Jun
2
By Anne Draper
The Vancouver Island Alpine Garden Society Project in Beacon Hill Park is located on Arbutus Way across from Goodacre Lake and is currently maintained by four dedicated volunteers. Claire Hughes with 25 years of volunteer service has kindly provided the following information for interested Victoria gardeners. The Alpine Garden was established during the garden club's 50th anniversary. Members of the oldest garden club in North America, founded in 1921, continue to donate countless hours of their time and talent in Victoria. An Alpine Plant Garden was recommended as a feature for Beacon Hill Park in 1930. The garden you see today was begun in 1970 with woodland plants adding colour and beauty to the rock formations placed by many hours of volunteer labour. Neil Knowlton, Lynne Ewing and Richard Hendrickson along with Claire Hughes can be seen every Saturday morning planting and keeping the garden looking its best. A Crevice Garden created three years ago is a distinct example of a mountain alpine scene. Rare and common plant life can be enjoyed in our urban park all year round. We thank our volunteers for their good and caring work.
Meetings are held in Gordon Head United Church, 4201 Tyndall Avenue every 3rd Tuesday of the month. A speaker is provided together with a floral display and a plant raffle is held to help raise funds for garden projects. Tea and coffee are available. Membership fees are $20.00 per year. Please contact marionsgarden@gmail.ca for more details.