Owen Ballance: Two Weeks in the American Southwest: My Time with Borderlands Nursery and Seed

Date: 7:30pm-9:30pm, Jun 10, 2026

Owen Ballance - Two Weeks in the American Southwest: My Time with Borderlands Nursery and Seed

Owen Ballance is a horticulturist working at the University of British Columbia Botanical Garden, currently primarily at the nursery and in the Asian Garden. He has worked within both the public and private sectors in Canada, as well as spending time in France at the Maison et Jardin de Claude Monet, and in England at Sissinghurst Castle Gardens. He began professionally gardening with the City of New Westminster in 2016 maintaining the municipal cemetery grounds and gardens, and attended the Horticultural Training Program at UBC BG in 2020. He continues to further his understanding of horticulture through his work at UBC BG, and beyond. 

In October 2024 Owen was extremely fortunate to participate in an exchange in Southern Arizona with Borderlands Nursery and Seed. He’ll share his experience of learning their systems, and how they propagate and sell wild collected plants and seed. Comparing and contrasting their practices with our own at the garden to gain better perspective on the role that botanical gardens, and organizations like Borderlands play in the conservation of plants.