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.
Gardening in a changing climate: adapting to droughts, heat waves, cold snaps, and other extremes.
Join renowned gardening expert Linda Gilkeson for this special webinar discussing how to plan and plant drought-tolerant gardens in the Pacific Northwest.
This is a PAY WHAT YOU CAN event. Your contribution to this workshop will honour all the work that made it possible and support our ongoing climate action work in meaningful ways.
To register, use this link:
Join us for a talk on Epimedium!
Epimedium are hardy evergreen or deciduous perennials, mostly from China. The majority of species have heart-shaped leaves and delicate spring flowers. They make useful, low-growing groundcovers for shaded areas.
Philip MacDougall studied plant biology before his lengthy nursing career. He now owns and operates a not-for-profit nursery specializing in rhododendrons and deer-resistant woodland plants. He has travelled extensively throughout the temperate world and plans a third botanical excursion to Chile this winter. The author of several articles in the Rhododendron Species Yearbook, he reports that he is now "fixating on Epimediums, Paris, and Ferns”
Bring your garden gloves, secateurs, and trowel and come join us for the Gateway Garden clean up on Sunday October 27th, starting at 10:30 am. Email Susan at susansenkler@gmail.com if you are able to join us
Plant Propagation by Kaihley Goode
Kaihley Goode studied horticulture at UBC and now lives on Bowen, where for the past five years she has been head gardener with the van Berckels. She will discuss and demonstrate the five main ways of propagating plants: seeds, layering, rhizomes and runners, cuttings, and dividing. She plans on doing both a powerpoint presentation and hands-on demos with plants (time permitting).
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.
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
Linnaea Nurseries in Langley (3666 224 street) has been confirmed for Saturday, October 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”.
If you wish to take part in the Linnaea Nursery tour, please email Pam Miller at pe7miller@gmail.com . You will then be added to the list of members going on the tour.
Please remember that in order to go to Linnaea, you must be a member in good standing for 2024. If you are unsure of your membership status, please contact Betty Morton at mortonstudio1600@gmail.com.
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
We’ve all chosen to call Bowen Island home. For many, a key reason is the rich natural world that surrounds us, with all the gifts that offers. But the island’s Nature faces challenges: climate change, invasive species, habitat loss through development. As a community, how do we address these issues? Will we be bystanders to the unfolding story? Or Nature’s guardians and voice?
This is where the Caring for Nature: The Nex̱wlélex̱wm/Bowen Biodiversity Conservation Initiative sees opportunity. Spearheaded by the Bowen Island Conservancy, this initiative is a long-term commitment to biodiversity conservation. Biodiversity, short for biological diversity, is a measure of Nature’s health and resilience.
Our initiative is unique - it intends to combine the local knowledge and passion of Bowen Islanders with scientific assessment to identify key conservation risks, opportunities and solutions that can enable residents, community organizations, businesses, developers, and the municipality to make better decisions that prioritize our natural heritage.
This fall and winter, the initiative will host an open house and workshops where you can share your insights, learn about our scientific findings, and impact conservation ideas that can shape the future of Bowen Island. Hope to see you there!
Will Husby likes to describe himself as a “recovering entomologist” (insect scientist).
After a brief ten-year career as a research biologist, he moved on to a career as a science educator with Alberta Parks and Edmonton’s John Jansen Nature Centre. This work evolved into his starting a science communication consulting company working on education projects and exhibits for national and provincial parks, museums, and nature centres across Canada.
Will uses his nature photography in many of his projects.
He has lived on Bowen Island for over 30 years. Most of the photos you will see in his presentation were taken on Bowen Island.
Diana and Michael have been toiling away in this lovely garden since 2006 when they moved to Bowen where they inherited a sadly neglected yard. They have worked to create a space that is at once both calm and serene and at the same time in keeping with the wild rocky beauty that we all identify with Bowen. Many of the plants and cuttings have come from friends new and old and are a reminder of how our gardens are a special place that we enjoy sharing with the people we love. This is a garden to rest your soul, to take a moment and breathe in the sea air, enjoy the view, and admire the flowers and listen to the song of birds.
After the success of last year's Art In The Garden we have decided to repeat the event once again. This year's event will take place on Saturday, July 13th from 7:00 - 9:00 pm once again at the home of Doug Elliott and Owen Plowman. This year, profits from the event will benefit Snug Cove House Senior’s Residence.
Last year’s event was a big success - we sold $12,000 worth of art and tickets sold out well in advance so mark your calendars and purchase your tickets soon.
Don’t miss this great evening to enjoy a glass of wine, walk through Doug and Owen’s great gardens, see the work of some of Bowen’s best artists, and maybe even buy one (or more) to take home.
Location @ 680 Minnows Lane, Bowen Island (end of Cates Hill Road)
Purchase admission by clicking this link. Limited space available so don’t wait!
After your purchase is completed you’ll receive a confirmation email message that you should bring to the event (either printed, or on your phone).
The Shkurhan garden has been under development since 2019. It started with the structure: patios, pathways, steps, rock walls, raised planters and fences. Then the garden beds began to take shape. Trees were delivered, plants arrived by the carload, and yard after yard of soil was trucked to all corners. Many hours were spent hand watering all the newly planted treasures in the hot, dry summers of 2020 and 2021.
Cheryl and Glen were experienced gardeners when they arrived on Bowen, but this is a very different gardening world. Heat, stormy winds, snow and everything in between have been brought to bear. Long time favorite plants didn’t thrive, and they’ve discovered new beauties. Veggies and flowers now feature prominently in raised beds where the soil is too thin for planting. But in just five years the garden has grown into an evolving oasis at the interface of beach and forest. Glen and Cheryl look forward to welcoming you to their garden.
Located in the heart of the Evergreen community, our garden at 1660 Evergreen Lane stands as proof of our love of puttering in the garden. Established when the house was built in 2010, the garden's structure and hardscaping were meticulously crafted by its original owner, with the expert guidance of a neighbouring landscaper. When we bought the property in 2016, we were drawn not only by the sweeping views of Bowen Bay but also by the untapped potential of the garden. Since then, we've added our own touches, including a lot of new trees, shrubs, garden beds, a greenhouse, and even a hot tub, transforming the landscape into our own little oasis. With an eclectic approach to design, we embrace a mix of perennials, annuals, and a thriving vegetable patch - we love a lot of variety and are not afraid to experiment. We're excited to welcome fellow garden enthusiasts to explore our little piece of Bowen.
This lovely garden is on the east side of Bowen among the trees overlooking Howe Sound and the Coast Mountains.
This is an open deer-resistant garden with loads of wonderful plants to see and lots of things are in flower. The garden comprises two lots overlooking the ocean and bathed in sunshine. A true testament to what can be done without deer fencing. Since one of these lots is currently for sale this may be the last time you can see this gem.
Presentation by Nursery Owner, Jennifer McIntyre
While still in its infancy, Bowen's newest garden center is a plant shop within a garden.
The retail area was designed with an immersive experience in mind; where garden lovers can wander while observing how certain plants might perform in "real time”.
Find out what plants do well on Bowen!
It’s time once again for our fabulous Annual Plant Sale!
Start your seedlings, divide overgrown plants and share any surpluses you may have. Specialty plants are always welcome. Your donations will find a happy home in someone’s garden.
All proceeds from this major fundraiser support Bowen Island Garden Club programs.
If you are selling you must come early to set-up your plants on a table. You must manage the table during the sale. If you are not able to sell your own plants, please contact us and we will include them with another seller’s table.
TO KEEP EVERYTHING AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE:
If you are selling your own plants, please bring your own table. You can also put plants on the ground or on a tarp.
Label each plant with the name and price.
We will process payments for the plants at a separate table.
The sale will go ahead rain or shine. Umbrellas or canopies are helpful if it rains.
You are responsible for removing your unsold plants after the sale.
Join us for a talk on "Growing Great Roses," where Jason will share insights on selecting the right roses, preparing the ideal site, and caring for your plants with the right balance of fertilizer, water, and proper pruning techniques. Mindful of Bowen's summer water constraints, Jason will also highlight a selection of more drought-tolerant rose varieties Learn about companion planting to enhance your garden's health, beauty and diversity. This session is designed for gardeners of all levels interested in improving their rose gardening skills.
Hi, my name is Jack Oostenbrink and I, with my family, operate a garden store called Fruits and Shoots Plant Farm, a boutique nursery in Chilliwack. The plant farm has a curated selection of edible plants (some unusual and hard to find), and a broad range of ornamental perennials and grasses, mostly grown on site. When I'm not working with plants on the farm, I am designing gardens for nature lovers in BC and beyond.
I am excited to be sharing my experience in edible landscape design and permaculture at your February 17 garden club meeting. It is a very broad topic so I will break it up into three heads. I plan to begin with speaking about designing and planning edible gardens and how you can incorporate edibles into your landscapes. Next, I will demonstrate some pruning techniques including how to train espalier and cordons for small space gardens. Finally, I hope to conclude with some of my experiences in reducing pest pressure using natural and organic methods.
“This talk focused on tough, low maintenance plants that have sailed through both record wet/ cold and record hot/dry seasons in my two-acre Oregon garden, USDA zone 8a. As I worked for Joy Creek Nursery for several years and currently work for Cistus Nursery, my access to an amazing array of plant material with which to experiment is extensive.
“The presentation highlighted what has worked well and is both beautiful and tough. I also discussed winning strategies to cope with drought and winter damage issues. As native plants are a passion of mine there were selections from this category. As always, our aim is to garden not only for ourselves but for the chickadees, the butterflies, the bees, the frogs and all the critters that call our garden home.
Immediately after Tamara’s presentation, we showed a video presentation of footage from last August's Open Garden at the home of Steve Rosell and Chris Staples on Mt. Gardiner Rd. The video combines glimpses of the garden and beautiful setting with owner interviews and chats with club members who were there. If you missed this spectacular waterfront garden this was a chance to see it as well as hear what people who were there had to say.
Glenn Lewis is a renowned artist, educator, and arts administrator from Vancouver, with expertise in various art forms, including pottery, sculpture, photography, video, and conceptual and performance art. He studied at the Vancouver School of Art, was a prominent figure in the avant-garde scene, and later became Head of Media Arts at the Canada Council. In addition to his work in the arts, Glenn also researched gardens around the world during the 70s and 80s, exploring their elements as paradise. In the 90s, he founded The Sunshine Coast Botanical Garden, and this talk will focus on his exploration of gardens as a universal concept and their symbolic stages as an allegory of the cycles of life.
Paul’s presentation touched on history and inspiration, design and construction, and of course some beautiful photographs of the plants best suited to this bold and adventurous style of gardening.
The high 80s in May? Watering in late October? It feels like each year we are hit with new climate records and garden design challenges. In Del’s presentation, water conservation was discussed, including different gardening practices to grow plants that prefer drier conditions. Del drew on his experience gardening at the Elisabeth Miller Botanical Garden and in his low-water home garden. The Miller Garden is by no means a low-water garden, but it does have a backbone of climate-adapted plants from the native trees, shrubs and groundcovers of the upper woodland to the Mediterranean and southern hemisphere native plants which help add interest throughout the whole year.
A festive evening featuring original work by Bowen Island artists, music and wine tasting in a beautiful three-acre garden.
It’s time once again for our fabulous PLANT SALE. Start your seedlings, divide overgrown plants and share any surpluses you may have. Specialty plants are always welcome. Your donations will find a happy home in someone’s garden.
Riley's Cidery sits in a one-of-a-kind apple orchard on Bowen Island, rich in biodiversity and home to nearly one thousand varieties of heirloom apples.
You must register for this event.
Sunday, June 12th the AGM was held in a meadow garden with opportunity to explore the gardens and socialize.
Soil Testing: What It Can Tell Us About Our Garden Soils with soil scientist Jo Tobias
Update July 2022: A recording of Jo’s presentation and the presentation slides can be found under ‘Educational Information’ in the Resources tab.
Zoom presentation, 7PM Tuesday May 31st
Do the plants in your garden look like they are struggling? How do you know if the soil in your garden is healthy? Do you wonder whether you should add something to the soil to help improve it? Soil scientist, Jo Tobias, will be the Garden Club’s next guest speaker. She will conduct microscopic biological analysis of soil samples collected from three garden sites on Bowen Island. Using that information, together with the results of soil chemistry tests, she will present her overall assessments to the Garden Club. Jo will discuss what defines a healthy soil, the current state of the soil at each of the three garden test sites, and any remediation that would help make those soils more productive.
This presentation is available for garden club members only. For information on membership go to www.bowenislandgardenclub.ca
