Green Thumb Alert: New VIU Partnership Offers Expert Gardening Advice

Karli Wilson (l) and Christopher Chinn of VIU’s Horticulture Technician Foundation program display their planting prowess at the Nanaimo campus.

May 16, 2016 - 8:45am

Free service offers top-notch expertise from trained Master Gardeners

Get your green thumbs on! Gardening enthusiasts from the mid-Island and beyond can now get invaluable help with their planting plans thanks to a new partnership that offers free expert advice.

The service, offered by Vancouver Island University’s (VIU) Milner Gardens & Woodland and the Vancouver Island Master Gardeners Association (VIMGA), features trained Master Gardeners who will answer horticultural queries via phone and email. They’ll also be available to identify samples.

“We have a vast palette of plants that grow here compared to many other parts of Canada,” says Geoff Ball, Executive Director of Milner Gardens. “We look forward to offering valuable gardening advice to the folks in our community, many of whom have moved here from elsewhere.”

In 1996, VIU acquired the Qualicum Beach-based Milner estate, which serves as a living laboratory for VIU’s horticultural students. All Master Gardeners are required to complete VIU’s basic training program, followed by 70 hours of volunteering and additional plant identification work on behalf of VIMGA.

“This is a great opportunity to partner with a garden as lovely as Milner,” says Dorothee Kieser, a Master Gardener with VIMGA. “Our volunteers will be able to serve the community at large and help them with any plant issues they may have.”

Master Gardeners will be able to answer a broad range of planting topics, including recommended plants for specific microclimates, identification of plants and weeds, dealing with pests and diseases, and more.

Gardeners can ask their questions in a few ways. They can phone 250.752.0312 on Tuesdays from 1 pm to 3 pm to speak live with a master gardener; alternatively, they can leave a message at other times and receive a callback.

Questions can also be emailed to gardeningadvice.milnergardens@shaw.ca, and the Master Gardeners will respond on the following Tuesday. In addition, samples of plants, pests and more can be dropped off at the Milner Gardens & Woodland Welcome Centre during opening hours, Saturday to Tuesday (the Tuesday drop-off ends at 2pm).

For more information, please visit the Milner Gardens website.

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