Good morning {{First name}}!
The weather this week is feeling distinctly spring-like, which may have some of you thinking about gardening.
If you’re on the lookout for some unique blooms and greenery, today’s plant show in Sidney will offer quite the range. It’s worth exploring, whether you plan to buy or not—check out our first story for more details.
— Robyn
Today’s approx. read time: 7 minutes
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From seed to show: the plant sale with a global touch
Some of the work VIRAGS does includes nurturing the ‘Garden in the Park’ in Beacon Hill Park. Photo: Mark Brennae / Capital Daily
Greater Victoria has at least a dozen major garden shows and plant sales in the spring—they don’t call it the Garden City for nothing—and today’s Vancouver Island Rock and Alpine Garden Society (VIRAGS) annual spring show is one of the more popular ones.
“There will be troughs, containers, and pots, and even some portable bogs,” says Donna Humphries, the society’s vice president, not even halfway through her list.
“Blooming dwarf azaleas and rhodos, interesting plants grown on tufa, and native plants in container meadows,” she continues.
It’s a big deal in the local plant community, attracting phytophiles and botanophiles from up-Island, the mainland, and even Washington state.
The Annual Spring Show and Plant Sale is a key horticultural happening each spring, providing plant lovers with an opportunity to buy rare and unusual plants grown from seeds obtained from Europe, New Zealand, and Asia.
VIRAGS volunteers will be there to sell plants, as well as independent vendors who don’t sell their bog greenery, unusual peonies, alpines, and perennials anywhere else.
As VIRAGS president Robert Burke points out, it’s also one of the few judged alpine plant shows on the continent. Assessments took place last night and category winners will be revealed this morning.
There will be displays, a silent auction, door prizes, and even a tea service.
It’s also the prime fundraiser for the society, which, at 105, is the oldest rock and alpine garden club on the continent. The flora fun runs today from 9am to 4pm at the Mary Winspear Centre in Sidney. Admission by donation.
⚠ Capital Bulletin
Point Ellice Bridge closed tonight, 9pm-midnight, as part of ongoing construction.
BC Hydro's work on Sooke between Woodruff and Kangaroo may be extended further into May.
TC book drive continues today: Drop off used books at the Victoria Curling Club today, 9am-3:30pm. [Details]
Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.
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