Lilies – Summer Splendour
with Dr. Colin Tamboline
Wednesday, May 20, 7 pm in the Pavilion at HCP
505 Quayle Rd.
Dr. Colin Tamboline from Sidney, BC, started growing lilies in 1984. He received his PhD in Developmental Biology from the University of Victoria in 1990, and an MD from the University of British Columbia in 1991. He was a family physician in Sidney from 1992 to 2022, and is now fully retired from practice.
Colin’s obsession with Lilium blossomed about 1998 and was only held in check by a busy career and family life. Since semi-retiring in 2017, he has been spending more time on growing and hybridizing lilies – focusing on OT’s, Black-heart Aurelians, and West Coast North American hybrids and species. He has been a member of the Victoria Lily Society since 2002, and President since 2019.
He lives and gardens on a rocky one-acre lot in North Saanich, B.C. with lots of 120-foot second growth Douglas fir, Arbutus, Garry oak, and Erythronium oregonum surrounding his lily beds. In the photo Colin is posing with his youngest grandchild Isla in front of his rosette-winning stem of ‘Red Velvet’ at the North American Lily Society 2025 show and symposium in Sidney.
Everyone welcome! $5 drop-in fee for non-Hardy members includes door prize ticket.
Upcoming events:
- Sunday, June 7, 11 am to 2 pm, BYO Picnic and Plant Auction, HCP Rotunda
- Sunday, October 25, Hardy Plant Study Day, featuring renowned UK garden designer James Alexander-Sinclair
Activities
The Hardys’ objectives are to Educate, Share, Support and Demonstrate Best Practices in ornamental horticulture focusing on perennials.
We are a group of knowledgeable, keen to learn, approachable, fun-loving plantaholics, and we’d love to have you join us.
Meetings feature interesting speakers, workshops or other activities, plant auctions and door prizes, Q&A and a plant “show and tell,” plus socializing and “getting to know you” at in-person meetings.
We developed and curate three herbaceous Hardy Borders at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific (HCP or the Gardens at HCP). We also organize bus trips, “pop-up” open gardens, conferences and other special events, including the annual Elizabeth England Memorial Lecture.
Hardy Plant Volunteers
Membership
We are a sub-group of the Victoria Horticultural Society (VHS). You must be a paid-up member of the VHS to join and remain a Hardy member.
- To register or renew your membership, see Membership Registration below.
- Guests are always welcome at our meetings. Your $5 drop-in fee will be applied to your membership if you join at that occasion.
- For more info on joining, drop us a line at hardyplantgroupvictoria@gmail.com.
Your Hardys membership renewal date is aligned with your renewal date for the Victoria Horticultural Society, at which time both fees are payable in full.
Meetings and Annual Picnic and Plant Auction
Beginning in fall 2026, the Victoria Hardy Plant Group will replace most of our traditional monthly meeting schedule with two all-day events each year. The first will be on October 25, and the next will be the Hardy Plant Study Weekend, June 25–27, 2027. Stay tuned for details of speakers, locations and registration requirements. Also watch for info about our February Zoom meeting featuring photos of members’ gardens.
In addition, in June we gather for our lively and entertaining Annual BYO Picnic and Plant Auction, typically held the first Sunday of the month. Proceeds from the live and silent auctions support the beautiful Hardy Mixed Borders at the HCP.
See Meeting Dates below for the complete schedule, and watch for reminders at the top of this page. Meeting announcements can also be found in the Hardy Seedling and VHS Gardenry Express.
Everyone is welcome to join in the fun as we share and learn from each other and from our knowledgeable guest presenters!
2026 Meeting Dates
- Wednesday, May 20, 7 to 9, HCP Pavilion
- Sunday, June 7, 11 am, BYO Picnic and Plant Auction, HCP Rotunda
- Sunday, October 25, Hardy Plant Study Day, time and place TBA
Group Contacts
- Chair – Rotating contact: thehardys@vichortsociety.org
- Membership – Gail Willson: hardysmembership@
vichortsociety.org - Treasurer – Louise Potvin
- Seedling Editor – Kerry Seifried
- Programs – Sandra Allin
- Hardy Borders – Rotating contact: thehardys@vichortsociety.org
- Plant Auction & Door Prizes – Kerry Seifried
- Member at Large – Jean Lawrence
- Member at Large – Jo Wyld
- General Inquiries – thehardys@vichortsociety.org
Mission Statement
1. To provide for the education of our members in ornamental horticulture by focusing on perennials, including those that are rare and challenging to cultivate in our climate; providing speakers with specialized knowledge and experience; and providing opportunities where our membership can gather, garden and share information and plant material.
2. To support novice gardeners in the field of horticulture.
3. To support public gardens that demonstrate best practices in the use and care of ornamental plants.
Connecting with people as passionate about plants as you are!
Payment By eTransfer
Send an eTransfer for $15 to hardyplantgroupvictoria@gmail.com.
Payment By Cheque
Send a cheque for $15 to: Hardy Plant Group, 3930 St. Peters Rd., Victoria, BC V8P 2J8.
In Person Registration
Paper forms are available and payment is by cash, cheque or eTransfer.
Pay By eTransfer
1. Complete our online form and submit.
2. Send an eTransfer for $15 to hardyplantgroupvictoria@gmail.com