Free Seminars

For 2025, the Gresham Japanese Garden is offering free seminars to the community instructed by GJG volunteers. The blueberry seminar and the pollinators seminar are co-hosted by Al’s Garden Center. Even though these are free seminars, we still like to know who will be attending. Please register below.

Introduction to Residential Honey Beekeeping: March 9, 2026 – 6:30-8pm
BRUCE JANES AND JIM BUCK, GJG BEEKEEPERS

There is a lot to learn about starting your own beekeeping. Learn the basics of residential honey beekeeping. Why do people become beekeepers. What you need to consider and the differences between beekeeping in a rural vs urban setting. Also, hear a bit about the financial responsibility to get started. What equipment and tools you need. Hive terminology and where is the ideal spot to place a hive. Instructors. The different types of bees, workers, drones and queen and what their responsibilities are in the hive.

Instructor Bruce Janes volunteers in a commercial apiary, and is a member of three bee clubs. Bruce is excited to teach this class because his philosophy is that the first step to becoming a successful beekeeper is to learn as much as you can about the bees themselves. Competent honey beekeepers requires hands-on training and mentorship. Before purchasing honey bees or equipment, new beekeepers should seek as much training as they can.

Co-instructor, Jim Buck will talk about Flow Hives. The Flow Hive was developed in Australia by father-son entrepreneurs, Stuart and Cedar Anderson, who have sold thousands of them all over the world. They have designed a honey super with plastic comb and levers which allows the honey to flow out of comb with the turn of the levers. This ingenious design circumvents the need to remove frames and extract honey through centrifuges. Jim has used the flow hive successfully for three years and enjoying sharing my experience and tips with others.

Pruning Flowering Shrubs : Saturday, May 2, 2026 – 1-2:30pm

JIM CARD, GJG GARDEN DIRECTOR

Learn the basic cuts of pruning through a hands-on demonstration of pruning rhododendrons and azaleas. Jim Card Garden Director will speak specifically about flowering shrubs; when to prune and how to prune,