victoria Seed Share will get a boost from provincial grant

 

B.C. beekeepers will face extra supply challenges this year thanks to COVID-19 supply chain disruptions. (Black Press Media file photo)

Bee supply threatened this year by wasps, COVID

No, bees aren’t getting COVID, it’s the supply chain that’s been disrupted

 

The Cyr family has run Bee Canadian, a small business that has sold and rented mason bees from their Oyster River farm for seven years. (Photo courtesy Bee Canadian)

Island company rents out 135,000 mason bees despite impacts of COVID-19 restrictions

Bee Canadian delivers pollinators to renters in pandemic-friendly fashion

The Cyr family has run Bee Canadian, a small business that has sold and rented mason bees from their Oyster River farm for seven years. (Photo courtesy Bee Canadian)
Dorothee Kieser, president of the Vancouver Island Master Gardeners Association and a volunteer at Milner Gardens and Woodland in Qualicum Beach (Submitted photo)

Podcast: Getting your green thumb ready for Vancouver Island’s gardening season

Timely tips from Dorothee Kieser of the Vancouver Island Master Gardeners Association

Dorothee Kieser, president of the Vancouver Island Master Gardeners Association and a volunteer at Milner Gardens and Woodland in Qualicum Beach (Submitted photo)
Gardeners are preparing for the second spring during COVID-19. Business is already picking up at some Greater Victoria nurseries, including Elk Lake Garden Centre. (Nina Grossman/News Staff)

Greater Victoria garden centres preparing for busy season

Businesses stocking up for second gardening season during COVID-19 pandemic

Gardeners are preparing for the second spring during COVID-19. Business is already picking up at some Greater Victoria nurseries, including Elk Lake Garden Centre. (Nina Grossman/News Staff)
Staff at Artemis Place Secondary were shocked to find that one of the student-built greenhouses on the campus was stolen overnight on Jan. 11. (Artemis Place Society/Facebook)

Saanich school hopes to catch greenhouse thief red-handed

Student-built greenhouses stolen from Artemis Place Secondary on Jan. 11

Staff at Artemis Place Secondary were shocked to find that one of the student-built greenhouses on the campus was stolen overnight on Jan. 11. (Artemis Place Society/Facebook)
As cyclists and pedestrians pass by at Humboldt and Government streets, a garden of blooming black-eyed Susans brightens up the northwest corner of the Fairmont Empress Hotel property on a partially sunny November afternoon. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)

Keep your umbrella handy for the next while around Greater Victoria

November has lived up to its reputation as one of the rainiest months of the year

  • Nov 26, 2020
As cyclists and pedestrians pass by at Humboldt and Government streets, a garden of blooming black-eyed Susans brightens up the northwest corner of the Fairmont Empress Hotel property on a partially sunny November afternoon. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)
A new West Coast Seeds pollinator mix of cosmos pays tribute to Dr. Bonnie Henry. (Submitted photo/ We Are The Northern)

New blend by West Coast Seeds to bloom in Dr. Bonnie Henry’s name

Cosmo blend designed to attract bees, and marketed with tagline ‘Bee Calm, Bee Kind, Bee Safe’

A new West Coast Seeds pollinator mix of cosmos pays tribute to Dr. Bonnie Henry. (Submitted photo/ We Are The Northern)
Struggling to afford rent, Sylvia Bailey is hoping to trade her love of cooking for some more affordable accommodation. (Photo courtesy of Sylvia Bailey)

Retired Victoria woman looking to cook, clean or garden in exchange for rent

Sylvia Bailey is hoping to use her love for cooking to help afford rent

Struggling to afford rent, Sylvia Bailey is hoping to trade her love of cooking for some more affordable accommodation. (Photo courtesy of Sylvia Bailey)
Sooke Elementary kindergarteners Zoe Sperrer (left), Christel Loutet, Chase MacKay and Gr. 5 Jace Ferris are helping to plant a native plant garden on their school property. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)

Sooke Elementary plants native plant garden with help from community

Sooke Elementary teachers, students expand backyard garden

Sooke Elementary kindergarteners Zoe Sperrer (left), Christel Loutet, Chase MacKay and Gr. 5 Jace Ferris are helping to plant a native plant garden on their school property. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)
Heather Boggs is counting her blessings after being gifted two gnomes from a local company, after hers were stolen in the middle of the night on July 16. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)

West Shore business gifts woman with gnomes after midnight theft

One of stolen gnomes was a gift for completing chemotherapy

Heather Boggs is counting her blessings after being gifted two gnomes from a local company, after hers were stolen in the middle of the night on July 16. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)
Wendy Sahlstrom and her garden, which was featured in a past Secret Garden Tour. This year, the Sooke Secret Garden Tour has gone virtual due to circumstances of COVID-19. (File photo - Sooke News Mirror)

Sooke Secret Garden Tour goes virtual

Tour through multiple local gardens from the comfort of your own home

Wendy Sahlstrom and her garden, which was featured in a past Secret Garden Tour. This year, the Sooke Secret Garden Tour has gone virtual due to circumstances of COVID-19. (File photo - Sooke News Mirror)
Jelena Putnik shares her backyard garden using a garden-matching resource from the Young Agrarians. The resource connects property owners with people looking for space to grow food or plants. (Nina Grossman/News Staff)

Garden-sharing map connects Victoria landowners and gardeners

U-Map created by Young Agrarians after COVID-19 created uptick in garden matching requests

Jelena Putnik shares her backyard garden using a garden-matching resource from the Young Agrarians. The resource connects property owners with people looking for space to grow food or plants. (Nina Grossman/News Staff)
Ariel Reyes Antuan and Jess Barton have started a community initiative to help racialized people facing food insecurity by providing them with burlap sack gardens. They said their garden has grown during the COVID-19 pandemic and they continue to learn about gardening as well. (Shalu Mehta/News Staff)

Victoria duo tackles food insecurity in Victoria with burlap sack gardens

Palenke Greens initiative an homage to Black and Indigenous connections

Ariel Reyes Antuan and Jess Barton have started a community initiative to help racialized people facing food insecurity by providing them with burlap sack gardens. They said their garden has grown during the COVID-19 pandemic and they continue to learn about gardening as well. (Shalu Mehta/News Staff)
A couple enjoys a stroll through the Gardens at HCP in 2019. (Black Press Media file photo)

Horticulture Centre of the Pacific gardens reopen with safety restrictions

Hours extended for summer season

A couple enjoys a stroll through the Gardens at HCP in 2019. (Black Press Media file photo)
View Royal community gardens will be open to the public again with new COVID-19 measures to keep gardeners safe. (Shalu Mehta/News Staff)

View Royal community gardens to open to public again

New COVID-19 measures will be in place at gardens

View Royal community gardens will be open to the public again with new COVID-19 measures to keep gardeners safe. (Shalu Mehta/News Staff)
The Food Eco District (FED) is hoping to provide 500 food garden starter kits to Greater Victoria residents to help improve food security during and after the pandemic. (Kendra Crighton/News Staff)

Victoria initiative plants the seed of a ‘dispersed farm’ with food garden starter kits

My FED Farm provides people with the tools, knowledge to seed their food garden

The Food Eco District (FED) is hoping to provide 500 food garden starter kits to Greater Victoria residents to help improve food security during and after the pandemic. (Kendra Crighton/News Staff)
On April 14, View Royal council members agreed that community gardens will remain closed during the COVID-19 pandemic due to public health and safety concerns. (Black Press Media file photo)

View Royal community gardens to remain closed during COVID-19 pandemic

Community members advocate for gardens to re-open as growing season begins

On April 14, View Royal council members agreed that community gardens will remain closed during the COVID-19 pandemic due to public health and safety concerns. (Black Press Media file photo)
Garden waste drop off at the Saanich Parks and Public Works yard has been shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (District of Saanich/Twitter)

Saanich garden waste drop-off suspended due to COVID-19 pandemic

Mayor reminds frustrated residents about other options for yard waste

Garden waste drop off at the Saanich Parks and Public Works yard has been shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (District of Saanich/Twitter)