Winter Gardening

Our global community is living through what has been coined as “The Great Reset.” With work from home and cancelled travel plans colliding together this year, many homeowners are creating outdoors spaces for gathering and relaxing. In 2020, we saw many people become new gardeners, spend more time than ever outdoors, and grow their own food on the land they have available. As gardens became a key focus of home life, new plantings, flowering plants, and edible gardens have been created.

Plant small space trees: My top 3 small flowering trees for Vancouver are: Eastern redbud, Chinese dogwood and Japanese snowbell.

Take care of fruit trees or plant new ones: Remember to hard prune fruit trees, maples, birch, ornamental cherries and plums in winter, primarily in January while dormant.

Build Victory Gardens in raised beds or replace lawns for food growing.

Grow Small: Dwarf varieties offer compact options for food growing, especially berries. Check your local garden centre in spring.

Humans, being a social species, will still want to get together with friends and family…just outdoors. Consider creating a gathering space outside that can be used year-round. A covered patio space with temporary walls or heaters allows you to get together with loved ones in the ultimate well-ventilated environment: your own outdoor space.

A garden, container planting on a deck, or raised vegetable garden can have a positive impact on your health. Gardening is a great way to increase health and wellness. Kids love it, love to be involved, as do adults of all ages. We will get through this “Great Reset” together, hopefully with stronger community ties and a stronger connection to wildlife.

Jessica Salvador is co-owner of Higher Ground Gardens, celebrating over 10 years of service in Dunbar. Higher Ground Gardens is going electric, using battery-powered hedge trimming equipment providing a quiet and environmentally friendly service.

Higher Ground Gardens

778-323-1502

www.highergroundgardens.com