Upcoming Events

Instructor: Robert Pavlis Fee: $10 (plus HST) per person. An introduction to the composting process including the role of microbes, greens and browns, carbon to nitrogen ratios, moisture levels, the importance of temperature and a definition for finished compost. We’ll take a brief look at the pros and cons of various composting methods so that you can select the right workshop for you, in the following weeks. View the complete list of Worshops or...

Instructor: Matt Soltys Fee: $65 (plus HST) per person if booked before the early bird deadline of Tuesday, March 4, 2025. After the early bird deadline the fee is $75 (plus HST) Do you have a fruit tree in your life that you'd like to care for? This is a hands-on workshop on fruit tree pruning, using apple trees on The Arboretum grounds to demonstrate proper techniques. You'll learn how to prune for ideal branch structure, how restore old apple trees, how to train new trees for early productivity, and how pruning integrates with other elements of fruit tree...

Instructor: Chris Earley, Arboretum Interpretive Biologist Mondays and Wednesdays, March 17, 19, 24, 26, 31, April 2, 7 and 9, 2025 Fee: $70.00 + H.S.T. Into birding but the songs have you stumped?  Whether you are new to learning bird sounds or you want a good refresher, this course is for you. Join Chris Earley, Arboretum Interpretive Biologist and author of 5 bird field guides, for a series of eight virtual noon-hour lectures that cover over 150 bird species!  We will focus on songs and some common, distinctive calls and will apply different...

Instructor: Polly Samland Fee: $65 (plus HST) per person if booked before the early bird deadline of Monday, March 10, 2025. After the early bird deadline the fee is $75 (plus HST) This half-day workshop will introduce you to the fundamentals of pruning and aims to provide you with basic skills to confidently approach pruning in your own landscape. We begin with how to form pruning strategies, including choosing and maintaining equipment and understanding plant growth and timing. Pruning cuts and techniques will be discussed, demonstrated, and practiced...

Instructor: Robert Pavlis Fee: $10 (plus HST) per person The previous workshop provided information about the composting process. This workshop is more hands on and looks at various methods for completing both hot and cold composting. Hot composting is the traditional method using one or more bins. This is a great system that makes faster compost, but it is impractical for smaller gardens. Various plastic bins and drums are more suitable there. We’ll have a look at various commercial and DIY systems. At the end of this course you will be able to...

Instructor: Robert Pavlis Fee: $10 (plus HST) per person Vermicomposting is a way of using earth worms to compost organic material. One benefit of this method is that it can be done in the home using special bins that require a very small space. The course will introduce you to the equipment needed including some inexpensive DIY options. It will help you select the right kind of worms and show you how to maintain them to keep them healthy. We’ll review ways of harvesting the vermicasts – the worm poop – and explain how it should be treated for best...

Instructor: Christa Wise Dates: Saturday, May 3, 2025 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM OR Saturday, June 7, 2025 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM OR Saturday, July 5, 2025, 12:00 NOON - 2:00 PM OR Saturday, August 9, 2025, 12:00 NOON - 2:00 PM Fee: $12 (plus HST) per person  Get curious about nature and practice your observational skills with our nature journaling hikes! Great for those looking to get started, we will focus on the fundamentals so you can create your own nature journal. No artistic skill needed,...

Instructor: Christa Wise Fee:  $98 (plus HST) per person if you register by the early bird deadline of April 26, 2025. After April 26 the fee is $108 plus HST. Spring has arrived and the flowers are beginning to bloom! Join us to explore the wonderous world of spring wildflowers. In-classroom learning will focus on foundational botany and an introduction to the plant families we might encounter during the springtime. Visiting Arboretum sites like Victoria Woods, Wild Goose Woods, and the close to the public Nature Reserve, participants will be able to test...

Instructor: Christa Wise Date: Saturday, July 5, 2025, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM OR Saturday, August 9, 2025, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Fee: $12 (plus HST) per person Have a kid that is curious about nature and loves to draw? Join Arboretum Naturalist Christa Wise for a family nature journaling hike! We will teach the fundamentals of how to create and keep a nature journal with activities tailored to kids. Each hike will cover a different theme, so repeat hikers are always welcome. All you need for these hikes is a sketchbook and...

Instructor: Sean Fox Fee:  $90.00 (plus HST) per person if you register by the early bird deadline of September 3. If you register after September 3 the fee is $100 (plus HST). Note: If we don't have enough registrations by the early bird deadline, the course may be cancelled. Neither great trees nor a carpet of bloom, the often overlooked but ecologically important shrubs and vines in our landscape will be our focus. Fresh specimens and an easy to use key for shrubs will be used. We will be outdoors for half of the day discovering...