Vancouver Island

The Vancouver Island Master Gardeners Association (VIMGA) is the home for Master Gardeners living on Vancouver Island from Mill Bay north to Campbell River.

What is VIMGA's purpose?

VIMGA exists to provide education to the public on environmentally responsible and effective gardening practices by developing and delivering public workshops, seminars and volunteer clinics, and by publishing information on these topics.

What do we do?

Our members continually educate themselves in order to offer accurate and up-to-date advice at nurseries, garden centres, plant sales, farmers’ markets, garden shows and garden tours on Vancouver Island throughout the gardening season.  We also participate in speaking engagements on garden topics at newcomers groups, and garden club meetings, and write articles for local newspapers and newsletters.

Learn more about how to become a Master Gardener and the Master Gardener movement.

 

Gardening Advice: GardeningAdvice.MilnerGardens@shaw.ca

Contact us about training and more info about us:  info@vimga.org

 

Chapter content

Articles

VIMGA in the Community

  At the Vancouver Island Exhibition in Nanaimo, August 2018:  Jane Martin, Jen Calder, and Janet Miklas.   Here we are at the Gabriola Island Fall Fair Clinic: MGs Gail Reed, Phyllis Fafard with Invasives display, Aug. 2018

Friday, September 14, 2018 - 16:35 in Vancouver Island (VIMGA) | Read more
Articles

VIMGA Open Gardens – Vanisle Volunteers Relaxing Together

VIMGA Open Gardens – Vanisle Volunteers Relaxing Together - Please see the PDF for photos This summer’s gatherings brought together members from all the districts, beginning with 3 in June. On June 14th a group from 2 districts (Parksville-Qualicum and Nanaimo) drove a few miles...

Friday, August 3, 2018 - 11:37 in Vancouver Island (VIMGA) | Read more
Articles

Vanisle Parties in Style – by Emmy Sampson

A new venue, called the Garden Advice Party (GAP), is proving very popular with home gardeners on Vancouver Island. The GAP combines the traditional Master Gardener clinic and the popular home garden tour so often hosted by many local garden clubs. A few highlights of a recent...

Saturday, May 26, 2018 - 12:00 in Vancouver Island (VIMGA) | Read more
Articles

Morrell Plant Sale

Into the Woods On Vancouver Island you are never far from nature, but many sensitive areas nearurban centres are easily polluted and their precious ecosystems destroyed. Saving them is the job of the Nature Trust of British Columbia, and one of thepreserves is the Morrell Nature...

Monday, May 14, 2018 - 20:05 in Vancouver Island (VIMGA) | Read more
Articles

VIMGA Finishes The 2017 Volunteer Year

With our home gardens put to bed for the season and the holiday season beginning, VIMGA has completed a good year. Dorothee Kieser, long-time Master Gardener, held 2017’s last clinic on 25 November. Her seminar titled, “Crop Rotation and Companion Planting,” was well attended,...

Wednesday, December 20, 2017 - 16:01 in Vancouver Island (VIMGA) | Read more
Articles

Master Gardener Program offered this fall at VIU

Vancouver-Island-University,-Master-Gardener,-June-2017.jpg Vancouver Island University and the Vancouver Island Master Gardeners Association collaborate to offer the Master Gardener Basic Training Program. Designed for the experienced home...

Wednesday, June 14, 2017 - 08:44 in Vancouver Island (VIMGA) | Read more
News

VIMGA Spring Education Day March 25, 2017

Spring Fling a Big Success for VIMGA Our small yet enthusiastic chapter met on March 25 for the annual spring education day and clinic sign-up party. Because we are much like fine cream cheese (amazing to experience, but always too thinly spread) each district or island area has...

Monday, May 1, 2017 - 09:53 in Vancouver Island (VIMGA) | Read more
Articles

Exotic Indoor Winter Blooms

Nothing says winter exotica like the blooms of the winter lily. I began my adventure with these beauties last year when I rescued a bulb that, mistreated, was struggling to survive in the back of the display box. I was always appalled at the price asked for these bulbs, but...

Sunday, January 22, 2017 - 20:03 in Vancouver Island (VIMGA) | Read more
Articles

Me and the Hornet Queen: When the Wasp Decoys Don’t Work

For many years I’ve kept yellow jacket wasp nests away from our house with a wasp nest decoy. I bought the first one which cost  $10, and was eaten by the wind by June. Then I discovered a DYI that has worked beautifully for years, and cost nada. These decoys work because wasps...

Thursday, May 26, 2016 - 12:18 in Vancouver Island (VIMGA) | Read more
Articles

Lessons Learned Transplanting in the Dry Areas of the West Coast

After a recent gardener to gardener chat, it was suggested to me that I might commit some of my thoughts ‘to paper’. For the scientists in the crowd there are no p values, just things I have learned, mostly the hard way. I am a master gardener, with basic training. I think by...

Tuesday, May 3, 2016 - 06:24 in Vancouver Island (VIMGA) | Read more