Great gardening advice available at virtual workshops in Burlington, Oakville, Milton

A series of workshops will help even novice gardeners become experts in Burlington, Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills.

Conservation Halton is once again hosting a workshop series to help you create beautiful and healthy gardens while also working with nature.

“You will learn how to direct rainwater away from your home, use less energy and resources, attract pollinators, increase biodiversity, and improve local water quality,” said a spokesperson.

This workshop series highlights the benefits of increasing the amount of rainwater that goes into soil instead of flowing into storm drains.

Projects include disconnecting downspouts and allowing the rainwater to get into the soil, installing rain barrels, creating rain gardens, creating garden surfaces that absorb water, and naturalizing gardens with native plants adapted to our area.

Three virtual workshops are being held on upcoming Wednesdays, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at a cost of $10 each.

Workshop 1: Managing Rain Where It Falls, March 20

Find out how storm water is managed in your community and how it connects to you and your home. Learn about new trends in residential landscaping, and how you can take advantage of rainwater in your garden to save money, increase your home’s curb appeal, and improve the health of our local watershed.

Workshop 2: Cultivating Resilience with Bountiful Urban Food Forests, March 27

Discover the art and science of creating a backyard food forest as you learn about regenerative urban agriculture with co-presenter Halton Environmental Network. Hear practical tips from HEN’s de-pave initiatives and their ongoing journey of establishing an urban forest. This workshop will inspire you to enhance your yard, big or small, with edible native plants that help to build more resilient and biodiverse neighbourhoods.

Workshop 3: Building ‘Community’ Gardens: Diversifying your Garden to Create Healthier Neighbourhoods, April 3

How do you create a community garden that has more birds, bees, and biodiversity, and less upkeep, watering, weeding, and mowing? Naturalize your yard by planting native species that attract pollinators. You will leave this workshop with the inspiration to create a healthy, diverse ecosystem in your own yard that will be a welcoming community for all beings.

There are also an in-person workshop:

Workshop 4: Design your Native Landscape

Put your learning into practice! In this full-day workshop, learn how to design, implement, and maintain a low-impact development project at home. Hear from local ecologists, landscape designers, and homeowners who have designed their own native landscape. The day will end with small group discussions with the experts to talk about your specific garden designs.

The workshop is being held Saturday, April 24, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Brant Hills Community Centre, 2255 Brant St., Burlington. Cost is $40, lunch included

For more information or to register, visit here.