Welcome to the yard of ardent gardener and Cedar Rim shopper Bev of Langley. I was taken with the obvious joy and passion for gardening she displayed in her various flower beds and veggie areas. However, I was blown away when I learned she had only moved to the 1/4 acre property mere months before these photos were taken! With the exception of the grapes, everything else was added by Bev's own hand.
The biggest challenge she faced initially was dealing with heavy clay and lack of decent topsoil, so 5 truckloads of soil were hauled in and spread around. Now before I go any further, I'd like to add that Bev is recently retired from 30 years of teaching. This is not a woman who shys away from hard work, nor does her husband who built all the raised beds.
Their property lies on the Abbotsford/Aldergrove border and is filled with flowers and fruits of all kinds. Bev likes to landscape with fruit so she has planted American and Japanese Persimmon, western and asian pears, and espaliered pears. Also included are Ambrosia, Gala and Heritage apples all on M9 rootstock so as not to overpower her small lot. She calls 1/4 acre lot small because she and her husband had moved from a much bigger acreage in the Okanagan. Black currants can be found in her garden as well as Kay Gray grapes (known to be a fine, hardy white grape). Kiwi chinensis (smooth skinned) and Kiwi arguta (grape sized) make an appearance as well as heirloom tomato 'Sun Sugar', a good sweet orange cherry tomato (which are a fruit after all).
The addition of a 12' x 16' greenhouse supplied by B.C. Greenhouses was a long held dream for Bev opening up a plethora of gardening opportunities. The raised vegetable beds also are a great addition allowing for earlier spring planting (warmer soil), easier weeding (not as much bending) and easier slug control.
Naturally, there are flowers as well as fruits and veggies and I like how Bev has documented the "birth", as it were, of her new yard. Many photos have been taken at every step which in merely a few years time will allow for great 'before' and 'after' shots.My hat goes off to Bev and all the other Bev's out there who truly share the passion for gardening!
*If you would like to see your garden showcased here on our website, please email with photos and brief descriptions of your endeavors