Kitsilano Community Garden

Alison...Her Garden Is True

It was bitter sweet tonight at the party for Alison…Alison is entering an exciting new phase of her life but it means that we will not have her constant presence in our beautiful garden. Although it's a huge loss to our garden community, all of us wish her well in her new situation. Her legacy in the garden will continue through the relationships she has nurtured and her generous sharing of her wealth of knowledge of all things garden. For those of us who have had the privilege of knowing her in the garden we can always glance at the permanent sign installed in her honour "Alison's Garden" and remember her contribution to the Kitsilano Community Garden. Kind thanks to all the members and special guests who contributed to making Alison's goodbye party a wonderful event. The food and chat was wonderful… so great hearing about Alison's rockstar experiences! Special thanks to Tara and Inessa who designed and created the beautiful banner 'We will miss you Alison" - a work of art and a sensitive and thoughtful homage to our guest of honour Alison - Her Garden Is True.

Photo Credit: Ellen

Wonderful summer work party

A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken. ~James Dent

A wonderful work party on a wonderful summer's eve. This is the time of the season where everything in the garden is entering a new phase of actual summer. I kinda of love it at this time of year but I'm a little conflicted because it also makes me feel like I want to suspend all growth. I look forward to the carrots and peas and beets and and and… the harvest… at the same time I think about the end of summer. Oh, but I do love the fall too. Ah, and the winter too in the the garden. Ok, I love it all!

Images from our wonderful summer work party and our wonderful summer gardeners.

Take note :)

Clematis Head

Pretty in Pink

Garden Foxes amongst the Foxgloves

Detail - edible pea flower

Nectar gathering - Scabiosa and Bee

Asparagus archway - framing edible Amaranth

Shades of White

Universally, Gertrude Jekyll's white garden is inspiring. In the early evening and the start of the shades of night as darkness sets in...white flowers and the lighter hued plants are truly glorious. This week, after a very long day I had a quick and privileged 1/2 hour in the garden and snapped these shades of white in our own wonderfully inspiring garden. Our garden may not be formal and carefully composed but it's beauty is something dear to behold.

White Dianthus - smells like spicy gloriosity

Neutral coloured rose by any other name...

Hosta hosta the fresh and lovely one

Foxglove central - the elusive biannual

The humble Dandelion - gone to seed

The ubiquitous goutweed flower - nice huh?

Wild Astilbe - brought by birds

Iris - our spring glory now just a memory

May work party - it was a glorious evening

Fantastic turn out for the May work party - it was a glorious evening. A few people trickled in early before the official start of the work party… and so much got done… weeding, organizing, trimming, transplanting, designing, sigh… a great evening!. An absolute ton of general tidying and improvements to the garden were accomplished by all those present… and we even managed to get in a few dog tricks! Thank you to little C-Biscuit and Charlie - you two stole the show!!

Charlie waits her turn… onlookers are amazed at the talent!

New patio at the back of the garden - my those bricks have come in handy!

Iris - it's that time of year.

Don't mess with me! Ok… it's only a leaf blower which has been banished!

I'm taking care of it!

Boulevard angels

Darn hose connection!

Our dedicated Treasurer

Lovely evening isn't it?

A prayer for the best season ever.

Pondering the future of the compost area…

Weeding is wonderful!

Organic Entrance

It is always gratifying when the right elements fall into place to create something beautiful and useful for all of our garden members to benefit from. Elements being materials, intent, inspiration and the right mix of people! It has long been a desire of the garden to improve the entrance area by making it safer and also honour the esthetics of the garden. Enter a pile of found bricks, a team of willing garden members and an organic design process inspired by naturally flowing streams and the eternal circle. It all came together this past week and now our Kits Garden is even more inviting.

The beginnings of our inspired lotus / tear drop at the top entrance area.

Sh*#load of bricks!

Floral interlude for your pleasure...

Our fearless Gatherers of Bricks! A monumental effort in transportation of said found bricks to our garden. We estimate that each brick weighs 5 pounds so it was a herculean effort - thanks guys. I think between them they made 7 trips!?