Young Explorers Summer Day Camp (2011)

Category(-ies): Front Page News , Local Interest , UBC Events

Send your child on an environmental and recreational adventure at Canada's oldest continually operating university botanical garden.

Young Explorers Summer Day Camp is a weeklong environmental and recreational adventure for children aged 7-11. The camp will create life-long connections with nature, wildlife, plants, science, and the environment through games, crafts and exploration in our 44.5 hectare (110 acre) Garden, the Greenheart Canopy Walkway, and the UBC campus.

Two programs are offered this summer: July features "People & The Environment", while August highlights "Gardening & Nature".

Please visit Young Explorers Summer Day Camp for additional information, including details on how to register.

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 9:17 AM on March 15, 2011

Community Shuttle to UBC Botanical Garden

Category(-ies): Botanical Garden News , Front Page News , Local Interest

Courtesy of the UBC TREK Program Centre:

TransLink's Community Shuttles are minibuses that fit well into communities, providing more service, connecting neighbourhoods and linking with the regional transit network.

"There are 3 community shuttle routes at UBC. C19 goes from Alma and Broadway along NW Marine to UBC. C20 covers destinations and residences on the west side of campus including Totem Park, the Botanical Gardens, Nitobe Gardens, the Museum of Anthropology and the Chan Centre. C22 serves residents on the east side of campus, e.g. Hampton Place and Fairview/Acadia."

To get to UBC Botanical Garden via public transit, take a bus to UBC and then board the C20, which stops outside of the Student Recreation Centre on Student Union Boulevard next to the diesel bus loop. The C20 runs throughout the day until midnight with service commencing at 7:15 am during weekdays and at 9:15 am and 10:15 am on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Note that the bus runs every 20 minutes during most of the day so be sure to check the schedule.

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 2:25 PM on October 9, 2009

Help Build an Amphitheatre for UBC Botanical Garden

Category(-ies): 2009 Archives , Botanical Garden News , Local Interest

Urgent Fundraising Need: $66,000

Help Build an Amphitheatre for UBC Botanical Garden (PDF).

The Roseline Sturdy Garden Amphitheatre is an inspiring new project for the UBC Botanical Garden which will offer a unique performance space for the University of British Columbia and Vancouver. Nestled in our lush and well-established gardens, the amphitheatre will itself be a work of art. The innovative design creates a performance area surrounded by curved and rising tiers of polished concrete with seating for up to 250 people. A canopy of trees planted in amongst the seating area will establish a natural flow between the amphitheatre and the Garden. Another outstanding design feature is a curving rammed-earth wall behind the stage that will enclose and define the performance area.

Two separate but connected sculptures, designed by the world-renowned artist William Pye, are integral to the amphitheatre design. Pye's tall, stainless steel water pillar will be located at the edge of the rammed earth wall, drawing visitors to the amphitheatre entrance. Inside, a reflecting pool near the seating area will provide a more contemplative and calming feature.

The minimum budget required to build the amphitheatre project is $500,000. A generous donor has committed $300,000 in matching funds, which gives us a two-and-a-half-to-one match on funds raised to complete the budget.

To date (May 5, 2009), we have already raised another $134,000. Thus, we need to raise $66,000 to complete the core budget.

The matching money, however, has a deadline attached to it. The amphitheatre project must be completed by November 2009. This means that there is an urgent need for UBC Botanical Garden to raise the remaining $66,000 to ensure construction commences as soon as possible.

Please take advantage of this extraordinary opportunity to more than double your philanthropic dollars by donating to the UBC Botanical Garden amphitheatre project. Your donation today will help us achieve our fundraising goal. Year-end completion of the amphitheatre will mean an added attraction for visitors during the 2010 Olympics, and will allow the Garden to benefit fully from this one-time event.

For more details about the amphitheatre project, including opportunities for donor recognition, please see: Help Build an Amphitheatre for UBC Botanical Garden (PDF).

Contact:

Marcia Thomson
Development Officer
UBC Botanical Garden
Phone: 604-822-0623

Grahame Brown
Managing Director
UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research
Phone: 604-822-3928

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 12:47 PM on May 5, 2009

2007 December Holiday Hours

Category(-ies): 2007 Archives , Local Interest

UBC Botanical Garden will be closed on the afternoon of Dec 23 to Dec 26 inclusive. It will reopen on December 27 until January 6th from 8am to 5pm, after which regular winter hours will resume.

Nitobe Memorial Garden will be closing on the afternoon of December 21 and reopening on the morning of January 2 with its regular winter hours.

The Shop in the Garden will be open until the afternoon of December 23. It will reopen on January 13 with its regular winter hours.

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 2:33 PM on December 14, 2007

Via Rail Contest at the UBC Botanical Garden!

Category(-ies): Local Interest

Question:

How much time does it take to get from the UBC Botanical Garden in Vancouver to International Flora, the Montreal Garden Festival, this August?

Answer:

5 Minutes - Just fill out our Visitor Questionnaire!

The UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research is pleased to offer the community the opportunity to win a unique prize. From July 1st to July 25, 2007, garden visitors who complete our Visitor Questionnaire will be eligible to enter a draw to win 2 Via Rail tickets to Montreal, hotel accommodations and entry into International Flora - The Montreal Garden Festival.

A Garden staff member will be administering surveys at the Snack Shed, located just past the entrance gate to UBC Botanical Garden.

Good Luck!

Nadine Diner, Education and Outreach Coordinator, UBC Botanical Garden & Centre for Plant Research

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 9:14 PM on July 4, 2007

Orchids - The Ultimate House Plant

Category(-ies): Local Interest

The Fraser Valley Orchid Society presents a show entitled “Orchids – The Ultimate House Plant” on Saturday, October 28 from 9am to 5pm and Sunday, October 29 from 9am to 4pm. This show and sale takes place at the West Langley Community Hall, at 9308 208th St in Langley, BC. Admission is $6, but visit the web site of the Fraser Valley Orchid Society for a coupon.

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 10:19 AM on October 26, 2006

Lilacs Donated to the Dr. Peter Centre

Category(-ies): Local Interest

On Mother's Day in 1990, Shirley Young received two beautiful lilac bushes from her son, Dr. Peter Jepson-Young, host of the CBC television series, Dr. Peter's Diaries. The doctor pioneered public education efforts about HIV-AIDS through the TV series until his death in 1992. The Dr. Peter Centre, named in honour of Dr. Jepson-Young, was founded shortly after his death. For the official opening of the centre in 2003, Mrs. Young had the idea to donate the lilac bushes she had received from her son.

Continue reading "Lilacs Donated to the Dr. Peter Centre"

Posted by Eric La Fountaine at 3:52 PM on October 19, 2005

Welcome Garden Writers Association!

Category(-ies): Local Interest

Four hundred members of the Garden Writers Association will descend on UBC Botanical Garden during the afternoon of Saturday, September 10 as part of the 57th Annual Symposium of the Garden Writers Association. Welcome to all attendees of the symposium, and we hope that you find UBC Botanical Garden to your liking!

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 1:54 PM on September 7, 2005

The Jade Garden - An Interview with the Authors

Category(-ies): Botanical Garden News , Interviews , Local Interest

This is the first of a new occasional feature on the UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research web site – interviews with notable botanists, horticulturists and other people with an interest in plants. It seemed appropriate that the first interview be with UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research's very own Douglas Justice, Peter Wharton and Brent Hine, in celebration of the publication of “The Jade Garden – New and Notable Plants from Asia”.

Continue reading "The Jade Garden - An Interview with the Authors"

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 12:00 AM on June 21, 2005

In Honour of Dr. Inazo Nitobe

Category(-ies): Local Interest

As part of renovations at the Royal Jubilee Hospital (RJH) in Victoria, British Columbia, land adjacent to the Pemberton Memorial Chapel has been set aside for a garden to honour Dr. Inazo Nitobe (also honoured at UBC's Nitobe Memorial Garden), who died at RJH on October 15, 1933.

Continue reading "In Honour of Dr. Inazo Nitobe"

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 12:44 AM on May 29, 2005

A Request for Help

Category(-ies): Botanical Garden News , Local Interest

Thank you for your support on this matter. June 10, 2005 was the final day for submission of comments. The next step will be to see if the plan is revised based on your input.

Our Beliefs

At UBC Botanical Garden, we've many beliefs, including the following:

1) We believe in UBC's Trek 2010 Vision and Mission, and its five pillars of people, learning, research, community and internationalization.

2) In accordance with Trek 2010, we believe that one of our greatest responsibilities is to serve the local and global communities. We do this through the activities we perform and the services we provide. The botanical garden is used not only for amenity, but also for basic and applied research, for academic learning, for communicating the research and academic missions of the university to the general public, for lifelong learning, for community outreach and for engendering appreciation and stewardship of the natural world.

Continue reading "A Request for Help"

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 2:55 AM on May 28, 2005

The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness and Greed

Category(-ies): Local Interest , UBC Lectures and Courses

“The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness and Greed” is a newly released book by Vancouver author John Vaillant. The tale weaves the story of the people and circumstances leading to the 1997 felling of the golden spruce near Port Clements in the Queen Charlotte Islands, the disappearance of the man who cut down the tree and the repercussions in the local communities.

John Vaillant will be lecturing on the golden spruce and his book on Thursday, May 12 (7:30pm to 9pm) as part of UBC's Talk of the Town lecture series. The free public lectures are held at the UBC Robson Square campus in downtown Vancouver. Although the lecture is free, pre-registration is requested (604-822-5675 or info.talkofthetown@ubc.ca) to ensure that the audience can be properly accomodated.

A comprehensive set of links and the UBC Botanical Garden connection to the golden spruce can be read in the Botany Photo of the Day entry on Picea sitchensis 'Aurea'.

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 12:21 AM on May 9, 2005

Lichen Monitoring Project in Vancouver

Category(-ies): Local Interest

Volunteers are needed for a Community Lichen Monitoring project in the Greater Vancouver Area sponsored by Environment Canada's EMAN (Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network). The project will survey lichen communities around Vancouver to use as indicators to characterize air quality.

Continue reading "Lichen Monitoring Project in Vancouver"

Posted by Eric La Fountaine at 5:36 PM on January 28, 2005

VanDusen Botanical Garden in Florida newspaper

Category(-ies): Local Interest

A complimentary article about VanDusen Botanical Garden in the Florida newspaper, The News-Press. Well deserved!

Link: “Garden Like Slice of Eden”

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 11:10 AM on January 5, 2005

In the Footsteps of John Davidson

Category(-ies): Local Interest

On Nov. 18, 2004, the Vancouver Natural History Society will host a presentation by Daniel Mosquin, Bioinformatics and Web Manager at the UBC Botanical Garden, titled “In the Footsteps of John Davidson: the Flora of Garibaldi Provincial Park”. The program will be held at the Vancouver Museum, 1100 Chestnut Street, at 7:30 PM.

Continue reading "In the Footsteps of John Davidson"

Posted by Eric La Fountaine at 1:45 PM on November 10, 2004

A Lifetime in Twelve Months

Category(-ies): Local Interest

Is the oft-used metaphor of seasonal changes in the garden an adequate comparison of a life lived?

Continue reading "A Lifetime in Twelve Months"

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 11:40 AM on October 12, 2004

Vancouver Food Policy Council Elected

Category(-ies): Local Interest

On July 15, representatives from a diverse group of food-related organizations elected members of Vancouver's new Food Policy Council. The 20-member council will develop policy recommendations on food-related issues in the municipal area. A broad range of interrelated issues will be addressed by the council, including food distribution and security, ensuring quality food sources for low income residents, promoting community kitchens, fostering local farm production, and creating new community garden plots and rooftop gardens.

Continue reading "Vancouver Food Policy Council Elected"

Posted by Eric La Fountaine at 4:58 PM on September 7, 2004

Local Thieves Haul Off Trees

Category(-ies): Local Interest

Bold thieves have recently stolen several large palm trees from a Burnaby garden centre, while another group of thieves have removed a memorial tree from a Vancouver church garden.

Continue reading "Local Thieves Haul Off Trees"

Posted by Eric La Fountaine at 12:00 PM on August 18, 2004

Replacing Poisoned Trees

Category(-ies): Local Interest

A Vancouver resident has launched a campaign to replace poisoned trees on Vancouver's West Side. Tests have revealed that the poisoning was done with an herbicide that is only available in the United States.

Continue reading "Replacing Poisoned Trees"

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 6:50 PM on July 28, 2004

Attn: Wheelbarrow Owners

Category(-ies): Local Interest

Ames True Temper has issued a public safety recall of wheelbarrows manufactured under the O. Ames brand between 1993 and 2000. The fourteen inch wheels of these wheelbarrows have black plastic wheel assemblies which can fracture when the tires are inflated, causing injury.

Continue reading "Attn: Wheelbarrow Owners"

Posted by Eric La Fountaine at 6:22 PM on July 28, 2004

BC Environmental Groups Feel Funding Pinch

Category(-ies): Local Interest

During the stock market boom of the 1990s, tens of millions of dollars (much of it from the US) poured into British Columbian environmental groups. Donations have since dropped drastically, threatening the survival of many groups.

Continue reading "BC Environmental Groups Feel Funding Pinch"

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 11:05 AM on July 7, 2004

Seeing the Forest Beneath the Trees

Category(-ies): Local Interest , UBC Lectures and Courses

An introductory workshop on non-timber forest products will be presented at the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest in Maple Ridge, BC on June 19, 2004 from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Continue reading "Seeing the Forest Beneath the Trees"

Posted by Eric La Fountaine at 6:04 PM on May 11, 2004

Get the Dirt on Serpentine Soil

Category(-ies): Local Interest

On Wednesday May 12, 2004, the Alpine Garden Club of BC will present a lecture by Gary Lewis entitled “The Story of Serpentine Soils”. The free seminar will start at 7:30pm in Floral Hall at VanDusen Botanical Garden.

Continue reading "Get the Dirt on Serpentine Soil"

Posted by Eric La Fountaine at 6:21 PM on May 10, 2004

Government House Garden 2004 tours

Category(-ies): Local Interest

The Friends of Government House Gardens will be hosting tours of the Government House in Victoria, British Columbia from April 21 to October 3, 2004. Government House, the residence of the Lieutenant Governor of BC, is known as “The Ceremonial Home of All British Columbians”.

Continue reading "Government House Garden 2004 tours"

Posted by Eric La Fountaine at 10:50 AM on March 29, 2004

Crystal Garden Conservation Centre

Category(-ies): Local Interest , Local Plant Conservation

Originally built in 1925 as a tropical garden and indoor swimming pool, the Crystal Garden has housed the Crystal Garden Conservation Centre since 1980. The CGCC has several mandates: it participates in international programs to preserve rare and endangered flora and fauna; it works to educate and inform the public about global conservation issues; and it serves to inspire and stir the imagination of young and old. It is slated to permanently close on September 7, 2004.

Continue reading "Crystal Garden Conservation Centre"

Posted by Eric La Fountaine at 10:33 AM on March 23, 2004

Dr. John Worrall an Ent?

Category(-ies): Local Interest

The March meeting of the South Coast Native Plant Study Group features a lecture by Professor Emeritus Dr. John Worrall on March 4 at 7:15pm at the Vancouver Museum (1100 Chestnut Street).

Continue reading "Dr. John Worrall an Ent?"

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 12:15 AM on February 27, 2004

The Canadian Peony Society - Pacific Region

Category(-ies): Local Interest

The Canadian Peony Society was founded in 1998 by a small group of Ontario peony experts and enthusiasts. The Constitution of the new Society recognized the five regions in Canada; the Atlantic provinces, Quebec, Ontario, and the Prairie and Pacific regions.

Continue reading "The Canadian Peony Society - Pacific Region"

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 12:03 AM on January 30, 2004

Dan Hinkley Talk

Category(-ies): Local Interest

Dan Hinkley, a noted collector of Asian plants and a good friend of many staff members at UBC Botanical Garden, is giving a lecture at the Delta Genesis Theatre on January 31 at 7:30pm. Dan is the owner of Heronswood Nursery in Kingston, Washington.

Continue reading "Dan Hinkley Talk"

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 1:52 PM on January 29, 2004

Great Grey Owl at UBC

Category(-ies): Local Interest

A great grey owl (Strix nebulosa) has been haunting the campus at UBC. Local birdwatching enthusiasts have been observing the owl in Vancouver since the middle of December, first at Stanley Park, then Jericho Beach and now on the UBC campus.

Continue reading "Great Grey Owl at UBC"

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 1:31 PM on January 21, 2004

Burns Bog - Finally Preserved?

Category(-ies): Davidsonia , Local Interest , Local Plant Conservation

The Federal Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia, the Greater Vancouver Regional District and the Corporation of Delta are each contributing to an offer of $78.7 million CDN to acquire 5426 acres (2196 hectares) of land to protect and preserve Burns Bog.

Continue reading "Burns Bog - Finally Preserved?"

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 1:21 PM on December 12, 2003