• Presentation: Todd Major, Rhododendron

• Parlour Show

• Contest potatoes for sale

Vancouver Island Rock & Alpine Garden Society annual show and sale, featuring unusual alpine, woodland and bog plants potted or arranged in troughs and miniature gardens. Info: virags.com

Included will be a few methods to try if you don’t have a lot of space to start all your seeds indoors.

·         The optimum time to sow, what soil to use and how deep to plant your seeds.

·         Light, heat, moisture and ventilation requirements.

·         Thinning or pricking out, transplanting and potting up and hardening off.

·         How to troubleshoot problems like pests & damping off. 

·         Different methods for labelling, containers and solutions for saving space so you can sow more plants.   

Registration is required: $10 for Garden Club members; $15 for non-members. To register, email your name to sookegc@gmail.com, with the subject line “Seed Starting Workshop” then send an e-transfer to sookegc@gmail.com.  If you prefer to pay by cash, indicate in your registration email you’ll bring payment to the session.  

• Presentation: Mason Bees, with Garry Fletcher
• Parlour Show
• Contest potatoes for sale

The Sooke Region Museum hosts Kristen Miskelly of Satinflower Nurseries, for a talk exploring why native plants are so important to ecosystem health, how they differ from invasive species, and what this means for caring for land in our region. Satinflower is a native plant and seed nursery, with locations in Saanich and Metchosin. In the museum events pavilion. Admission by donation. Info: sookeregionmuseum.ca/speaker-series

Hosted by the Sooke Region Food CHI Society, this is a fun, family-friendly day of seeds, learning and connecting with local growers. Info: sookefoodchi.ca/events/sooke-seedy-saturday-2026

• Growing Better Roses, with Melissa Trainer, Rose Garden Supervisor at the Butchart Gardens. Topics may include: pruning and training; tools; fertilizer/watering/sunshine; common pests/diseases; and rose selection/recommendation.
• Membership renewals continue: $15 / year per person, payable by e-transfer (preferred) or cash at the meeting.
• Parlour show

An all-ages celebration of seeds, gardening and community food resilience offers the chance to buy locally grown, climate-adapted seeds and plants, exchange seeds with fellow gardeners and farmers, and attend free workshops, plus gardening-themed activities for kids.

Learn to make your own backyard compost- a living soil amendment rich in nutrients and micro-organisms.
Info: compost.bc.ca/get-involved/public-workshops/
Register: eventbrite.ca/e/free-in-person-workshop-composting-basics-tickets-1963621071484

Speaker: Lo Shrum, from The Greener Side Farm, discusses Crop Planning and Maximizing Garden Space

Membership renewal: $15 / year per person, payable by e-transfer (preferred) or cash at the meeting.

Each year, people in 2,000+ locations throughout the Western Hemisphere participate in the Christmas Bird Count, overseen in Canada by Birds Canada, in partnership with National Audubon Society in the US. Locally, South Island counts are organized through the Rocky Point Bird Observatory. For details about Sooke’s count, email sookecbc@rpbo.org

Elections, prizes & awards!

Plus:

• A sweet & savoury holiday celebration

All about mushrooms.

Plus:

• Pumpkin, Squash, Funniest & Vegetable Contest

• Parlour Show

Introductory 3-hour workshops for Capital Region residents about gardening with drought-resistant native plants, hosted at Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary in Saanich.

$5 per person – pre-registration required.

A 2-hour online class will also be offered Sunday, Oct. 5.

Learn more here: Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary

Todd Major is a journeyman horticulturist, certified landscape inspector, former arborist and a landscape designer and builder of gardens and outdoor living spaces.

Plus:

• Parlour Show

• Photo contest entries due

Introductory 3-hour workshops for Capital Region residents about gardening with drought-resistant native plants, hosted at Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary in Saanich.

$5 per person – pre-registration required.

A 2-hour online class will also be offered Sunday, Oct. 5.

Learn more here: Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary

Introductory 3-hour workshops for Capital Region residents about gardening with drought-resistant native plants, hosted at Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary in Saanich.

$5 per person – pre-registration required.

A 2-hour online class will also be offered Sunday, Oct. 5.

Learn more here: Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary

Friday – HCP Members and volunteers only; Saturday – General public.

Victoria Master Gardeners, HCP staff, volunteers and PHC students are on site as well to answer your gardening questions and help you choose the right plant for your garden.

The plant availability list will be available at hcp.ca prior to the sale.

With this year’s “Plant a Seed” theme, residents of all ages are encouraged to participate and attend, with agricultural components including produce, flowers, baking, beer and wine, plus arts and crafts and photography.

Learn more at: sookefallfair.ca

With this year’s “Plant a Seed” theme, residents of all ages are encouraged to participate and attend, with agricultural components including produce, flowers, baking, beer and wine, plus arts and crafts and photography.

Learn more at: sookefallfair.ca

Free admission at Prospect Lake Community Hall, 5358 Sparton Rd. Come and see the huge variety of Dahlia colours, shapes, and sizes!  Cut flowers will be available for purchase.    

Free admission at Prospect Lake Community Hall, 5358 Sparton Rd. Come and see the huge variety of Dahlia colours, shapes, and sizes!  Cut flowers will be available for purchase.    

Delighting gardening and music fans alike for 20+ years, this annual Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra fundraiser showcases local gardens and music by orchestra musicians.

More info: sookephil.ca/secretgardentour

Delighting gardening and music fans alike for 20+ years, this annual Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra fundraiser showcases local gardens and music by orchestra musicians.

More info: sookephil.ca/secretgardentour

Transforming your landscape into a thriving foodscape.

Plus:

• parlour show

Details coming soon!

Learn more at: swanlake.bc.ca/nativeplantsale