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Go buggy at the Douglas College garden

Special celebration for the new teaching and learning garden at the Coquitlam campus
Douglas College garden
Robert McGregor, executive director of the Institute of Urban Ecology, in the Sol (Sustainability, Outreach and Learning) Garden at the Coquitlam campus of Douglas College. A grand opening of the teaching and learning garden will be held Monday, June 20 from 4 to 6 p.m. on the south side of the campus, off of Pinetree Way. The event is free and open to the public. Parking is available in the Douglas College garage for $2 per hour and on Pinetree Way for 75 cents/hou

Bugs are as important as flowers and veggies in the new Sol (Sustainability, Outreach and Learning) Garden at the Coquitlam Campus of Douglas College and on June 20 the public can find out why.

That's the date the college's Institute of Urban Ecology is holding a garden party to celebrate the grand opening of the teaching and learning garden. Located on the south side of PInetree Way next to the campus, the garden features beds of bee and insect loving flowers as well as traditional vegetables to show how even the tiniest bug can be beneficial to gardening.

"What we are doing here is working on conservation and biological control, we want to conserve the insects that do good for us," explained Rob McGregor, an ecology and environmental science instructor who is also the director of the college's Institute of Urban Ecology.

He said the opening of the garden marks a new initiative for the institute to encourage people to become knowledgeable, insect-friendly gardeners.

"We see it as a hub for community education, outreach and engagement regarding sustainable urban gardening," explained McGregor, adding that plans are in the works to offer educational workshop for the public at the Sol Garden this summer and fall.

The garden at the Coquitlam campus is an ideal spot for a teaching and learning garden. It is not much larger than the average suburban garden yet the beds are filled with plants such as yarrow and sweet alyssum that attract beneficial insects and other flowers that are like restaurants for bees.

"Food security depends on pollinators," said McGregor, as he pointed to a large, hairy bumblebee that was diving into a blossom.

For several years the institute has been engaging citizens scientists and students in collecting and studying insects through its UNIBUG (User Network for Insect Biology in the Urban Garden) program. Now it's doing more to get people to learn about and conserve bees, even teaching people how make their own mason beehives out of pop bottles and paper.

McGregor said the Sol Garden will enhance those efforts and people can learn more by visiting www.unibug.ca.

"We want people to learn about insects and at the very least not be afraid of them, that's my goal."

The Sol Garden party coincides with the summer solstice and will feature a tour of the garden, hands-on activities for children, live music, salsa dancing demonstrations and light refreshments. The event is free and will take place from 4-6 p.m. at the south side of the Coquitlam campus. Registration is available online at Eventbrite.

What's happening

The grand opening of the Sol (Sustainability, Outreach and Learning) Garden at the Coquitlam Campus of Douglas College on Monday, June 20 from 4 to 6 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. There will be tours, hands-on activities for children, live music, salsa dancing demonstrations and light refreshments.

Attend the garden party to find out more about programs and sustainable approaches to urban gardening