The Bowen Island Garden Club's next open garden is at the home of Diana and Michael Kaile at 835 Hummingbird Lane on Sunday, April 17 from 1 to 3 p.m.
The Kailes bought the property in 2006. It occupies a high bank location with stunning views to the south over Passage Island and the Strait of Georgia. Although blessed with some mature trees and scrubs, the garden had been much neglected. The Kailes have done yeoman work in planting a new lawn, developing raised beds for a vegetable garden, restoring a tired rock garden, creating a flagged patio, and bringing more light into the garden with selective removal/pruning of the larger trees. The original developer left a number of massive boulders on the property which have become major features in the garden landscape.
To quote Diana: "This is a garden to rest your soul, to take a moment to breathe in the sea air, admire the view, walk barefoot on the lush carpet of grass, listen to the wind, the bird song, wind chimes and lose yourself in nature. Welcome and enjoy "
Non members are welcome. Club memberships can be bought on-site.
Visiting speaker Les Clay will focus on rhododendrons at the Monday, April 18 meeting at 1 p.m. in the Gallery at Artisan Square. Members and non members are invited. Clay graduated from UBC in 1956 with a BScA. After university he joined his father in a landscaping business. With the purchase of 40 acres in Langley, Les developed a Tissue Culture Laboratory which enabled him to ship young rhodos world wide. He is a past president of the Vancouver Rhododendron Society and a past director of the American Rhododendron Society. In retirement he still maintains a 100 foot greenhouse on an acre of his former business site.
JOHN LAWRENCE, BI Garden Club
