April in the Tri-Cities has seen sprinkles, drizzles, and flat-out downpours, and meteorologists are predicting 98.5 millimetres of rain to fall by month's end. But optimistically, there's an upside to all this precipitation, and if the saying holds, April showers bring May flowers.
It's good news for plants—now well-fed and just awaiting a boost from the sun—and it's the perfect foundation for the Inspiration Garden in Town Centre Park in Coquitlam, which is a dedicated hub for growing, supporting and connecting gardeners in the community.
Now's your chance to join the Park Spark team and have some fun by participating in a variety of workshops, tours and garden volunteer opportunities at the Inspiration Garden. When you get involved, you'll be able to learn new skills about gardening within a variety of programming and activities.
"If you want to get involved in a workshop at the Inspiration Garden, there's plenty of inclusive opportunities open to all ages and abilities," says Sara Yastremski, parks services manager.
"There are drop-in opportunities to get a tour, meet your neighbours, and interact with people at the garden; it's all about building a sense of community and the chance for people to connect and share common interests."
Inspiration Garden workshops for green thumbs of all ages
You may want to learn how to have your own backyard garden. In that case, these activities can help. Participating in these exciting garden workshops will teach you new techniques, help you gain gardening experience, and get your hands dirty in the best possible way.
- Garden Basics Starting from Seed
- Life in the Soil
- Composting
- Create a Spring Container
- Create a Hanging Basket
- Create a Herb Container
- Create a Pollinator Planter
- Wormy Workshop
- Plant Lifecycles
- Pollinator Power
Workshops are offered at various times during the day, evenings and weekends, so they're accessible to everybody. Workshops are available for all ages and abilities, vary monthly, and run from April through October. To learn more and sign up to attend, visit the Inspiration Garden web page on the City’s website at coquitlam.ca/garden.
Enriching volunteer opportunities
Created in 2007, the Inspiration Garden began as a compost demonstration garden. From there, the Park Spark program evolved in 2014 and looked at opportunities to connect the community to their outdoor park spaces and ways that volunteers could participate in enhancing park experiences.
"You can be an experienced gardener or just be starting out," says Yastremski. "There aren't really any barriers, and you can come out and volunteer at your own pace."
"You can gain meaningful experiences while enhancing Coquitlam's parks. There's no obligation or commitment required; just show up, have fun and get involved."
You will be able to share your resources and gain an education about gardening and the importance of gardening in Coquitlam. For example, if you're a content expert in a particular field, you could work with the Park Spark team to lead workshops and tours, depending on your comfort level and how much you want to interact and engage with people.
"There are opportunities for people to do a number of different things," explains Yastremski. "For instance, we have a volunteer garden host who can help to interact with the community and talk a little bit about the Inspiration Garden. We have over 120 garden volunteers that come out to lend their expertise to help keep the garden looking its best."
"We also have over 60 youth volunteers that come out to experience the garden," she describes. "They get to learn a little bit about gardening, connect with their outdoor park spaces and gain volunteer experience they might need for school, but also to have fun and be in a positive atmosphere, interacting with other youth."
Calling all SD43 teachers! Don't miss your chance to register your class for a garden tour. Bring your students to get hands-on experience, explore, and learn about the benefits of gardening.
Yastremski encourages everyone to come by the Inspiration Garden and "bee inspired." "Together with Park Spark, we can 'Bring Coquitlam Parks Alive!'"
For more information and to register for programs, visit coquitlam.ca/garden or email parkspark@coquitlam.ca.
