The Program Committee Reveal

Program Committee Update

Even though we are not having our regular monthly meetings, we can continue learning about what works and doesn’t work in our gardens and learn more about each other.

We thought a series of articles or ‘blurbs’ on the Powell River Garden Club Blog about what got us interested in gardening, what inspires us and what lights our gardening fire. 

We are debuting two pieces today, Stay tuned for more in the weeks to come. 


"What got me interested in gardening" by Karen LaCombe

My interest in gardening started when I moved to Powell River.  Never having a garden or any knowledge on how plants grow, my curiosity grew as our first spring brought so many plants alive in our yard.  Hmm, we thought, maybe we could grow a vegetable garden?  We decided to go to all the garden places in town and get some info on how to get started.  We built three large raised beds and by the end of April we were ready to plant.  Over the last 5 years we have expanded our garden and our much needed knowledge on how to grow food. 

My favourite part of gardening is finding recipes that incorporate the food that we grow.  I also like to challenge myself by growing crops that continually supply us with year round food like garlic, greens, lettuce, cabbage, herbs and leeks.  This year I plan to add beets and green beans.

My learning curve of gardening has grown a lot over the past five years and I attribute much of this to joining the the Powell River Garden Club and attending the meetings with so many enthusiastic gardeners. 

From Alice McNair

I have always loved flowers but it wasn’t until I started a vegetable garden that I became excited about gardening.  My father cleared a spot for me to plant my first garden and I was in the garden zone and I spent hours planning, weeding, tending and encouraging things to grow.  That garden was not as productive as my grandfather’s garden in Stillwater, but it grew great cabbages, onions, tomatoes, beans, and radishes.  I was so proud of my first gardening venture I didn’t want to pick any of the produce because it meant that the plants would die.  My grandfather helped me through that process and I soon started canning and freezing the harvest and trying to find homes for a truck-load of zucchini.  Who knew you don’t plant a whole package of zucchini seeds?

It wasn’t until I moved to Alberta that I discovered how much good soil has to do with the gardening process.  The soil in central Alberta is rich, dark, soft and moist.  The texture and appearance resemble a chocolate cake.  I couldn’t get enough time digging in the garden.  I even liked to weed because it was so much fun to pull a quack grass blade then follow its three foot root drilling deep into the soil.  Things grew so fast there is was such a treat to sit on the back deck and ‘watch the garden grow’. We had a clematis, a common Jackmanii, that required new and more skookum supports every few years because the vine was growing so quickly and thriving its location and soil. 

Moving back to Powell River meant I needed to learn new gardening skills as things grow all through the year here, unlike in Alberta where they have a 6 month hiatus.  The soil is sandy and rocky where I live and I am learning how to amend it and work with it by selecting the right plants.  Some plants settle right in and others don’t but I am learning from other local gardeners who have experience, knowledge and patience.   My inspiration now comes from gardens I visit and gardeners I speak to about their particular brand of ‘secret sauce’ that makes their gardens complement the natural beauty of the west coast. 



Would you like to share your story? Call Alice McNair for details.