The Bowen Island Garden Club’s Open Garden this month will be hosted by John and Eileen Lord at 391 Salal, on Sunday June 22 from 2p.m. until 4p.m. Stragglers after 4p.m will still be welcome. Visitors should park roadside and walk the drive into the garden. There is limited parking available at the house for those with walking difficulties. There is a small fee for non-members, but memberships can be purchased on site.
The property occupies a commanding hill top position looking due south over the Strait of Georgia. At nearly 1000 feet above sea level snow lingers here long after spring has arrived on the coast.
The large fenced garden features a large pond, a bog garden, a gravel garden, cutting beds, a large vegetable garden established in terraced raised planters, and last but not least an orchard.
Ground rock is never far from the surface. Flowerbeds flourish only because large quantities of soil and mulch have been shipped in to provide a growing medium.
A large greenhouse makes it possible to raise plants from seed. Particularly many of the veggies started life here before transplanting to raised beds.
“Our aim is to have a garden in which it is pleasant to relax and enjoy nature. At least for us we have achieved this,” says John.
