A GROWING CONCERN

Out-of-the-box at Boxwood Cottage Gardens

Diana Wood has lived in qathet for about 50 years. For the first 15 years, she lived at Hummingbird Cove and had a half acre vegetable garden. When she moved to Westview, she started her second garden, but this time included ornamental plants.

Ten years later she moved again to Boxwood Cottage Gardens on Westview Avenue. After clearing the blackberry and alder on the almost two acres of property, Diana started landscaping and planting her third garden, “and this will be my last garden.”

The two existing houses on these properties have become now known as Boxwood Cottage and Boxwood Suite – a unique property in the heart of Powell River. For years if offered short-term rentals, and now offers only long-term rentals.

How did you start gardening?

Diana • When I was about nine years old, I watched farmers plant rice and vegetables and watched the plants grow and be harvested. The whole process was like magic. One day I asked my mother for seeds while she was in the kitchen. She handed me what was on the cutting board, Cayenne and Luffa seeds. I planted them both. They grew fast and lush in the sub-tropical weather of Taipei.

Tell us about your current garden.

Diana • My current garden is on two acres, a double lot located on the lower part of Westview Avenue. The first thing I planted after the land was cleared of blackberry vines and alders were fruit trees and vegetables, followed by ornamental gardens. A greenhouse and several cold frames were built soon after.

I grew apple, apple pear, cherry and peach trees. Grapes, kiwi, fig, blueberry, raspberry, boysenberry, and strawberry were soon planted afterwards. The existing pear, walnut and hazelnut trees were planted by the previous owner.

In my vegetable gardens, I grow artichokes, rhubarb, shallots, garlic, and all the vegetables I enjoy eating, and all the herbs I like to use in my cooking, The greenhouse is for growing tomato plants and for propagating ornamental and vegetable seedlings.

What have been your biggest gardening successes?

Diana • I guess my biggest successes are turning a blackberry infested land into a beautiful, functional garden and starting the Powell River Spring Garden Tours. A Community Garden that I started needed a fence and a watering system. A friend suggested raising money by opening gardens for tours-following the method used by Des Kennedy on Denman Island.

In 1997 we started the “Powell River Spring Garden Tour.” I called my friends who were passionate gardeners to enter their gardens. The proceeds from the tickets we sold went towards “Beautifying and greening Powell River,” and for providing Scholarships for students entering university.

Before at Boxwood; when Diana Wood bought this acreage off Westview Avenue, it was overgrown with blackberries and more.

Since she bought Boxwood, she has groomed and gardened and built a retreat in the centre of town, with rentable suites.

The Garden Tour has continued since, except for the last three years during COVID. This year the Garden Tour will be on June 11th.

What am I proud of? My friends, who have the same vision and passion that have allowed us to work together year after year to promote gardening and to create beauty in Powell River.

What are your greatest gardening challenges?

Diana • My greatest challenge is maintaining the thousands of plants that I have planted during the past 28 years.

What kinds of gardening stuff do you invest in?

Diana • I believe “in order to do a good job, one must have good tools”, So I have invested a lot of money in tools. Though I make compost for my gardens, it is not enough for a large garden, and so I buy organic fertilizers for supplementation. I save seeds and propagate my own plants, but still buy others.

What do you do with the things you grow?

Diana • My landscaped garden is for my own enjoyment and also provides pleasure and tranquility for my guests who stay at Boxwood Cottage and Boxwood Suite. Plus, it provides a place for non-profit organizations fund raising. I eat what I grow and share my produce with volunteers who help me in the garden. I preserve any excess to enjoy in the winter season.

An azalea and a Japanese maple in containers. Diana says the most challenging part of gardening is “maintaining the thousands of plants” she has accumulated over the last 28 years.

Diana grows vegetables and fruit, and flowers.

New monthly gardening column

We’ve been missing qL’s gardening column! For nearly a decade, it was written by local gardening whiz Jonathan Van Wiltenberg. He has retired from writing the column. Every month this summer, we’ll feature an established local gardener – learning their story and gleaning some wisdom we can all apply in our own gardens.