Standing in the veggie and flower-packed backyard at Sheila Jones’ Saanich home, it’s difficult to believe that this was once a typical suburban yard with a couple of trees and a lot of grass.
Jones has transformed the 10,000-square-foot lot into a thriving vegetable and flower garden, growing everything from nectarine trees and espaliered peach trees to medieval plants used for medicinal purposes.
“I focus on plants that I love and that I can use,” said the self-taught gardener who cans, pickles and preserves most of her bounty.
Ten years ago, Jones was the type of gardener who grew a few tomatoes in a container. Now, she’s one of 14 gardeners taking part in the Urban Food-Garden Tour on Saturday, Sept. 9.
“I learned so much from talking to other gardeners. I want to share that with others, especially beginners who might be a bit intimidated by the idea of a garden,” Jones said.
The Urban Food-Garden Tour was started in 2015 to raise awareness about food security, sustainability and to raise funds to support local and global community food projects, said organizers Elizabeth Vibert and Elmarie Roberts.
Money raised goes to Haliburton Farm in Saanich and the Hleketani Community Garden in South Africa. Haliburton farmers use part of the funds to deliver summer food boxes to the Single Parent Resource Centre in Victoria.
The Hleketani Community Garden is the farm that inspired the documentary, The Thinking Garden. (womensfarm.org) The farm was founded by three generations of women in the midst of a severe drought and political turmoil. The garden provides affordable vegetables to local people, nourishes those living with HIV/AIDS, and offers land, community and opportunity for women.
“We’re very excited about the way the tour inspires people to grow food in their own space, whether that’s a sprawling lawn or a concrete balcony. Growing your own food is the ultimate in accessibility, not to mention flavour and nutritional value,” Vibert said.
“Two pots in a decently sunny spot can produce salad greens for months in Victoria. The tour is a great way to chat with folks who like to grow food and get a few tips to make sure your seeds flourish.”
The Jones’ family garden spills down the terraced lot near Swan Lake. What seems like a colourful jumble is actually a carefully thought out mix of vegetables and flowers, alive with birds, bees, butterflies and ladybugs.
Jones started gardening more seriously 10 years ago, when the family moved to Victoria from Vancouver and bought the bungalow with its south-facing lot. The house needed redecorating, but it had room for the family with three children and a stunning view of the Sooke Hills and Swan Lake.
Jones loved preserving food for her family and thought it would be fun to do that with organic, home-grown fruits and vegetables.
“I thought: ‘I finally have some space for a garden. Let’s give it a try.’ I really didn’t know anything.”
She started with a few tomato plants. “They were okay.” The next year, the crop got blight.
“I knew then that I had to teach myself.”
Jones turned to the library, the Internet and local organizations available to help beginner gardeners. The lot had an apple tree, but Jones didn’t know what kind. She took a few apples to the Saanich Fall Fair, where tree fruit growers helped her. She studied how to create rich soil.
“If someone tells you it’s all about the soil, listen to them. They’re right.”
Jones’ garden has many flowers interspersed with the veg, but hers is a more practical space.
“I love the British gardening magazines. They’re so hands on. I found the Canadian and American magazines too focused on creating simply a beautiful space. I wanted a functional garden. I wanted food to come out of it. I wanted flowers to come out of it to provide habitat for the pollinators,” said Jones.
The garden grew — and grew. Her three children grew along with it, with each having their own areas to tend.
“I didn’t think it was going to turn into this,” Jones laughed.
The raised-bed garden now covers about 80 per cent of the backyard.
Jones grows what the family loves. Two-metre high artichokes are given prime real estate. The family lived in California for a time and love them.
“I love turning what we grow into great food for my family and friends.”
Numerous varieties of basil, peppers, tomatoes and onions translate to more than 100 quarts of salsa in the basement cold room; lemon verbena becomes a simple syrup, which is frozen for exotic popsicles or ice cubes in a holiday punch; skull cap becomes a tincture. Jones, an illustrator, also has a degree as a holistic health practitioner and grows ancient herbs to use as natural remedies.
“Don’t grow stuff that continually does poorly unless you really want to master it. Grow things you love.”
She grows her plants from seed, transplanting them to the garden. Everything is grown organically. Rather than using pesticides, she encourages good bugs.
Like many home food gardeners, Jones starts her day with a walk around the garden.
“Even if you don’t work in the garden every day, do go out and observe your garden every day. Pests and problems can appear overnight; the sooner you find them, the sooner you can dispose of them.”
Besides, that walk through the urban garden can be the best part of a day, she said.
“I see the bees and the butterflies and all the wonderful things we get to eat and I love it. I think people would be so much happier if they were out in their backyard or tending their garden pot on a balcony. You don’t put a lot of work into it and you get so much out of it.”
Top 10 tips from local urban gardeners:
1. If real estate agents say ”location, location, location,” vegetable gardeners say “soil, soil, soil.” Start with a decent soil base and make it better by digging in a few inches of well-rotted compost, rotted leaves and grass clippings. A great source for advice is Victoria’s Compost Education Centre compost.bc.ca
2. Victoria is blessed with a year-round growing season. Local gardeners are about to plant winter broccoli seedlings and a fall crop of peas. Kale is another great overwintering plant, as is garlic. Arugula, lettuces and all sorts of tasty greens will grow right through the fall, even in a pot on the balcony.
3. Check out West Coast Seeds’ planting calendar for all-season food growing on the B.C. coast. westcoastseeds.ca
4. Remember the pollinators. Most of our food plants rely on bees and other pollinating insects. Make sure you provide habitat and nectar rewards for them.
5. When favourite plants go to seed, gather the seed heads, store in a cool
dry place and collect the seeds to re-use in the garden next year
6. Rotate. Plants use soil nutrients differently and attract different kinds
of insects, so avoid repeating the same plantings in the same spot. After beans or peas, plant leafy greens (kale, broccoli) that love the nitrogen left
by the legumes.
7. Give plants companions. Diversity mimics nature and can help protect plants from big pest outbreaks and other challenges. For instance, tomatoes like to rub elbows with things like basil, parsley and garlic; keep tomatoes away from potatoes (they can share blight) and broccoli. Lettuce likes to shelter in the shade of beans or tomatoes when it’s hot.
8. Nasturtiums and French marigolds are great to interplant with veggies. They repel all sorts of pests, from white fly to beetles. They work well on a balcony to keep pests away, too.
9. Gardening can be hard work, but it’s also relaxing. Your garden should provide you with solace and pleasure, as well as food and flowers Try to make time to observe your garden every day. Enjoy the successes and keep an eye open for possible problems.
10. Get informed. Talk with folks who grow their own food. Gardeners love to share their wisdom.i
