Welcome to a new year. The Christmas decorations have been packed up, baking almost eaten up, and seed catalogues opened up. I have never been one to mark Jan. 1 as a new start, setting goals, changing habits, as each day presents us with that, but there is something to be said for having a fresh clean slate of 365 days allowing many new ideas, and possibilities to unfold.
Starting with a well-thought-out garden design can put you ahead of the game. Knowing which areas of your yard or property takes in more sunlight, where the shady spots are, good, drained soil to clay, sandy soil. It will make for planting, maintaining and longevity easier.
Where does garden design originate from? Going down the Google trail, the pioneer Frederick Law Olmsted in 1822, aka “Father of Landscape Architecture” was best known for designing the grounds of New York City’s Central Park, the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C, the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina and the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
Sooke Garden Club member Anna Saunders has an outstanding background as landscape designer, owner and operator of DIVA Landscape Design. Anna was educated in Warsaw, Poland, holds a master’s degree in landscape architecture at the Horticultural Department of SGGW. She was taught that to design a garden she must first and most of all be of service to the client, not letting her style influence the design. Her main goal is to have the garden work for the client, being concerned with how to plan, design and manage a good landscape for enjoyment.
If you are an SGC member or new to Sooke, or gardening, join the Sooke Garden Club on Wednesday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. at the St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. If you would like to become a member, check out SGC Facebook page, website sookegardenclub.ca or email at Sookegc@gmail.com.
