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Little Billy has been Planted!

Category(-ies): 2009 Archives , Botanical Garden News , Front Page News

UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research is excited to announce that our new Wollemia nobilis (Wollemi pine) tree has been unveiled. At 11.5 feet tall he's a prominent addition to our entrance area. "Little Billy" as he's known, is the showcase piece of our new Prehistoric Plant Tour.

The tour is a self-guided experience that takes Garden visitors back in time to explore some of the early species of plants found within our plant collection. The experience should take visitors approximately 40 minutes to complete. Prehistoric Plant Tour maps are now on sale in our gatehouse.

Pictured in the photo from left to right: Grahame Brown (Managing Director at UBC Botanical Garden), Adriane Carr (Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Canada) and Kevin Lamb ( Australian Consul General and Manager of Austrade)

Posted by UBC Botanical Garden at 4:27 PM on May 22, 2009

DOXA Documentary Film Festival

Category(-ies): 2009 Archives , Front Page News , Local Interest

The UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research is proud to be a community partner of the upcoming 8th annual DOXA Documentary Film Festival. Specifically we are community partners of two films that we'd like to share with our friends and fellow plant enthusiasts. Attached is more information about each film. They both sound extremely interesting and have been filmed by award winning film makers.

Eternal Mash - Sunday May 24 2:00 PM, Pacific Cinémathèque
Director: Catherine Van Campen, Netherlands, 2007, 53 minutes
Documents the mysterious disappearance of Master Dutch Horticulturist Ruurd Walrecht and the void that his colleagues feel in his absence.
Preceded by: Intestines of the Earth, Director: Olivier Barbier, France, 2006, 13 minutes

The Garden - Friday May 29 9:00 PM, Pacific Cinémathèque (nominated for an Academy award)
Director: Scott Hamilton Kennedy, USA, 2008, 80 minutes
Documents a community fighting for their community garden in South Central Los Angles.

More about the DOXA Documentary Film Festival:

The 8th annual DOXA Documentary Film Festival, May 22nd - 31st, continues the tradition of showcasing stories that aren't often told. DOXA brings Vancouver premieres of eye-opening and unexpected films from Canada and around the world.

Featuring 75 films, highlights include Canadian Larry Weinstein's stunning new film Inside Hana's Suitcase, which opens the festival; Academy Award nominee The Garden; Canadian premiere of Shelley Saywell's passionate film Devil's Bargain; internationally-renowned Kim Longinotto's latest film Rough Aunties and DOXA's closing night offering Act of God by Jennifer Baichwal.

DOXA is comprised of curated and juried screenings, workshops and public forums; and as Western Canada's largest documentary film festival, proudly screens thought-provoking, entertaining documentaries from local and global communities.

Tickets and festival passes available online at www.doxafestival.ca, Bibliophile Bookshop, Videomatica, and Biz Books. Please go to www.doxafestival.ca or call 604.646.3200 for more information.

Posted by UBC Botanical Garden at 3:40 PM on May 22, 2009

Help Build an Amphitheatre for UBC Botanical Garden

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

Perennial Plant Sale (2009)

Category(-ies): 2009 Archives , Perennial Plant Sale

Join your fellow gardeners in the hunt for interesting and hard-to-find plants as the Friends of the Garden host the 19th Annual Perennial Plant Sale on Saturday, May 9th, 2009 from 10:00am - 4:00pm at the UBC Botanical Garden. Thousands of unusual plants are available -- a perfect opportunity to fill in a space in your garden created by last winter's cold spell. This year will feature a wide selection of edible plants, blueberry, strawberry and raspberry plants, heritage tomatoes and herbs.

Of course, the Shop in the Garden and Plant Centre will also be open for all of your gardening needs. The Greenheart Canopy Walkway is offering 25% off rates in the following categories: Adult, Youth, Child and Senior. Special discounts including those for students, families, UNA, and 25 Year Club will remain valid, and will not be double discounted.

There will be presentations on environmentally friendly ways to deal with weeds and pests; and other topics of interest. There will also be suggestions on what to plant in your shady or sunny areas; and a special section "The Can-Do Garden" to help with gardening in the tiniest space or on a deck or balcony. A children's area offers a free gift plant, face painting and other activities.

Experts will also be on hand to help with your gardening and plant queries.

Visa, MasterCard and Debit accepted. No cheques accepted.

Bring a box, bag or crate to carry your plants home in!

And remember, no dogs on site!

Reminder: Park in the West Parkade and take the free shuttle to the Garden or use Translink: take the C-20 bus from the UBC bus loop or the 41st Avenue bus with a stop at 16th Ave and Marine Drive.

For more information, visit the Perennial Plant Sale page on the garden's web site or visit the Friends of the Garden web site.

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 4:02 PM on May 1, 2009

Perennial Plant Sale Plant Lists (2009)

Category(-ies): 2009 Archives , Perennial Plant Sale

The Friends of the Garden are pleased to share the list of plants available at the 2009 Perennial Plant Sale.

Please note: Plants are only available in limited quantities. Some plants on the list may not be available, due to extenuating circumstances (but not because of presales — there are no presales for this event — the FOGs have always been committed to making sale items available to the public first).

Every effort is made to ensure that plants for sale are not encumbered by any sale restrictions. Also, it is our intention to conform to the guidelines set out by the Convention on Biological Diversity. If a mistake has been made and a plant is for sale that should not be, please contact us.

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 3:34 PM on May 1, 2009

Collectors' Plant Auction 2009

Category(-ies): 2009 Archives , Plant Auction

The UBC Friends of the Garden will be hosting the fourth Collectors' Plant Auction on April 23, 2009 at the UBC Botanical Garden Reception Centre (directions). Many very special trees, shrubs, vines, perennials and alpines will be offered in silent and live auctions throughout the evening.

The evening offers a unique opportunity to acquire rare and specimen plants, some of which grow in the UBC Botanical Garden. Many individual plant collectors, nurseries and other botanical gardens are generously supporting this event through donations of choice and difficult-to-obtain plants. In addition to these gorgeous plants, an array of fabulous live and silent auction merchandise and services for all the gala goers to bid on will be available. Not just an auction, this is a gala evening of food, refreshments and music, combined with a unique opportunity to acquire rare plants and to support the garden and its research.

The list of plants for the 2009 Collectors' Plant Auction is now available.

Download the 2009 Collectors' Plant Auction Catalogue for full details (PDF).

Tickets for the event are $150 and include dinner and refreshments. Please call 604-822-4208 for tickets and more information.

Absentee Bidding is Available!. Import paperwork will be available on the night for visitors from USA

For more details on the upcoming April 23 plant auction, please visit the Collectors' Plant Auction web page or visit the Friends of the Garden's web page for the Collectors' Plant Auction.

Posted by Eric La Fountaine at 3:42 PM on April 15, 2009

SAWA's Hero Earth Day Event at UBC Botanical Garden (2009)

Category(-ies): 2009 Archives

Greenheart Canopy Walkway Partners with SAWA Global to Celebrate SAWA's Hero Earth Day Event at UBC Botanical Garden

Vancouver, Canada (April 6, 2009) - Greenheart Canopy Walkway, Vancouver's newest eco-adventure experience, celebrates SAWA Heroes at UBC Botanical Garden during a five day Earth Day Event.

Greenheart Earth Day Event Press Release (PDF)

When: Saturday, April 18, 2009 - Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Hours of operation: 10:00am - 4:00pm each day
Note: Special group scheduling accommodations are available

Where: Greenheart Canopy Walkway at UBC Botanical Garden
6804 SW Marine Drive
Vancouver, BC

Why: Children and adults will have the opportunity to experience the Canopy Walkway, a unique suspension bridge up into the upper layers of a Pacific Coast forest, while learning about 10 remarkable SAWA Heroes from the world's poorest communities who have made a significant and positive impact in their community. Visitors can also visit http://www.3rdwhale.com/ to learn more about the heroes and enter the "Greenest Person on the Planet" contest.

Participants will gain an appreciation for how the Pacific Coast forest of British Columbia is figuratively connected to the entire world. Additionally, visitors will learn how one person can improve the lives of others as well as protect our planet.

Who: SAWA Global recruits and provides training to local videographers in the 50 poorest countries in the world. These SAWA Video Journalists identify and work in close partnership with extraordinary local grassroots leaders - SAWA Heroes. Together they work to document the project or initiative via video, and then profile this on SAWA Global's website to a global audience.

Once profiled on the website, the SAWA Heroes can be viewed by a global community who can learn from the Hero's success and innovative solutions, build new partnerships with the SAWA Hero and apply the project model elsewhere to solve similar global challenges. Please visit http://www.sawaglobal.com/ for more information.