OFF THE BEATEN PATH The Gardens on Anderton

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW how to turn a cow pasture into a haven of peace and solitude, ask Joy Georgeson, a Comox resident still going strong at 94. She and husband Bill, soulmates for nearly 60 years until his passing, shared a dream of a community place for peaceful reflection and social togetherness. Their dream became a reality when, in 1998 and the years since, they and a handful of friends created the Gardens on Anderton, now one of the North Island’s premier ornamental gardens.

Born in Ireland, Joy trained as a midwife at the Royal Belfast Hospital. “It was hard work,” says Joy, “but satisfying, especially when we got to deliver the babies on our own when doctors weren’t able to attend.” But, with an urge to see the world, Joy migrated to Canada in 1953 and soon met Bill. “He was British and ex-Navy who truly liked all kinds of people. He wanted us to build a spiritual place where people could meet and find community amidst flower beds and shady trees.” Upon approaching the owners of nearby Anderton Nursery, a two-acre slice of nature was lease and such began the Gardens on Anderton.

Joy, Bill and friends quite literally built their horticultural hideaway with their bare hands. With a vision, borrowed tools, little machinery and even less money, they cleared the land to make way for what would become sweeping flower beds, rose trellises and lush lawns. As Joy describes those early days, an immediate problem was the water supply. “Lacking any nearby water, we had no choice but to fill buckets from a pipe in the nursery and carry water by hand to our new plantings.” An even bigger problem was the lack of toilet facilities for the volunteers. “We had no toilets at all,” says Joy with a twinkle in her eye, “just holes dug into the ground where you could sit on the throne and look out at the trees”. Currently, through a Rotary Club donation, a fully handicapped toilet exists, being one of the very first in the area.

While the gardens have evolved into much more over their 26 years, the original concept was to create a therapeutic garden where those suffering from cognitive difficulties and other aging problems could find a safe environment in which to walk. One of the first developments was The Loop, a wheelchair-friendly circular path with safety rails through flower beds and rose plantings.

One of the early volunteers was Ann McDonald, a trained master gardener, particularly in composting. Now 97 and one of Joy’s closest friends, she and Joy visit the gardens every Tuesday and Thursday. “I started working in the gardens 20 years ago,” says Ann, “establishing the Green Thumb Garden in front of the toolshed with raised beds for senior gardeners.” Ann’s weekly visits still bring her immense joy. “When I visit the gardens I enjoy feelings of gratitude, peace and serenity that I can’t find anywhere else. It’s the high point of my week.”

The idea of a Meditation Garden came to Joy after meeting a woman softly crying in a quiet area of the property. She had recently lost a friend and wanted a private place where she could “. . . just go to cry.” Soon after the Meditation Garden came into being and has proven to be a favourite spot for people to spend time alone with their thoughts. As one young visitor said, “I just feel a personal connection to everything here.”

As the years have passed and the gardens matured, they have become a popular place for concerts, weddings and family gatherings. In need of a stage, Bill Georgeson went hunting for wood and heard that the old Comox Marina was being dismantled and its wood burned. Never one to miss an opportunity, Bill offered to buy the wood, thinking these old boards would be great for building a stage. With both financial and physical help from the Rotary Club, the wood was transformed into a stage that today, with proper sound systems in place, now showcases jazz concerts, singing groups and a host of special events.

It’s been 26 years since Joy and Bill Georgeson first broke ground. Today hundreds of visitors enjoy lush lawns and babbling waters in rock-filled ponds. Many come to the gardens seeking a quiet place for reflection, while others enjoy special events and social gatherings. Those in the know come regularly to sit on the patio beneath colourful umbrellas, enjoying afternoon tea, coffee and goodies from the Snack Shack.

The Gardens are a non-profit society, run entirely by volunteers and is fully wheelchair accessible. Admission is by donation or membership is a modest $25 per year which means you can enjoy unlimited visits, make new friends or join one of the many volunteer groups that keep the gardens running. Whether mowing

The Potters Place in 1993 © The Potters Place a lawn, tending a flower bed or helping out in the Gift Shop, there’s a volunteer opportunity waiting.

The future for the Gardens is bright with the number of members, visitors and volunteers increasing every year. All ages, including families and children, are attracted to this hidden gem for its many generational opportunities for spending time together. We want to be here for another 25 years creating the “magic” and welcoming ambience to all who visit our beautiful Gardens.

The Gardens on Anderton is located at 2012 Anderton Road, behind the Anderton Nursery. Visit the gardens at www.gardensonanderton.org to see what’s coming up on the calendar. You’ll be glad you did. For more information, contact 250-702-4186.