Spring has arrived! On April 1st, UBC Botanical Garden opens its gates for a new season of discovery, learning and connection. Garden reopening marks a moment many visitors and staff look forward to each year, when familiar paths welcome guests and seasonal changes begin to unfold. After months of winter preparation, careful planning and quiet growth, the Garden comes alive with renewed energy and shared excitement for what lies ahead.
As Director Dee Ann Benard reflects, reopening is shaped as much by long-term vision as it is by seasonal change: “As Director of UBC Botanical Garden, I’ve been preparing for the season ahead by reviewing our progress on the Garden’s strategic plan and advancing the launch of our CLL-funded Chemical Atlas research project. I’m especially excited about the impending completion of the Nitobe Memorial Garden renovations and participating in the summer solstice Adventure Tree Climb fundraiser. I’m truly inspired by how we are finding new ways to connect our community with the Garden’s mission.”
Across the Garden, horticulturists have been preparing their collections for spring’s arrival. At David C. Lam Asian Garden, Andy Hill describes a landscape gently awakening after winter: “The David C. Lam Asian Garden is rapidly waking up from a gentle winter and it’s a joy to see the lovely new growth and so much colour. We’re doing a tidy, taking away weedy things that shouldn’t be there, and doing our best to disturb this healthy forest as little as possible. We’ve built some garden beds with delightful plantings, and soon will be putting tiny maple trees into the soil that will eventually form a large grove. This is the world’s rarest and most critically endangered maple species–Acer amamiense (Amami maple). Looking forward to sharing this magical place with everyone as we reopen for spring!”
Ben Stormes shares that “Early spring is a busy time, as we have been wrapping up our winter project work, which has included a lot of trail and path maintenance, tree and shrub pruning, managing invasive species along our garden perimeter, and creating new planting areas throughout The North American Gardens. This spring, we will be planting a number of new specimens into our Pacific Slope Garden, all of them the result of seed-collecting work we have carried out in California over the past couple of years. Also a spring treat, the Garry Oak meadow has awaken and I always look forward to its abundant spring blooms. We have also been busy outside the garden!”
Much of spring’s beauty begins long before visitors see it. Kevin Kubeck explains the detailed process behind growing plants from wild-collected seeds: “The Nursery has been prepping for spring for a few months now. For us, the production cycle begins in November and runs through the end of the following October. By April, many seed pots of various taxa have germinated. Our primary focus then shifts to “pricking-out,” which refers to transplanting seedlings from communal germination pots into individual production containers. Once pricked out, a plant can stay at the Nursery anywhere from 30 days to indefinitely, though most annuals are planted within the first year. Perennials and woody plants tend to stay longer, often on the order of two to three years.”
Seasonal highlights are already emerging throughout the collections. In Alpine Garden, Laura Caddy looks forward to a favourite spring bloom: “One of my favourite genera (Pulsatilla) will be blooming right on cue this weekend. One of the common names for this genus is pasqueflower, which is derived from the Hebrew word for Passover, as their spring blooming period often coincides with Passover and Easter. You can see a few species in the European section of the Alpine Garden.”
At Nitobe Memorial Garden, Ryo Sugiyama reflects on winter work completed in preparation for visitors’ return: “Thanks to the mild winter. It made me complete quite a few winter projects. A new bridge was built, a section of shoreline was reconstructed, and many prunings were done to manage empty spaces. With this spring light, I look forward to welcoming you under the cherry blossoms.”
Garden reopening is both a return and a beginning. Each path reflects months of care, research and stewardship and each visit offers a chance to reconnect with nature at a moment of change. As spring unfolds, UBC Botanical Garden and Nitobe Memorial Garden invite you to explore the collections, experience what is newly growing and share in the season’s renewal. Come visit both gardens and discover what is waiting to bloom.
We appreciate our horticulturists for their contributions to this article.
- Andy Hill – Horticulturist at David C. Lam Asian Garden
- Ben Stormes – Horticulturist at The North American Garden
- Kevin Kubeck – Horticulturist at UBC Botanical Garden Nursery
- Laura Caddy – Horticulturist at E.H. Lohbrunner Alpine Garden
- Ryo Sugiyama – Horticulturist at Nitobe Memorial Garden
And Dee Ann Benard, Director of UBC Botanical Garden & Nitobe Memorial Garden
Written by:
Fernanda Munoz
Marketing & Communications Assistant
UBC Botanical Garden
