Est. one raised bed at a time
The story, the philosophy, and the layout behind this Fraser Valley, British Columbia plot.
The Story
This garden began the way most home gardens do: with one raised bed, too many tomato seedlings, and no real plan. Since then it's grown into a mix of flower borders, a vegetable garden, a small fruit tree row, and a greenhouse that gets more use than expected for a coastal climate that rarely dips far below freezing.
Every bed here has been shaped by our particular version of the Pacific Northwest — heavy winter rain, dry summer stretches, and a growing season long enough to be generous if you work with it instead of against it.
Philosophy
Fighting our wet winters and dry summers is a losing game. Choosing plants and timing that fit the valley is not.
Compost and mulch solve more problems here than any fertilizer does. Healthy soil is the whole plan.
Every bed leaves room for pollinators and birds — the harvest is better for it, and so is the yard.
The Layout
A rough map of the property, from the front borders to the back compost corner.
Perennials and pollinator plants greet the street — low-maintenance and blooming most of the year.
Full sun, raised where the soil is heaviest, in-ground where drainage is better.
Tucked against the south fence for maximum winter light and wind shelter.
Out of sight, close to the kitchen door, and always in progress.
Looking Ahead
A short, honest list of what's next — some ambitious, some just overdue.
More native flowering shrubs along the fence line for mason bees and songbirds.
Move from hand watering to a simple drip system before another dry July.
More space for root vegetables that struggle in our clay-heavy native soil.