Vancouver Compost Demonstration Garden welcomes Winter Olympic visitors

Photo by Michael Levenston. Larger image here (4MB)

This is January!

It’s January, there’s no snow in our Vancouver garden (it’s up on the surrounding mountains). We’ve been out in the mild weather sprucing up the place for visitors from around the world who are already arriving for the Winter Games which begin February 14.

Fresh mulch is spread on the garden paths (Elm and London Plane wood-chips donated by the Park Board), our cob (clay/sand/straw) tool shed covered by a green roof is on the left next to the recycled metal entrance gate; the building in the top right corner holds our compost toilet and the new “red dragon” electric compost bin; a large Bay Laurel tree sits in the centre front of the picture; the wood-chip paths lead through the back fence into our teaching area and beyond to yet another garden, which we’ve named the “Youth Garden” where our dry-stack stone keyhole garden is located.

Plants to see

In the garden beds visitors will see newly planted, colourful Primulas, and tall overwintering Tuscan Kale, which look like small palms. In the cold frame is a selection of salad greens. Garlic bulbs planted in October are emerging. Crocuses are just showing and the pink blossoms on the Camellia shrub are out. There’s a beautiful scent coming from the Christmas Box (Sarcococca). Buds are emerging on the Pacific Dogwood. Small edible greens named Lamb’s Lettuce are in many of the beds. All the Sedums and Currants also have buds showing.

Update: Vancouver has warmest weather on record in January on the eve of Winter Olympics.