| Membership | Price |
|---|---|
| Student | $55/year |
| Single | $85/year |
| Single Plus | $120/year |
| Family | $130/year |
| Family Plus | $175/year |
| Contributing | $250/year |
| Supporting | $500/year |
| Sustaining | $1,000/year |
| Benefactor's Circle | $2,500/year |
| Director's Circle | $5,000/year |
| President's Circle | $10,000/year |
Virtual Programs: K to Grade 12
No matter where you are, at home or in the classroom or both, your learners can interact with our educators and scientists and explore topics like biodiversity, conservation, botany, plant ecology and the environment.
Animal Connections
Available Year-Round
Is it an insect or not? How do they depend on plants? Learn about the characteristics and needs of insects, through interactive songs, poetry and specimens.
Available in English or French
- Ontario Schools: Local Booking Request
- All other schools and groups: Book through CILC
Available November to March
Ever wonder what happens to insects in the winter? Do they all migrate like the Monarch? With the help of a simple experiment and specimens, explore how they use plants to survive the winter.
Available in English or French
- Ontario Schools: Local Booking Request
- All other schools and groups: Book through CILC
Available Year-Round
We all recognize the Monarch butterfly. Explore what it needs to survive throughout its life cycle. Discover what you can do to help this iconic insect.
Available in English and French.
- Ontario Schools: Local Booking Request
- All other schools and groups: Book through CILC
Plant Connections
Available Year-Round, best in the Fall;
What are the different parts of a plant and how do they work to keep the plant alive? Get your pencil and paper out because we’re going to draw our way through this discovery. We’ll take a special look at pumpkins, too.
Available in English or French
- Ontario Schools: Local Booking Request
- All other schools and groups: Book through CILC
Available Year-Round
Seeds are an important way for plants to colonize areas. How do plants in the wild move around and start to grow in new areas? Did you or something else help them? Discover answers to these questions and be prepared to be the seed.
Available in English or French
- Ontario Schools: Local Booking Request
- All other schools and groups: Book through CILC
Available Year-Round
What conditions do seeds need to grow? How are seeds from wild plants adapted to their environment? We’ll examine these and other questions. Are you planning to start some seeds or a school garden? We can do that during this presentation, too!
Available in English or French
- Ontario Schools: Local Booking Request
- All other schools and groups: Book through CILC
Available Year-Round
Plants need pollinators and pollinators need plants. What determines what a pollinator pollinates? What can you do to support pollinators? Explore these questions and more.
Available in English, French
- Ontario Schools: Local Booking Request
- All other schools and groups: Book through CILC
Available Year-Round
Colour is for attraction, warning, protection or camouflage. Some plants and animals have specific colors and patterns. Explore what these are, what they are for and how they help with survival.
Available in English or French
- Ontario Schools: Local Booking Request
- All other schools and groups: Book through CILC
Available Year-Round
Green plants are the only plants that produce oxygen and make food, which is called photosynthesis. With the help of some simple experiments, explore how the plant’s structures are involved and adapted to carry out photosynthesis in different environments.
Available in English
- Ontario Schools: Local Booking Request
- All other schools and groups: Book through CILC
Available Year-Round
How do plants survive in extreme environments? We will examine the plant adaptations of this biome to discover how structure and function help them survive and support the ecosystems within this biome.
Available in English
- Ontario Schools: Local Booking Request
- All other schools and groups: Book through CILC
Available Year-Round
How do plants survive in wet environments? We will examine the plant adaptations to discover how structure and function help them survive and support the wetland ecosystem.
Available in English
- Ontario Schools: Local Booking Request
- All other schools and groups: Book through CILC
Available Year-Round
Why are farmers and gardeners turning to organic practices? What are the advantages and disadvantages? Can you use these techniques in your school garden or greenhouse?
Additional topic: Spring: Wake up your Garden; Fall: Put your Garden to Bed
Available in English
- Ontario Schools: Local Booking Request
- All other schools and groups: Book through CILC
Available Year-Round
Chocolate has been many things to many people over the years. Learn about the ecology of the Cacao tree, then journey through history to get the complete story behind the tasty treat that we call chocolate. Discover the role and impact of cacao plantation farming on the environment and society.
Available in English or French
- Ontario Schools: Local Booking Request
- All other schools and groups: Book through CILC
Available Year-Round
Did you eat or use a plant today? No? Think again – what did you eat for breakfast? Did you brush your teeth? Did you travel to school by bus, car or bike? Let’s find out how many plants and their parts we rely upon.
Available in English, French
- Ontario Schools: Local Booking Request
- All other schools and groups: Book through CILC
Available Year-Round
Ever wonder where modern medicines originated from. Did you know that over 80% of the world’s population uses plants as medicine (and you probably do too!)? Let’s look at what plants are used and how they help heal. Special request program: Tea and Tisanes
Available in English
- Ontario Schools: Local Booking Request
- All other schools and groups: Book through CILC
Available December to March
Identifying deciduous (and coniferous) trees during the winter is much easier than you think. Discover how buds, leafless twigs and bark can help you recognize some common woody plants while honing your identification skills.
Available in English
- Ontario Schools: Local Booking Request
- All other schools and groups: Book through CILC
Available Year-Round
Artists’ creations are inspired by a variety of things including the natural world and gardens, both public and private. Join Karin as she takes you on a journey exploring various international and Canadian artists, such as Claude Monet, Van Gogh, Childe Hassam and Christi Belcourt. Discover how their art has been influenced by both the cultivated and wild nature.
Available in English or French
- Ontario Schools: Local Booking Request
- All other schools and groups: Book through CILC
Biomes / Ecosystems
Available Year-Round
Many plants and animals are threatened globally. Why has this happened? One reason is the introduction of species to an ecosystem. What is threatening the flora and fauna in your area and how you can help? We’ll explore what has happened at RBG and what we are doing about it.
Available in English or French
- Ontario Schools: Local Booking Request
- All other schools and groups: Book through CILC
Available Year-Round
What makes up a wetland? How do plants and wildlife depend on each other? How do we depend on wetlands and what can we do to preserve them? Is there a wetland in your area? How can you help it?
Available in English or French
- Ontario Schools: Local Booking Request
- All other schools and groups: Book through CILC
Available Year-Round
When you go for a walk in a forest, a meadow or a wetland, is it the same as it was 150 years ago? Probably not. We’ll explore the stressors of Cootes Paradise (Class 1 wetland) and what is being done to restore this marsh.
Available in English or French
- Ontario Schools: Local Booking Request
- All other schools and groups: Book through CILC
Special Programs
Available November to February
Are your students interested in discovering more about the variety of careers that are available at a botanical garden from Horticulturist and Gardener to Aquatic Ecologist and Natural Heritage Interpreter. Let us know what you are interested, and we’ll coordinate a program with one or two of our staff.
Available in English
- Ontario Schools: Local Booking Request
- All other schools and groups: Book through CILC
Available Year-Round
Just think how good you feel when you are outside or planting seeds and tending those plants. Our horticultural therapist will provide some career background, introduce the pedagogy behind the various techniques and give you a chance to try out one of the activities.
Available in English
- Ontario Schools: Local Booking Request
- All other schools and groups: Book through CILC
