{"id":4269,"date":"2025-08-30T09:04:55","date_gmt":"2025-08-30T16:04:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wrwofficial.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/30\/deborahs-mountain-garden-on-vancouver-island\/"},"modified":"2025-08-30T09:04:57","modified_gmt":"2025-08-30T16:04:57","slug":"deborahs-mountain-garden-on-vancouver-island","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wrwofficial.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/30\/deborahs-mountain-garden-on-vancouver-island\/","title":{"rendered":"Deborah’s Mountain Garden on Vancouver Island"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Happy Friday, GPODers!<\/p>\n

We\u2019re closing out the week in Canada, as Deborah Sanders shares the trials and tribulations that led her to creating this luscious garden on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. If gardening on an island with a very unique ecosystem wasn\u2019t enough, her property on a small mountain with lots of towering trees added to the one-of-a-kind conditions. However, some trial and error along the way has given her the vibrant, charming, and unique garden she has today.<\/p>\n

Hello,<\/em><\/p>\n

I live on Triangle Mountain, located just outside of Victoria on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. <\/em>I often joke that I do yoga in the garden, having made a couple of big mistakes early in planting my garden. <\/em>When the mountain was developed, they knocked down a few trees, brought in loads of fill, and built the houses in the trees. The front \u201cslope\u201d was in the deep shade of cedars and Douglas fir<\/em> trees<\/em>\u00a0(<\/em>Pseudotsuga menziesii, Zones 4\u20136),<\/em> with only English ivy<\/em>\u00a0(<\/em>Hedera<\/a> helix and cvs.<\/em>, Zones 5\u201311)<\/em> growing. I had a brilliant idea and ripped out all of the ivy and planted seeds. Not a thing grew. We then cut down a cherry, cedar, and two Douglas firs. Yikes\u2014every weed seed saw daylight and grew. While I still had cedars and Douglas firs giving me full shade through part sun, I ran with it.<\/em><\/p>\n

I bought one of everything and started planting. Going up the slope is challenging, as is coming back down without stepping on anything. Did I say yoga? The first mistake was not terracing; the second is taking the Master Gardeners course after I planted one of everything, only to learn about continuity!<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/a>A photo from 2017, when we were using soaker hoses on a sand base, to now with an irrigation system installed with the help of my hubby and friend<\/em><\/p>\n

\"sloped<\/a>The continuity came along with a waterfall of Japanese forest grass<\/em>\u00a0(<\/em>Hakonechloa<\/a> macra, Zones 5\u20139)<\/em> coming down through the rhododendrons<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"bright<\/a>Another view of the Japanese forest grass waterfall from underneath one of Deborah\u2019s rhododendrons\u2014such a lush scene of greenery.<\/p>\n

\"path<\/a>Then I put in microclover<\/em> (Trifolium repens var.\u2018Pipolina\u2019 and \u2018Pirouette\u2019, Zones 3\u201310) instead of grass and have since developed the lower garden around a slate patio, where I can sit and watch my garden grow.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"sloped<\/a>It\u2019s been a journey of learning, exposures, soils, and falling in love with so many species of plants. Many are now in pots spread around the property. Japanese maples\u2014who knew deer love them, hence the pots on decks\u2014peonies, and rhodos: Can you have too many? I have much more, but this is my start and what has kept me busy and agile.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"metal<\/a>If planting on this extreme slope wasn\u2019t enough, Deborah also made a point to inject extra personality and color with some garden art. A fun metal flower adds even more flair to a colorful section of foxgloves (Digitalis<\/a> purpurea<\/em>, Zones 4\u20139) and orange Peruvian lilies (Alstroemeria<\/a> aurea<\/em>, Zones 7\u201310).<\/p>\n

\"bright<\/a>Bright magenta peony and dianthus<\/a> flowers with silvery blue foliage is a captivating combination in this vignette.<\/p>\n

\"metal<\/a>Another fun piece of metal garden art, a funky blue heron, is the perfect complement to the bright yellow blooms of upright wild ginger (Saruma<\/a> henryi<\/em>, Zones 5\u20138).<\/p>\n

\"red<\/a>One last photo, looking down from Deborah\u2019s slope on some bright red poppies (Papaver<\/a> orientale<\/em>, Zones 3\u20137) and a chartreuse Japanese maple: A peek of the small circular patio in the top corner shows what an excellent vantage point that seating area is for enjoying great views of the garden.<\/p>\n

Thank you so much for sharing your vibrant and lively garden with us, Deborah! Despite your very challenging conditions, you have managed to create a beautiful landscape that has tons of personality and lots of exciting plant combinations.<\/p>\n

How do you manage your garden\u2019s conditions? Are you a meticulous planner, writing to-do lists and crafting site plans? Or do you work on a trial and error basis like Deborah has in her garden? Let us know in the comments, or considering sharing your garden journey with the blog. Follow the directions below to submit photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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We want to see YOUR garden!<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Have photos to share? We\u2019d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!<\/p>\n

To submit, send 5\u201310 photos to\u00a0[email\u00a0protected]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We\u2019d love to hear where you are located, how long you\u2019ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.<\/p>\n

Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on\u00a0Facebook,<\/a>\u00a0Instagram,<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u00a0with #FineGardening!<\/p>\n

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Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.<\/p>\n

Featuring gorgeous photography and advice for landscapers, Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West is dedicated to the idea of a new nature\u2014a hybrid of both the wild and the cultivated\u2014that can nourish in our cities and suburbs. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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– Slim, lightweight design, is made with toxin-free polyurethane and utilizes industrial grade, lead-free fittings
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