Landscaping Vancouver
I'm Selling My Home - Why Bother with Landscaping?
Why bother with landscaping if your listing your home, you ask?
Why bother with repairing the roof or replacing broken windows? People landscape their homes for the same reason they perform basic home repairs and maintenance. Curb appeal, home value and comfort of living.
The yard (particularly the front) of any home plays a key role in it's presentation - this is where the term 'curb appeal' originates from.
Read more: I'm Selling My Home - Why Bother with Landscaping?
Lush Gardens in a Concrete Jungle
Vancouver's densely populated downtown core and neighbouring communities such as Kitsilano and False Creek have posed an interesting challenge for developers, architects and landscapers in recent years with regards to the incorporation of 'green space'. Traditionally, green spaces referred to the yards surrounding our homes or the park down the street. With more and more people flowing into the city's most desirable neighbourhoods, builders have been forced to think upward, rather than outward, and get creative to deliver the green spaces we desire.
Tips for the High-rise Gardener - Gardening in Small Spaces
People often associate living in the densely populated, downtown core of a city to be counterproductive to gardening and greenery. We are fortunate to live in a city that takes great pride in being 'green thumb friendly' and encourages gardening and environmental awareness. From the Community Garden initiative on the corner of Davie St and Burrard St, to Public Farmers Markets on the weekends, Vancouver gives locals plenty of opportunities to get involved in the green way of life.
Whether you live in a single-family home, a townhouse or on the 33rd floor of a concrete high rise, there are practical ways to grow your own vegetables, herbs and flowers. In most instances, all you need is a window ledge (or some natural light), a little water and a willingness to get creative! Balcony Gardening is a trend that is on the rise in cities all over North America (and is something that Europeans have been onto for centuries) and enables you to grow your own herbs (or other small plants) without a full-blown garden. The most popular herbs people choose to grow in their 'balcony gardens' are kitchen-favourites and add a fresh, authentic taste to your dishes. This includes basil, chives, coriander, dill, mint, oregano, rosemary, parsley and thyme.
Balcony Herb Garden
You'll need:
- seeds of the herbs you want to grow
- small planter containers (with holes in bottoms)
- a tray (for water drainage)
- soil
First Steps (Indoor):
- soak the seeds in water for a few hours before planting
- fill containers with soil (pat it down to ensure there are no air pockets)
- sow the seeds (insert them 2-3 times deeper than the size of the seed)
- water the seeds once planted
- cover the tray with household plastic wrap
- place the tray in a warm sunny area (keep soil damp until seeds emerge)
Once the seedlings emerge:
- remove the plastic wrap
- move them outdoors onto the balcony (but make sure they are protected by the wind & harsh conditions)
- continue watering regularly
- enjoy your herbs!
Vancouver - A Climatic Overview (from a Gardener's perspective)
Maintaining a healthy yard and lawn requires different levels of attention and treatment depending on your environment. Someone living in a wet, coastal city (such as our lovely Vancouver) will have a completely different lawn care routine than a homeowner living in an arid environment like the Okanagan Valley or southern Alberta. Maintaining a garden in Vancouver comes with more perks than downfalls… but every natural environment faces different challenges.
Vancouver has a moderate oceanic climate which means we're one of North America's wettest and most mild cities to live. Local green thumbs can enjoy less watering and more lush greenery with minimal effort. We are surrounded by temperate rain forests and dense ground cover… something that most cities and people are not so fortunate to have at their doorstep.
Read more: Vancouver - A Climatic Overview (from a Gardener's perspective)
