Cowichan Valley Garden Club

President’s Report, April 2026

Hello everyone,
I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Easter long weekend, perhaps with family and friends, and I hope that the Easter bunny is the only bunny who finds his way into your gardens this spring!
It’s been a joy to see the bees starting to buzz again, and speaking of hardworking bees, I want to personally thank everyone who came out to help at the work bee for Gayle Volker and Randy Thompson this month. They very much appreciated the hours you put in, and were touched by your support during this challenging time.
On a lighter note, those of you with a Netflix subscription can look forward to some Island gardens finding their way into the spotlight. Hollywood comedy actor Zach Galifianakis, who lives in the Comox Valley, is set to release a six part series about gardening on April 22.   The series, which is called This is a Gardening Show, was shot on the Island throughout the Comox Valley, and offers a humorous take on the world of gardening. (Source: https://cheknews.ca/hollywood-actor-takes-humorous-look-at-comox-valley-gardening-in-new-netflix-series-1313636/)
Our speaker this month is just in time for those of you who have not yet decided what to plant in the vegetable patch this year. Dorothee Kieser, retired biologist and Certified Master Gardener, will illuminate us on her favourite vegetables, how to grow them in our particular climate, and which varieties and cultivars do best in this region.  I’m very excited for this one, and I hope you are too!
For the Parlour Show, be sure to stop by and check out the entries in these great categories. Better yet, get cutting and throw together an entry of your own!
02. Spring Path: Horizontal Design of Foliage
03. Easter Basket: Design of your choice using spring flowers, accessories permitted
04. Flowering branch, 1 branch, max length 18″
05. Camelia, 1 bloom floating in a bowl (not touching)
06. Fritillaria meleagris, 3 stems, one variety
07. Narcissus, 3 stems, one or more varieties
08. Tulip, 3 stems, one or more varieties
09. Primula, 3 stems, one or more varieties
10. Grape Hyacinth (Muscari), 3 stems, one variety
11. Hyacinth, one stem
12. Surprise Us
Happy gardening, everyone, until we meet on Wednesday!

Erin