SPEAKERS
We aim to have interesting speakers on a variety of garden related topics.
FIELD TRIPS
We like to go on field trips to gardens both on and off the island. There is an extra cost for these trips if they are off island.
COMMUNITY
We use some of our funds, time and effort to give back to the Mayne Island Community.
NEXT EVENT –
As yet 2021 events have not been scheduled, however, see February 2021 below for the possible Seedy Saturday events. Visit the updated Gallery Page for pictures members sent in of their lovely Christmas Wreath creations
Mayne Island Garden Club Events 2021 – What We Hope
The Ag Society would like to report that they are in the process of planning Seedy Saturday events – they will be doing something virtually on a province wide program (in conjunction with Farm Folk:City Folk) from February 19 to 21, and would like Mayne Islanders and the garden club to participate. They are not yet entirely sure what it will look like but do know that Kristine Webber will be hosting a Zoom breakout room to launch this year’s Mayne Island Seed Library program. The programs will be in chunks over the weekend – likely a seed related film Friday afternoon, some form of speakers and Q&A on Saturday and the local Seed Library on Sunday morning. There is a chance of a live seed exchange in the afternoon (Covid progress dependant). Anyone can use Zoom; it is free and easy to use. No software needs to be purchased. Some of the seminars presented on line could possibly have a small charge or there could be an overall $5 registration fee for the entire event which would cover the cost of honourariums for speakers.
Please check for information in February on Facebook and there will be some form of announcement on the MayneNews; as well any updates will be reported here.
Mayne Island does have a Seed Library where people can borrow seeds of a number of different vegetable and flower species. They will be expected to grow out the seeds, allow one or two of the plants to go to seed and then return the cleaned seed to the library in the fall or winter so more people can have access to those seeds in the future. This is one very reasonable way for gardeners to acquire seed that will grow well on this island at next to no cost and increase the island’s food security.
The Ag Society is also looking into whether or not they could do something live in conjunction with the museum. Here is where they may be able to include the opportunity for islanders to exchange seed that they have collected. Please note that there is a definite distinction between a Seed Library and a Seed Exchange (share with no need to return the seeds).
Mayne Island Garden Club Events 2020 – What Had Been Planned
For more info see https://www.facebook.com/events/880534599028142/
Speaker Ingrid Hoff, from the UBC garden, will present an informative and fun talk on the good, the bad, and the ugly bugs. Come learn about useful insects in the garden, as well as those that may do harm.
Oh the beauty of spring gardens! The garden club will car pool to take members on a tour of three beautiful Victoria gardens: Kittiwake – a jewel of a private garden; the showy Abkhazi Garden; and to finish, the extensive gardens at Government House.
A treat in store for our members – a tour of three outstanding Mayne Island gardens! Our gracious hosts include Robyn Yeldon and Ellen Visser, Nancy Wells, and Brian Crumblehume.
Our guest speaker, Ana Dushyna, from Ana’s Apothecary, will give a fascinating presentation on creating an herbal garden for kitchen and medicinal purposes, with a tasting of fresh herbal teas!
As well, research your best recipes, as our infamous Mayne Island summer Pot Luck Luncheon will ensue.
Sharpen up those snippers! Gordon Mackay of the Horticultural Centre of the Pacific will give the presentation “Pruning Trees and Shrubs: When, Where, and Why?!” There will be a few myth busters and a good grounding on the concepts involved, along with some do’s and don’ts.
With the latest announcement from Dr. Henry, we have decided that the safest course of action is to cancel our Wreath Making Workshops that were scheduled for this week.
Wreath frames and greenery were sold to registered participants who still wished to make a wreath at home. See Gallery Page for some Christmas cheer!
For those of you not all that experienced at making wreaths, here is a link to a great set of instructions:
Mayne Island Garden Club Events 2019
A sight for ‘winter weary eyes’. The garden club will car pool to take a tour of the beautiful spring blooms at the Butchart Gardens in Victoria. Tour the gardens at your own speed and whim, but we’ll meet at The Blue Poppy at 11:45 a.m. for lunch together and to compare ‘floral notes’.
A tour of Christina’s Garden is always a treat! An added bonus on this visit, Christina will give a presentation on ‘Planning Ahead’. She will give us food for thought on the whole process of planning our gardens from menu to harvest. Christina’s Garden is located at 340 East West Road. There is some limited car parking at the bottom of the driveway, although parking on the road is recommended. The presentation will start at 1:30 p.m., a Q & A session and tour will follow. Garden Club memberships will be available at the event.
Our Garden Club members have created some beautiful moss hanging baskets! We will be selling them on June 1st at the Farmers’ Market for $40 each. What a deal!
These baskets are full of lovely, colourful, healthy plants and we even have a few pure white-themed baskets for anyone interested (white shows up so beautifully in areas that are a bit shady). These stunning baskets will sell quickly so pop by early for the best selection.
Check out the gallery page for photos of the volunteers preparing the flower baskets in April.
Garden Club members have a big treat in store this summer – a tour of three outstanding gardens! Trish Hoff, Colleen Proctor and Mirjam Moore have graciously agreed to show their wonderful gardens.
“Little Jewels” is the theme of a special brief mini-tour of little garden gems. Fifteen minute glimpses of the gardens of Libbie Blake, Elisabeth Whitelaw and Nancy de Pfyffer, will be followed by a Pot Luck Picnic Lunch at the Japanese Gardens.
Unfortunately our scheduled speaker, Brad Jalbert of Select Roses, had to cancel at the last minute. As we were unable to find another speaker at short notice, the September meeting has sadly been cancelled. Our sincere apologies for this turn of events.
Our genial Robyn Yeldon will lead our garden club members in a green wreath-making workshop for the holidays. There will be a $5 fee to cover the cost of the wire frame, bows, etc. Also on the menu is our annual (and most delicious) Christmas Pot Luck Lunch.
Mayne Island Garden Club Events 2018
As the days warm up, it’s time to think about summer salads and fresh garden tomatoes. Learn about new tomato varieties, potting up, care of your new plants and saving seed from master gardener Kristin Crouch. Kristen as been growing heirloom tomatoes for a seek bank for five years.
Phoenix Perennials is among the first nurseries in Canada to offer new cultivars developed by the best international breeders. Gary will give you the inside track on recent new cutting edge garden plants and talk about where plant breeding is heading in the future. If you love new plants, you won’t want to miss this talk. Gary will be bringing along some of these hot new plants for sale!
FYI – Vancouver Island Rock and Alpine Garden Society Spring Show 2018
Although this will not be a planned Mayne Island Garden Club tour, we can highly recommend you take in the much anticipated VIRAGS show and plant sale on April 20-21, 2018. It will be held at the Cadboro Bay United Church, 2625 Arbutus Road, Victoria. Go to the VIRAGS.com website for complete details.

Judy Lashley of the Lynn Valley Garden Club will lead us through creating attractive pots and small planters. Hypertufa refers to a technique of mixing cement, peat moss, and perlite to create rustic, textured planters that look like natural volcanic rock. The workshop will be held at Home Hardware, who have kindly agreed to provide us space, tables and equipment for the workshop.
There will be a minimum of 6, maximum of 18 participants for this workshop. Cost for materials is $5.00 for members, $10. for non-members. For further details contact Lynda Smyth at lmsmyth@shaw.ca Registration will be required, starting May 1st.
Hope you can pop over to the Farmer’s Market on Saturday June 9th to peruse and hopefully buy one of our beautiful hanging baskets! Lovingly crafted by our own Club members, there are 14 inch and 16 inch as well as a few assorted containers of gorgeous plants that will make a splash on any deck or beside any door. Buy for yourself or as a unique gift for someone (maybe as a Father’s Day present?). The 14 inch baskets are selling for a minimum of $35 and the 16 inch for a minimum of $45.