danger garden

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Thomas Hobbs and Brent Beattie's (new) garden

This was my first private garden visit during the Vancouver Hardy Plant Group Study Weekend back in June. Some of you will recognize the name, Thomas Hobbs. He has two books out in the world: The Jewel Box Garden and Shocking Beauty. His previous garden was much photographed (this blog post covers it) and he and his husband Brent Beattie are the owners of Southlands Nursery, where the Study Weekend event's Saturday night soiree was held (part of this post).

Garden visitors were guided to park on a large mown patch of lawn, this stunning greenhouse addition was the first thing I saw when I got out of my car...

It's tucked up under the eaves of a large workshop/garage.

Here's the garden description from our event booklet: "Our 20-acre farm in South Langley is a collection of visions—some are entirely from Mother Nature and many are our own experiments. We were very fortunate to find a parcel of land "that had it all," with a picturesque rolling hills landscape, huge 200 year old trees, a river, and a lake which we added."

"Brent is restoring a stunning old barn where Tom hopes to give classes. Gardens include collections of tree peonies, iris (Tom breeds tall bearded types), many different perennials and vegetables in a deer proof enclosure."

"Tom's "Dreamhouse Greenhouse" is his 17th one. It looks antique but was made just down the road by BC Greenhouse Builders."

It looks antique indeed, it fooled me. Now let's look inside the greenhouse...

I wonder what it looks like in the winter? More of a storage space? Or still a display focused space?

I love the vintage nozzle display.

Back outside now and walking up the incline next to the greenhouse.

Looking back over my shoulder...

And ahead! Wowsa. This is not what I was expecting to come across at the top of the steps.

If you scroll back up to the first and third photos you'll see that wall of evergreens at the far end of the pool, but from the other side—to give you a little perspective on where the pool is located.

Thomas and Brent laid out a couple before photos...

Walking on I discovered this 1970's (?) era home on the property. Peeking in the windows it looked like work was happening here but with what goal I am not sure.

Imagine having this much property that you're responsible for!

Back up near where I started, this is the working structure beyond the greenhouse.

Inside...

And back outside...

Turning towards the barn...

Peeking around inside...

On to another small structure on the property, Canadian Club Whiskey...

Looking off into the distance...

The house in which the owners are living. Is it new construction? Existing? I'm not sure.

Ugh, Bishop's weed—Aegopodium podagraria 'Variegatum'—and a look alike, maybe variegated dogwood?

New outbuilding under construction.

Loved this plant, but I have no idea what it is.

I enjoyed seeing the construction technique.

Walking back up towards the house now.

Inside the deer-fence.

The house is larger than it first appears to be.

And that's a wrap on this garden visit!

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Monday, September 18, 2023

UBC Botanical Garden Mondays—two of three

Here we are, back at the UBC Botanical Garden for the second installment of UBC Monday's (find part one here). Today's post begins with a little background on the garden: "The UBC Botanical Garden is Canada’s oldest university botanic garden, established in 1916 under the directorship of John Davidson, British Columbia’s first provincial botanist. The original mission of the garden was research into the native flora of British Columbia. Over the past 100 years, the mission of UBC Botanical Garden has broadened to include education, research, conservation, community outreach, and public display of temperate plants from around the world." (source)