Open Garden & AGM

Andrew Plews

Join us in the woodland garden of Andrew Plewes for our Annual General Meeting. The house and gardens of this extensive property are located in a thickly wooded lot above Josephine Lake. You cannot miss the house, which is decked out in pastel colours of lime green and yellow, capped by a red roof. Josephine Lake Road is about as remote as you can be on this beguiling island of ours. Andrew Plewes, our host for the day, has been hard at work creating a wide network of trails through the understorey of the forest. They encompass a fine bridge and a viewing platform with easy chairs, from which to contemplate the waters of Josephine Lake. Garden beds seek shelter around the skirts of the house.

Get Ready to Grow—Our Fabulous Plant Sale is Back!

Join us rain or shine in the Legion parking lot for a vibrant selection of beautiful plants, all donated with care by our dedicated club members.

Every purchase helps our club bloom, with 100% of the proceeds supporting our club activities and community projects.

Come for the plants, stay for the fun—don’t miss it!

Helpful Info for Our Plant Sellers

If you’re selling plants, please arrive a little early to set up your display. Bringing your own table is ideal, but feel free to get creative—plants can also be arranged on the ground or on a tarp.

Can’t stay to sell your own plants? No problem! Just reach out to us, and we’ll happily include them at another seller’s table.

To Keep Things Simple:

• Label each plant clearly with its name and price.

• We’ll handle all payments at a central table, so you can focus on chatting with fellow plant lovers.

• The sale is rain or shine! Umbrellas or canopies are great to have on hand if the weather doesn’t cooperate.

• At the end of the sale, please remember to take home any unsold plants.

Thanks so much for being part of our plant sale—we couldn’t do it without you!

Host: Michael and Diana Kaile

'Pop up Garden' at the home of Michael and Diana Kaile

Micheal and Diana have generously offered to open their garden to the Garden Club for  Sunday visits on May 3rd from 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm

The garden will be familiar to most members but the benign winter has released a riot of colour and heady fragrance to charm and delight the senses. Please make the occasion a celebration of Spring in a beautiful garden. 

GROWING & PROPAGATING RHODODENDRONS

By Everhard van Lidth de Jeude

Sunday, April 19,

2-4 pm

602 Collins Road

*Please carpool to this event as parking is limited.

Linnaea Nurseries in Langley (3666 224 street) has been confirmed for Saturday, April 18th. This visit will take place rain or shine. In the past, we have found that even though it has been raining heavily on Bowen, the weather has been far nicer at Linnaea and even if it isn’t, there are many greenhouses in which to take cover.

If you are new to the Garden Club, this is a trip that you won’t want to miss. Linnaea is a wholesale nursery and does not sell to the general public. While we do not receive wholesale prices, we do receive a sizeable discount on all plants-----the larger the plants, the bigger the savings. If you are landscaping a new property or redoing an existing garden, Linnaea is the place to go. Even if you “don’t need” or “don’t have room for” any more plants, Linnaea is a fun place to visit and, you can always find room for one more “treasure”.

Please remember that to go to Linnaea, you must be a member in good standing for 2026.

A Winter Garden – Kathy Leishman

The garden was planned for winter and early spring interest. It seemed logical as there is an overstory of firs, and the slope receives the slanting rays of the winter sun. Needless to say, it’s very shady in the summer.

Three Hamamelis, a Pieris, a Camellia Donation, and some chunky Boxwood were initially planted. Corylopsis spicata and C. pauciflora were added, Rhododendron augustinii (not really for winter, but has good structure), and then a good number of snowdrops imported from Britain, and Helleborus from the Heronswood Nursery in Washington. Cyclamen hederifolium and C. coum were purchased at plant sales….they are the perfect plant for winter joy, and self-sow in odd corners. (Deer proof).

Ferns and small grasses like Millium e. Aureum adds a textural change. Iris foetidissima has good architectural leaves and is bomb proof for dryish shade. It has a strong presence in the early winter with orange seed capsules, which are good for picking.

I haven’t had too much luck with Trilliums or Erythroniums as the soil is a little too dry in the summer. The one Erythronium which has spread is E. americanum. It has fine, mottled leaves. And there is Trillium erectum, which has crimson flowers; this I brought from my first garden in Ontario, where it is native. There are various Anemones and a Sanguinaria, all pretty in late winter, then hibernating in the summer.

Basically, this small woodsy garden has added much pleasure to the winter months….there is a promise of new growth, and the thrill of finding the first flower of the season.

***LOCATION CHANGE - NOW AT COLLINS HALL***

By Kristina Linder

Hello!

My name is Kristina Linder. I grew up in Sweden, and I've lived in Canada since the early 80's. I love our West Coast climate for gardening! Ever since I was a little girl, I have been fascinated (possibly somewhat obsessed?) with plants and how to grow them. Most of my adult life has been spent working in retail nurseries and floral shops, and at this point in my life, I have discovered how much fun it is to share my passion for gardening and my experiences with others. A couple of years ago, I was presented with an opportunity to start a YouTube channel, and I would like to invite you to simply Google 'YouTube gardening with Kristina Linder'. I'd love for your Club members to check it out, and please, any time, ask any questions you may have. I love it when my viewers interact!

I have been invited to talk at your February garden club meeting about hanging baskets. I am planning a presentation about how to build a colorful basket in early spring, that, with a couple of simple updates throughout the year, will look beautiful all the way into the following Christmas season. I will also discuss some (perhaps more unorthodox options) for things you can grow in hanging baskets, and ways to maximise performance so your baskets look like a million bucks through the seasons.

I look forward to seeing everyone on the 21 of February!

Kristina

By Jill Wright

Hydrangeas are an integral part of the summer garden and it helps that their beautiful flowers last for months. My presentation will cover identifying just a few of the 80 species in the Hydrangea genus, what the flower heads look like in the late winter and of course some pruning tips.   

Jill Wright grew up on a  farm in Saskatchewan but really was an urban girl at heart and has lived in Richmond for the past 40 years.  After a lengthy and structured career with the Royal Bank, Jill was able to use her artistic flair in the many gardens  she created or remodeled. The switch in careers started when she completed the Master Gardeners program at Van Dusen and the Garden Design Program at UBC.  The achievement that she is most proud of is coordinating the adoption of Paulik Park by the Richmond Garden Club in 2008.  She oversees the 20 plus volunteers that maintain the park gardens.

Join us for the Garden Club’s annual Winter party!

Bring a sweet or savoury plate to share, preferably finger food in the interest of food safety.

Beverages will be supplied.

By Carla Skuce, BIM’s Manager of Environment and Park Planning

Discover how Bowen Island is tackling the growing challenge of invasive species. In this presentation, Carla will share insights into the municipality's management strategies on public lands, the unique challenges we face locally, and the successes and lessons learned along the way. You'll also learn practical tips for controlling invasive plants in your own garden, and how our collective efforts can help protect Bowen’s natural landscapes for the future.

Carla studied forest and natural areas management before getting her BSc in Environmental Science. She has been involved in invasive species management for almost 15 years, from donning Tyvek suits to grapple with hogweed to mapping yellow flag iris from her kayak. Currently, her work is focused on parks planning, environmental protection, and climate action.

Metro Vancouver Regional Parks Ecological Restoration Team

Kilarney Lagoon, Crippen Park

Come help plant native species along a sensitive riparian area at Crippen Regional Park! This conservation zone provides vital habitat for a variety of waterfowl, songbirds, and both adult & juvenile salmonids. Join us as we plant native tree and shrub species and install protective cages around them to support their successful establishment and increase the biodiversity along the slopes of this valuable riparian ecosystem! We will provide you with all the information and tools needed for the work we will be doing. This includes eye protection and gloves, although if people prefer to use their own gloves they are welcome to do so. Please arrive dressed for the weather (rain or shine), in clothing that can get dirty, with appropriate footwear. Please bring water bottles and a snack if you tend to get hungry while working. We will provide light snacks and water for refilling water bottles. A few things to note about the site: • The site is a 10-minute walk from the Snug Cove Ferry Terminal. • Those taking a ferry can board the 9:20AM sailing from Horseshoe Bay to Bowen Island and board the 12:35PM sailing off island (or stay and enjoy a Saturday on Bowen Island!). • The site is in a public area, be mindful or sharp or hazardous litter. • There is a washroom that's about a 10-15 minute walk from our worksite. For additional information and to register: Crippen Regional Park, Lagoon Enhancement

By Laura Doheny, Hunter’s Garden Vancouver Store Manager

Laura will be speaking on selecting plants for a changing environment.

I am pleased to inform everyone that our Fall visit to Linnaea Nurseries in Langley has been confirmed for Saturday, October 4th. This visit will take place rain or shine. In the past, we have found that even though it has been raining heavily on Bowen, the weather has been far nicer at Linnaea, and even if it isn’t, there are many greenhouses in which to take cover.

Please remember that in order to go to Linnaea, you must be a member in good standing for 2025. If you are unsure of your membership status, please contact Ysa Luz at: yltg1700@gmail.com. I would appreciate you did this prior to signing up, as it will save me a considerable amount of work.

If you are new to the Garden Club, this is a trip that you won’t want to miss. Linnaea is a wholesale nursery and does not sell to the general public. While we do not receive wholesale prices, we do receive a sizeable discount on all plants-----the larger the plants, the bigger the savings. If you are landscaping a new property or redoing an existing garden, Linnaea is the place to go. Even if you “don’t need” or “don’t have room for” any more plants, Linnaea is a fun place to visit, and you can always find room for one more “treasure”.

Linnaea specializes in indigenous trees, plants, ferns, shrubs, and grasses, but also carries a great variety of other plants. The inventory is always changing, so each visit presents new surprises.

Please note that the online Linnaea catalogue is not available for our use.

Additionally, John has requested that club members refrain from phoning the nursery with questions about plant availability. Linnaea is a wholesale nursery and is not staffed for this purpose. You will just have to wait until October 4th to see what plants are in stock. John Folkerts and other family members will be happy to assist you and answer any questions on the 4th.

If you wish to participate in this tour, please email me, Pam, at pe7miller@gmail.com, and I will add your name to my list. I would also appreciate knowing if you will be alone or accompanied by someone else.

Everyone is responsible for their own transportation to and from Linnaea. However, if you want to go and don’t know anyone who is going, please let me know, and I will see if I can help you out.

I will send out directions and other relevant information approximately one week before our visit.

As there have been a few issues during past visits, I ask that everyone please take the time to read and follow the instructions outlined in this upcoming document.

John and Wendy would like to know approximately how many people will be coming, so please let me know if your plans change and you are unable to attend.

Thank you, Pam Miller

Please show your order confirmation email at the time of pick-up

PICK-UP LOCATION:

Collins Hall, 1120 Miller Rd, Bowen Island, BC

Any uncollected bulbs will be donated

PICK-UP DATES:

Friday, September 26

3:00 - 6:00 PM

Saturday, September 27

11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Please show your order confirmation email at the time of pick-up

PICK-UP LOCATION:

Collins Hall, 1120 Miller Rd, Bowen Island, BC

Any uncollected bulbs will be donated

PICK-UP DATES:

Friday, September 26

3:00 - 6:00 PM

Saturday, September 27

11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

OPEN GARDEN

Jacquie and Dave Walsh

This property was part of a parcel homesteaded dating back to 1908 when  Dave’s great-grandparents Sarah and Jacob Dorman purchased it.  Jacquie and Dave’s new house was built in 2013/14.

The garden has been a work in progress since 2012 when clearing of many areas began.  Most of the ‘newer’ trees, mature shrubs, and perennials were transplanted into the existing framework of older trees and shrubs from Jacquie’s garden in West Van in 2013. Many other specimens were added over the years as gifts, divisions, and salvaged cast-offs from various sources.

In other words, the plant material dictated the design of the garden, not the other way around.

Depending on late summer and fall weather there should be various things of interest at this time of year. Foliage colour of deciduous trees will be the main one. There will be a range of them on various varieties of Japanese, Paperbark and Vine maples, Dawn Redwood, and Antarctic Beech among others. There should be some shrubs such as Euonymus alatus and Hibiscus colouring up as well and also grasses and possibly a few roses and perennials still in flower.

Meet Steve Edwards, Bowen's new FireSmart Coordinator!

The FireSmart Coordinator plays a key role in reducing wildfire risk through education, property assessments, and mitigation efforts. Working under Bowen Island Fire Rescue and in line with provincial guidelines, Steve leads the development and delivery of FireSmart initiatives across the community.

Steve is a longtime resident of the Sea-to-Sky corridor, from North Vancouver to a decade in Squamish, and has proudly called Bowen Island home for the past seven years. With 16 years as a volunteer in the fire service, Steve brings a dedication to public safety and a love of Bowen’s natural landscapes, often explored alongside his two dogs. He’s excited to help bring the FireSmart BC Program to life on Bowen and support the community in staying wildfire-resilient.

Patty Root Smith’s Garden

This south facing one acre garden was started in 2002, two years before the house was finished. I have easy access to the beach with paths one on each side of the property. There is a 500 gallon tank that collects ground water.

I have many beautiful unusual plants in the garden. The first tree I planted is Magnolia officinalis var. biloba which I purchased at a plant auction at UBC. Because I am interested in evergreen plants to give texture and a framework to the garden, I have used Ceanothus Pt. Reyes as a groundcover under the cedars, and have planted shrubs like Rhaphiolepsis, Helwingia and Podocarpus to border the pathways.

I am an artist, and have had great fun creating things which I have picked up while beach combing over the years. I built my garden shed which has a green roof, and the table on the patio is still usable after 18 years.

I’m enjoying my garden as it matures.

Two Open Gardens

Gardens of Dee Elliott & Raf & Diana Izdebski

Dee Elliot 1641 Whitesails Drive

In the mid 70’s, 1641 Whitesails was built as a typical seasonal panabode cottage.  Like the  rest of the homes in Tunstall Bay it was inhabited by the original owners only in the summer months and an occasional weekend. The Elliotts moved in and became full time residents 38 years ago.  It was not until the early 2000’s that improvements started on the house and property.  Andre Chollat was key in hardscaping and developing the initial garden as it presents today.  Over the years I’ve depended on and am very grateful to many others who helped and guided me in plant choices (Su Rickett),  other subtle changes, and the never ending maintenance .  The front yard is hidden from the road but offers wonderful views of Tunstall Bay from the decks while the backyard is a  private oasis of greenery with trails leading to quiet spaces.

Finally my home and garden has become my happy hermitage - a place I peacefully putter about wondering what I can change next...

Raf & Diana Izdebski 1637 Whitesails Drive

Our love of growing plants started well before we moved to Bowen.  When we purchased our 1/4 acre lot in 2012 we knew we wanted to grow food, have a greenhouse and continue our passion for rare and unusual plants (including many tropicals). We like to test the limits of what can be grown in zone 8b such as citrus, guavas, pawpaws, avocados, nectarines and peaches.

Our garden is a mix of food producing plants and rare and exotic ornamental species resulting in a unique garden that has something for everyone to explore.

Hosted by Linda & John Carvajal

This year's AGM is generously being hosted by one of our board members Linda Carvajal and her husband John who live in the Cowan Point area.  As many of you will know this is a newer area of development on the island so things are still maturing. Linda has created a welcoming and lovely garden in a relatively small space featuring a variety of trees, shrubs, ground cover, ferns, grasses as well as perennials, bulbs and tubers.   Here's what she has to say:

Our front yard, where I initially put all of my focus, is approximately 40’  by 40’ and over planted for a cottage look. It will eventually be quite shady when all the trees mature which is what I want. The south side of the house is full-sun.

I pick plants by structure, texture, colour and blooming time so that something is always happening. I am not good at remembering plant names, I try to but always forget in the end when people ask and I am not a knowledgeable gardener. My only goal is to create a beautiful space to relax in. It makes me Happy.

Garden of Mary Pottier and Warren Franklin

Mary and Warren’s home by the sea was designed in 1969 in the West Coast Modernist style. This design style features the integration of landscape and structure, with an abundance of wood, stone, an open plan, and windows with expansive views of the Queen Charlotte Channel and the Coast Range. The property, with its wonderful southeast exposure, encompasses an acre of gently sloping gardens.

When Mary and Warren chanced upon the property, for sale for the first time in 1995, it had fallen into deep disrepair due to the owner’s advancing age. Despite all the blackberry, bindweed, and horsetails, they knew this was the garden…After years of clearing and uncovering some of the structure, planting finally began and today, 30 years later, the park-like grounds have been reshaped to create garden rooms for entertainment, boat-watching, and bocce games. Mature specimens abound, with roses, rhododendrons, perennials, bulbs, hydrangeas, espaliered apple trees, and boxwood hedges surrounding the home and drive.

Get Ready to Grow—Our Fabulous Plant Sale is Back!

Join us rain or shine in the Legion parking lot for a vibrant selection of beautiful plants, all donated with care by our dedicated club members.

Every purchase helps our club bloom, with 100% of the proceeds supporting our club activities and community projects.

Come for the plants, stay for the fun—don’t miss it!

Helpful Info for Our Plant Sellers

If you’re selling plants, please arrive a little early to set up your display. Bringing your own table is ideal, but feel free to get creative—plants can also be arranged on the ground or on a tarp.

Can’t stay to sell your own plants? No problem! Just reach out to us, and we’ll happily include them at another seller’s table.

To Keep Things Simple:

• Label each plant clearly with its name and price.

• We’ll handle all payments at a central table, so you can focus on chatting with fellow plant lovers.

• The sale is rain or shine! Umbrellas or canopies are great to have on hand if the weather doesn’t cooperate.

• At the end of the sale, please remember to take home any unsold plants.

Thanks so much for being part of our plant sale—we couldn’t do it without you!

By Sandy Logan

This presentation is a primer on how our anatomy changes over time including basic strategies for maintaining strength, flexibility and balance. As time allows, some "problem solving" for challenging gardening tasks will be done. A long time resident of Bowen (more than 50 years), Sandy has been providing physiotherapy care on island for more than 20 years. She is an avid outdoors lover and enthusiastic weedwacker!

Linnaea Nurseries in Langley (3666 224 street) has been confirmed for Saturday, April 5th. This visit will take place rain or shine. In the past, we have found that even though it has been raining heavily on Bowen, the weather has been far nicer at Linnaea and even if it isn’t, there are many greenhouses in which to take cover.

If you are new to the Garden Club, this is a trip that you won’t want to miss. Linnaea is a wholesale nursery and does not sell to the general public. While we do not receive wholesale prices, we do receive a sizeable discount on all plants-----the larger the plants, the bigger the savings. If you are landscaping a new property or redoing an existing garden, Linnaea is the place to go. Even if you “don’t need” or “don’t have room for” any more plants, Linnaea is a fun place to visit and, you can always find room for one more “treasure”.

***Please remember that in order to go to Linnaea, you must be a member in good standing for 2025. If you are unsure of your membership status, please contact Betty Morton at mortonstudio1600@gmail.com.

It is in Giverny where Monet was most fully able to express himself as a gardener, over the nearly 43 years that he lived there, from 1883 to his death in 1926. The presentation provides an overview of what shaped the gardens he created there and how those gardens were restored in the late 1970s. It also offers an exclusive, behind-the-greens look at the gardens through the seasons as they are today, and hopefully a little inspiration!

About Dante Baies…

After studying French at UBC, I spent four summers at Monet's garden in Giverny- weeding, watering, digging, deadheading, and taking way too many photos! Locally, many of you may know me from my time at the much missed Free Spirit Nursery, where I helped find good homes for choice, hardy perennials and photographed them for the Free Spirit Illustrated Manual. I was also an enthusiastic landscape painter ( dantesbaies.com ) until storing- or some might say hoarding - all of the accumulated paintings became problematic. Who knows, maybe my presentation on Monet will inspire me to get the brushes back out this spring…

Dana Cromie - Biography

Dana is a lifelong artist and gardener living in Vancouver, British Columbia. Dana studied Visual Art at Capilano College, Institute Allende de San Miguel, and Vancouver School of Art. He then worked in clothing manufacturing as a production manager and as a planner.

The son of a green thumb and ardent volunteer, Dana has a renowned garden full of unusual plants. Dana has a deep engagement with the local garden community, and his garden has been toured multiple times by the Alpine Garden Club of BC, the Vancouver Rhododendron Society and the Vancouver Hardy Plant Group.

Dana wrote and photographed 'In My Garden' for Vancouver Lifestyle Magazine from 1999-2001 and has contributed to the Annual of the Rhododendron Species Foundation and the Bulletin of the Alpine Garden Club of BC.

After retiring, he became a Friend of the UBC Botanical Garden where he was head of the FOGs’ guides, coordinator of the various propagation units, and is chair of the Treasured Bulb Sale. Dana coordinated the acquisition and catalog descriptions of the plants for the UBCBG Collectors' Plant Auctions from 2004 - 2011.

He has studied botanical illustration at UBC Botanical Garden with Alison Watt, at Emily Carr University with Elizabeth Mancini, and privately with Mary Comber Miles. From 2012-2014, Dana was an Artist in Residence at UBC Botanical Garden. Dana is currently co-chair of the Vancouver Hardy Plant Group, and CoChaired their recent Hardy Plant Study Weekend, which is a conference that rotates between Vancouver, Victoria, Seattle, Portland, and central Oregon.

Dana is a regular judge at the Vancouver Island Rock and Garden Society spring show. He has travelled widely to visit plants in situ. He lives in East Vancouver with his husband, Greg Brown.

January’s speaker event will differ slightly from most of our winter events.  Instead of having someone at the front of a room speaking on a topic, we will have a presentation on Winter in a Conifer Garden IN a conifer garden.  The event is scheduled for January 20 at 1:00 PM.  Due to the nature of the event, attendance will be limited to 20 people, and attendees will need to contact the event organizer to get on the attendee list.  Slots on the list will be given out on a “first come” basis.  (Details below.)

Winter in a conifer garden is not so different from the other seasons. There is less colour, and no ‘froth’ of the deciduous plants like maples, but the stalwarts and bones are there.

Come and walk around our garden to see how much can be present in the winter. Chat about how to grow conifers and combine them with other plants such as rhododendrons, maples, and clematis. Bring your questions! We’ll look at how to protect the plants from bucks rubbing their antlers, winter cold, or heavy snow… we can talk about pruning or any care hints you’d like to know about. It’s up to you!

This will be an ‘interactive’ afternoon rather than a traditional talk. Rain or shine but maybe not if it’s snowing!

To get onto the attendee list please email Lisa O'Donnell ( lisaod@shaw.ca ).  Include the number of people who will be attending in your party.  The address and event details will be sent to the first 20 people.  

A presentation by Adrian Avendaño, Executive Director, Invasive Species Council of Metro Vancouver.

Adrian is an environmental technician and interdisciplinary artist. He holds a Diploma of Technology from BCIT’s Forest and Natural Areas Management program, which has enabled him to work in many public institutions around the Lower Mainland. From 2020 to 2023, Adrian served as the Stewardship Program Manager at Still Moon Arts Society. In this position, he did significant work with engaging community stewardship in Renfrew Ravine Park, Renfrew Community Park, and Still Creek. In addition, Adrian created an invasive plant management plan for the Government of Chile’s – Ministry of Agriculture: National Forest Corporation in Torres del Paine National Park in 2016 as a volunteer park ranger. 

To receive the Zoom link, email Nature Vancouver at enews@naturevancouver.ca a few days ahead to register for the link.