Well, it has been 5 years since my last post and there have been some changes! We were thinking of moving back to BC for around a decade, looked in many places from the island to the Kootenays and had some life events happen, parents passing, pandemics, economics changing, so it took some time but we decided on Creston! This is a pleasant valley, bucolic is a word to use here, with a mild climate and still undiscovered by the outside world. I wanted enough room to collect all the plants and trees that I love so much so we found 8 acres just (literal feet) outside Creston. My partner grew up on a farm in Saskatchewan and I had traveled to the family farm many times over the decades so a rural life is not completely unknown to us! In fact he grew up with raising all the kinds of farm animals, chickens, cattle, pigs, and grain growing, not that we want that life, maybe some chickens for eggs, we will see! My main passion is plants and while I am still young enough to do all the work, it goes fast, life I mean!
I have learned a lot about growing in this valley after only 4 years, I do not want to claim I know as much as longtime residents but I hope to add to the knowledge. base of this region as much as possible. I also have fancy new ideas, big city ideas! Lol, just kidding!
I will begin by showing some of what I have been building around here. This was a farm for many years, the house is from 1960 but people lived here long before then too. It was rented for many years and none of the existing shrubs, beds etc were taken care of.
The first of many moving days!
The appearance of the grounds
This was a burn pit, lots of garbage, debris, bottles
The front drive, before fencing
One of the first beds I built under the address sign, to become a succulent garden.
The former fire pit became a new bed
8 yards of soil, moved by me by the shovelful!
Construction of the front bed with newspaper and rocks.
When done I covered in plastic to kill weeds, guess what poked up regardless!?
My neighbours said I could have as many rocks from their cliff as I like so...
One of many trailer loads of plants from the Calgary house.
My constant helper and companion Bella
Building a vegetable garden, sod removal
Sod removed, dog is happy
Some of the driveway gardens restored, many shrubs edited!
The former fire pit area.
Driveway at evening
Succulent bed
Front bed completed and planted, year 2
Front bed year 3
I'm always building new gardens, this used to be a planter box and overgrown grass.
There is much more to this story of course, please subscribe, bookmark or whatever as I have much to share about gardening in this beautiful valley!
