CLIFFS, rocks, thin soil and plant-eating deer.
They're not ideal conditions for gardening, but several Bowen Island residents have turned the challenging landscape into green idylls.
At the People, Plants and Places Tour from July 21-22, visitors can take inspiration from creative garden and cottage design that make the most of this hilly island, just a 20 minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay.
Visit a spectacular new waterfront home designed for indoor and outdoor living, which also has a deer-proof garden that slopes gently to the beach. Another site features an extensive working garden, a vineyard and a graceful home overlooking a private cove. Other sites offer cottage renovation ideas, gardens with micro-climate solutions, an elegant garden carefully attuned to the changing seasons and even a hilltop garden with an unusual house entered via a bridge over a pond.
The tour is designed to be driven by car. Bright yellow markers indicate directions to tour sites. In the middle of the island, a seven-acre garden has been designated as a picnic site and rest area, with washroom facilities. For more information, call 604-947-0384 or visit bowenislandppp.org.
