The Educated Garden Designer

Many of our professional garden designers are graduates of one or more of the following programs.

VanDusen Botanical Garden Master Gardener Program

An intensive curriculum combining reading, classroom instruction by local experts, assignments and in-class workshops. The classroom training provides an overview of environmentally responsible gardening practices.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University Horticulture Program

Prepares students for careers in horticulture with an academic and hands-on approach in classrooms and field labs.

UBC Certificate in Garden Design

This comprehensive and innovative professional development program led by prominent Vancouver landscape architect and garden designer Ron Rule featured lectures, demonstrations, applied design assignments, exclusive site visits, guest lecturers by regional experts and hands-on projects.

Plant References

Great Plant Picks

Pacific Northwest horticulturists recommend the best shrubs, vines, trees and perennials for our zone 7-8 gardens. This well-illustrated site selects plants according to criteria like multiple seasonal interest and plant hardiness.

Interactive BC Plant Zone Hardiness Map

Not sure of your garden zone? Check out this helpful tool.

Landscape plants: images, identification and information

Oregon State University site focuses on photographs of more than 600 ornamental plants, mostly woody trees and perennials, showing identifiable features and seasonal growth. Indexed by common and scientific names.

UBC Botanical Garden

The mission of the Garden is to assemble, curate and maintain a documented collection of temperate plants for the purposes of research, conservation, education, community outreach and public display.