Buy your plants for the season and tour the garden that love built as the Friends of the Abkhazi Garden Society host their Plant A Holics Sale on Saturday.
While there will be hundreds of plants to choose from, they won’t be the kind typically found in stores.
“All the plants offered for sale are from private propagators, with varieties not usually offered by commercial nurseries,” said Carmen Varcoe, one of the volunteers.
Plant lovers will find Pacific Coast irises, woodland plants, ferns, grasses, succulents, geraniums, fuchsias and more.
“There will be rare, some unusual and some hard-to-find plants. Plant geeks will love it.”
The sale will take place in the garden started by Prince Nicholas Abkhazi and Princess Peggy in 1946. The half-hectare garden was the couple’s pride and joy, eventually becoming known as the garden that love built. The Land Conservancy now owns the property, with a team of volunteers maintaining the grounds.
As there will be no University of Victoria plant sale this year, this is the horticultural event of the year for gardeners looking to stock up on common and exotic specimens.
Bring your garden tools to get sharpened by Sharp & Sharper while shopping. Refreshments will be served at The Teahouse at Abkhazi Gardens.
Admission to the garden is free during the event. The sale runs from 10 a.m. to noon at the garden, 1964 Fairfield Rd. Lots of parking is available nearby at Margaret Jenkins School. For details, go to friendsofabkhazi.ca.
Gardeners looking for inspiration can take a free Native Plant Garden Tour presented by the Habitat Acquisition Trust on Sunday.
The tour highlights five private and four public sites, each with a behind-the-scenes look and expert advice on how to create native gardens that are attractive, sustainable and wildlife-friendly.
“I’m thrilled to be a part of the continuation of this very successful community event that brings people together around a shared passion for native plants,” said Jill Robinson, stewardship co-ordinator for the trust.
Integrating native plant species into gardens not only enhances their appearance and attracts butterflies and birds, but can also reduce watering costs.
An expert will be available to answer questions and provide gardening tips at every location. Enter to win one of many gift baskets filled with native plants and gardening supplies.
Other partners in the tour include the Native Plant Study Group, friends of Uplands Park, native plant garden consultant Patricia Johnston and private property owners.
Admission is free, but donations are welcome. The self-guided tour runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at various locations in the region. Download a detailed brochure with instructions on how to get to each property, information about each garden and a bicycle route. Go to hat.bc.ca for a copy of the tour guidebook, or contact Habitat Acquisition Trust at 250-995-2428 or [email protected].
Board the boat of your dreams
See hundreds boats of all sizes and marine-related merchandise at the Victoria Inner Harbour Boat Show, which runs today until Sunday.
The four-day event, hosted by the British Columbia Yacht Brokers Association, is celebrating 25 years and is the largest in-the-water boat show on the West Coast. There will be something for everyone, from those still dreaming to the experienced sailor.
Visitors can board and inspect about 200 vessels of all sizes, from dream boats to the latest yachts. There will be both new and used boats for sale.
Many marine-related businesses will be on hand at Ship Point, featuring everything from boatyard services to hardware, equipment, navigation electronics and clothing.
One-day tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and students and free for children under 16 accompanied by a parent or guardian.
An adult three-day pass is $25. The show runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the Inner Harbour. For details, go to bcyba.com.
Beginner triathlon raises money for MS society
The Fort Street Cycle Beginner Tri for MS on Sunday is a non-timed triathlon that is also a fundraiser for the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada.
Participants swim 500 metres, bike 17.5 kilometres and run or walk four kilometres to raise money for MS. The non-competitive event is geared toward beginner triathletes or those returning to the sport.
Last year, the event raised more than $15,000 for the South and Central Island chapter of the society.
The event is free for spectators. The first heat starts at 7:30 a.m. from Saanich Commonwealth Place, 4636 Elk Lake Dr.
For details, go to tristarstraining.com/beginner-tri-for-ms.
Join thousands of kids, adults, families, schools, community organizations and corporations across Canada to support a helpline for kids at the Walk so Kids Can Talk on Sunday.
The event, presented by the Bank of Montreal, is a family-friendly five-kilometre walk that raises funds for the Kids Help Phone, a free anonymous counselling service for five- to 20-year-olds.
This is the 13th year of the event and serves as a kick-off for Mental Health Week in Canada.
Water, entertainment and a light lunch will be available at the end of the event.
Registration starts at 10 a.m. and the walk starts at 11 a.m. from Braefoot Elementary School, 1440 Harrop Rd. No pets allowed. For details, go to walksokidscantalk.ca.
Support end-of-life-care at the 4th annual Hike for Hospice on Sunday.
The scenic 3.5-kilometre walk, accessible to all ages and abilities, will help raise funds for a new vehicle for the Victoria Hospice Palliative Response Team, which supports people dying at home.
This year, long-time donor Rudi Hoenson will match all funds raised by the event, up to $50,000.
Registration is $10. Check-in begins at 9 a.m. and the walk starts at 10 a.m. at Fisherman’s Wharf Park. Register at victoriahospice.org.
Get your free comic book at the library
Check out the Greater Victoria Public Library’s selection of comics, manga and graphic novels — and pick up a free comic book at Free Comic Book Day on Saturday.
Attendees are encouraged to dress up as their favourite comic character (and get another comic book, while supplies last), enter to win prizes and more.
Admission is free. The event runs 9 a.m. to noon in the central rotunda of the Central Branch of the library, 735 Broughton St. For details, go to gvpl.ca.
Artists open studios to public
Artists and artisans from two neighbourhoods are opening their doors to the public this weekend.
The Fairfield Artists Studio Tour is a self-guided tour that provides art-lovers an opportunity to meet artists, tour their studios and view their work while exploring the neighbourhood of Fairfield on Saturday and Sunday.
This is the 14th year of the event, which is an opportunity for established and emerging artists to display their fine art, including painting, pottery, glass, jewelry, textiles and photography.
The tour usually attracts hundreds of visitors who can be seen walking, cycling and driving around the neighbourhood in search of inspiring art and the people who create it.
Admission is free. The studios are open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at locations throughout the neighbourhood. Visit fairfieldartists
studiotour.com/map.htm to plan a route or find pick-up locations for free tour brochures with maps and artist information.
Artists in the Mount Tolmie area will open their studios Saturday and Sunday. This is the fifth year of the event, which showcases 10 artists at five locations.
The group includes various art forms, such as nature installations and up-cycled wood products. Traditional mediums include paintings, photography and original jewelry design in silver and glass.
People may also take the time to tour Mt. Tolmie Park, with its colourful spring wildflowers and hiking trails.
Admission is free. The studios will be open noon to 4 p.m. at various locations in the area. Maps can be downloaded from mtartists.ca or picked up at the Nellie McClung branch of the Greater Victoria Public Library at 3950 Cedar Hill Rd.
Watch art being made in hotel lobbies
Visual artists will be packing up their studios and setting them up in the lobbies of hotels in Victoria, Oak Bay and Sidney for ArtiShow, which begins Friday and runs until the end of September.
Artishow’s Artists in Residence program features a rotation of artists showcasing their work, as well as meeting hotel guests and the public.
This is the fifth year of the annual event, which features artists in action at the following locations:
• Fairmont Empress
• Inn at Laurel Point
• Hotel Grand Pacific
• Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort & Spa
• Coast Victoria Harbourside Hotel & Marina
• Sidney Pier Hotel & Spa
• Oak Bay Beach Hotel
• Parkside Hotel & Spa
• Union Club of British Columbia
Viewing is free. Artists will work at the hotels from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday to Friday. For details, go to artishowvictoria.ca.
.png;w=120;h=80;mode=crop)
