Garden Resources


Great Plant Picks

This is an invaluable tool in selecting plants for your garden in the Pacific Northwest.

You can choose plants within your needed criteria or choose lists for many different

aspects of your garden. All plants are shown using high quality photographs and

detailed information about cultivation and outstanding attributes of each plant.

Website: www.greatplantpicks.org


VanDusen Botanical Gardens

Vandusen offers many garden related events and courses and has a beautiful botanical

garden to visit. They also offer a garden help line which answers any questions you

may have.

Address: 5251 Oak St, Vancouver, BC V6M 4H1

Help line (Mon, Wed, Thur 1pm-3pm) 604 878-9274


UBC Botanical Garden

UBC botanical garden is a vast botanical garden with plant life from local rain forests,

Asia  and global alpine regions. 

Located at 6804 SW Marine Drive, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4 Phone 604 822-4208


Vancouver Compost Demonstration Garden

Since 1990, the City of Vancouver and City Farmer Society have been working

together at the Vancouver Compost Demonstration Garden, to teach Vancouver

residents how they can ‘go green’ at home. Composting is part of a larger City

strategy named ‘Grow Natural’, which shows the public how to “save time, money

and the environment by using natural yard care techniques.” The Vancouver

Compost Garden works in cooperation with a variety of City Departments

(Solid Waste, Water Design, Parks, Health, Streets, Green Streets) to inform the

public about these strategies, which include back yard and worm composting,

water conservation (rain barrels, drip irrigation, permeable surfaces) safe pest

control and natural lawn care.

Address: 2150 Maple St. Vancouver, BC  Telephone: 604 736-2250


Pacific Soil Analysis

How healthy is your soil? This laboratory will test residential gardener's soil samples.

Call first to receive instructions on how to best obtain samples and for current cost

of the analysis. They will provide a comprehensive detailed analysis of the soil samples

and give recommendations. The fertility levels can be kept appropriate through soil

analysis.

Address: 11720 Voyageur Way 5, Richmond, BC V6X 3G9  Telephone: 604 273-8226


Collection depots for leftover hazardous wastes
In British Columbia, ReGeneration operates more than 170 collection sites across the
province where consumers may return leftover paint including 57 sites where consumers
can also dispose of flammables, gasoline and pesticides. The website allows you to
select the product you would like to recycle and your location to show the nearest
recycling depot to drop off your products. There is no charge to drop-off leftovers that
are accepted by the program.
Toll-free: 1.888.772.9772 Hours: Monday – Friday 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (PST)


BC Poison Control Centres:

There are many poisonous plants. It is always best know the plant names in

your home and yard. Plants are one of the most common poisoning in children.

The poison control centre has a searchable data base with fact sheets about

each plant showing the toxicity, health effects and what to do.


BC Poison Control Centre steps for what to do for a plant poisoning:

  • Remove any remaining plant parts from the mouth
  • If the victim is choking or having trouble breathing call 911
  • Otherwise call BC Poison Control Centre
  • If you are advised to go to the hospital take the plant or part of the plant with you. Do not take a single leaf or berry as it may be difficult to identify.
  • If you are advised to go to the nursery to have the plant identified, keepin mind that plants are usually not quickly digested so there is time to get correct identification.
  • Knowing the plant name can prevent needless treatment and worryTelephone: Vancouver   604 682-5050    Victoria 1 888 567-8911 

Invasive Plant Council of BC

Invasive plants are non-native plants that cause environmental, human or

economic harm. They have been introduced into our ecosystem without

natural enemies to keep them in check. The giant hogweed shown in the 

picture on the right is a good example of an invasive species. It looks pretty

however it has destabilized ecosystems, contributed to erosion and created

painful rashes for anyone who brushes against it.

1-888-WEEDSBC  


West Coast Seeds

This company pr​​​​ovides seeds for organic growing. They have a wealth of information

on their website including planting charts, how to grow vegetables and flowers from seed and now they have a winter gardening guide.

Address: 4930 Elliott St, Delta, BC V4K 2Y1  Phone:(604) 952-8820 Website: www.westcoastseeds.com