The Gardens at HCP

10/17/2026

Here’s what to expect for tomorrow’s Harvest Fest at The Gardens at HCP! 🍂

On Saturday, October 17, from 10 AM - 2 PM we'll have been taken over by autumn festivities, garden fun, and plenty of door prizes to be won!

Our first-ever Squash Race is rolling into Harvest Fest, and there’s still time to register online or in-person tomorrow.

Prizes will be awarded for:

* Fastest Racer
* Smallest but Mightiest Car
* Most Creative Design

A few rules of the road:

* Your racer must be made using a squash that does not exceed 25 cm.
* Every racer must have an axle and wheels.
* Racers cannot have a motor.
* Races will take place in elimination heats until one speedy squash is crowned the winner!
* After the race, take your squash home to enjoy or add it to the compost.

Beautiful autumn bouquets will be available, lovingly made by our volunteers, led by the amazing Tice sisters. 🌸

Free talks throughout the event in the Couvelier Pavilion

Admission: $10 per person, with FREE admission for members and children under 16

Don't forget to bring your gardening questions!

We hope to see you there!

10/15/2026

10/15/2026

Earlier this fall, we welcomed this beautiful hand-forged steel lily obelisk by local artist Queen B Welding

With sculptural lilies climbing a rustic steel framework, this piece brings another layer of interest to the Lily Garden. One that we can't wait to see surrounded by this ever-changing garden throughout the seasons!

A big thank you to Queen B Welding for sharing beautiful craftsmanship with us. Be sure to take a closer look on your next visit!

10/11/2026

Ready, set, squash!! 🏁

Something new is rolling into Harvest Fest at The Gardens at HCP on October 17th.

Introducing our first-ever Squash Race!

Think zucchini racing, but with a seasonal twist. Build your own winter squash racer, give it some wheels, and see how it holds up against the competition. All ages are welcome!

Prizes will be awarded for:
• Fastest Racer
• Smallest but Mightiest Car
• Most Creative Design

A few rules of the road:
• Every racer must have an axle and wheels.
• Squash can be any size, but the total width of your racer (including wheels) cannot exceed 25 cm.
• No motors allowed! Gravity does the work.
• Once your racer is on the track, no interfering! Repairs can only be made between rounds at the repair station.
• Races will take place in elimination heats until one speedy squash is crowned the winner.
• Most importantly, have fun! Smiles and giggles encouraged.

Once the races are over, collect your squash to take home and enjoy or return it to the compost.

📅 Saturday, October 17, 2026
📍 The Gardens at HCP | Harvest Fest, 10 AM - 2 PM

Registration is required, so sign up early to secure your spot! Visit hcp.ca for more information and registration.

10/06/2026

October is full of reasons to visit The Gardens at HCP! 🍂

From seasonal garden colour to workshops, yoga, Harvest Fest and more, there’s plenty happening throughout the month.

A few highlights include:

• The Fall Plant Sale, continuing until October 31
• Harvest Fest on October 17
• Introduction to Landscape Design, a new three-class in-person course with Garden Alchemist
• Botanical Contact Printing with Christi York
• Plant Identification and Culture with Jane Tice
• Watercolour with Richard Wong Watercolors
• Willow chair making with Andrew Kent
• Tuesday evening yoga in the Pavilion, including a session tonight

Swipe through to see what’s coming up, and visit hcp.ca for full details and registration. You can also follow HCP Kids! for upcoming family and children’s programming!

09/29/2026

More Harvest Fest news! 🍂

Join us at the Gardens on Saturday, October 17th between 10:00am - 2:00pm for family activities, plant sales, gardener information booths, baked treats, Aerobic Geisha coffee, live portraits, a squash race and more.

We’ll also have three free talks in the Pavilion throughout the day:

10:30am - "A Year in the Life of a Fruit Tree" with Tim Fryatt, BC Fruit Testers Association

11:45am - "How to Grow Food Crops Indoors Under Lights" with Jennifer Kolot, Victoria Master Gardener Association

1:00pm - "Four Fabulous Mushrooms for Beginning Foragers" with Richard Winder, South Vancouver Island Mycological Society

Bring your garden questions ~ Local gardening, food-growing and conservation groups will be joining us with information tables throughout the event.

Admission will be $10. Come for the gardens & leave feeling inspired by the season! 🌿🍎🍄

09/28/2026

Contemporary botanical artist Christi York led “It’s a String Thing” yesterday, an interactive, materials-focused workshop exploring plant fibres and process.

She had recently returned from the Painters Palette art festival at Painter’s Lodge on northern Vancouver Island, where she was one of five resident artists.

We’re lucky to have Christi’s expertise as part of our Community Ed programs, and now a small selection of her botanical artwork has made its way into the HCP Gift Shop!

Christi’s work is deeply rooted in nature. She hand-harvests and works with plant materials, exploring traditional techniques through a contemporary lens.

These original botanical prints feel especially fitting now, as the Gardens begin shifting into gold, ochre and rust. Make sure to take a look the next time you're visiting! 🍂

09/28/2026

A brand new class is being offered at The Gardens at HCP about how to design your garden.

These will be engaging and interactive classes covering design theory, observation tools, the elements and principles of design then how to go through the design process like a pro! 🌼

09/25/2026

Pacific Horticulture College students and HCP staff are out in the rain today getting everything ready for the start of our Fall Plant Sale tomorrow! 🌧️

Fall arrived on Tuesday, and so has the rain, making it an excellent time to get shrubs and perennials into the ground while the soil is still warm and moisture is plentiful.

The sale kicks off Saturday, September 26th and runs through October 31st.

As always, quantities are limited and availability will change as plants sell, so come early if there’s something you have your eye on. (The Plant Availability List can be found at hcp.ca).

9:00am - Early entry for HCP members and volunteers
10:00am - 4:00pm - Open to the general public

Victoria Master Gardeners, HCP staff, volunteers, and PHC students will be on site to help with plant choices and answer your gardening questions.

All proceeds from the plant sale support the development and maintenance of our not-for-profit teaching gardens.

See you tomorrow!

09/22/2026

Happy Fall Equinox 🍂

Today marks the first day of fall, and the Garden is already beginning its shift.

Swipe through to see what’s changing, and what it'll change into by end of October, with the richness of an autumn garden.

Don't forget: Our Fall Plant Sale is happening this weekend, with a great selection of plants ready for autumn planting! Cooler temperatures and seasonal rainfall make fall an excellent time to get many perennials, shrubs, and trees established before winter.

Come wander the Garden, see the season changing in real time, and take a little piece of it home.