An arrow-leaved balsamroot plant, the Okanagan’s native ‘sunflower’.
The UBC Okanagan Gardening Club will be abuzz with activity this summer, including workshops, guest speakers, planting along the campus nectar trail and the construction of a new on-campus pollinator hotel.
All events run from 12 noon to 1 p.m. and meet on the stated dates in the Science building atrium.
The workshops are free of charge and open to faculty, staff and students. Drop-ins are welcome, but pre-registration is encouraged. To register for a workshop or find out more, contact natalie.ingram@ubc.ca.
2018 Workshop Schedule
Jul 12: Q&A session with Ken Salvail
Have a question, or want to know more about a specific gardening project? This is your chance to ask a local expert.
‘Horticultural’ Ken Salvail, founder of Ken’s Horticultural Services and host of AM1150’s The Garden Show, will join the gardening club for a Q&A session on July 12.
Don’t forget to check out the pollinator potluck sign-up sheet and let club organizers know what insect-friendly materials you’d like to contribute the upcoming pollinator hotel project.
Aug 9: Pollinator Hotel Forage Day
Much of what is needed to build a pollinator hotel can already be found on campus. Join the Gardening Club for a walk along campus trails as they gather sticks, stones, pinecones and anything else that might contribute.
The club will have gloves, tongs and garbage bags available for anyone who’s interested in cleaning up the trails during the forage. Please let club organizers know in advance if you are interested so they can have appropriate materials ready.
August 23: Build a Pollinator Hotel
Bring your foraged finds and pollinator potluck items as the club fills up wooden pallets with insect-friendly materials to create a pollinator hotel. No construction experience required.
September 14: Lunch and Learn
A lunch-and-learn style workshop with a TBA speaker
September 28: Nectar Trail Enhancement with United Landscapes
Get your hands dirty along the campus nectar trail with United Landscapes. Choose plants from a palette of native, pollinator-supporting species and add them to selected beds along the nectar trail.
October 25: Guerrilla Bulb Planting with United Landscapes
Bury some annual bulbs in various plant beds around campus and get ready to enjoy the results next spring.
