The web offers an endless network of sites dedicated to every aspect of gardens and gardening. We’ve focused on sites and links that are directly helpful to the local community and to coastal organic gardeners, as well as a few favourites that shouldn’t be missed. Hungry for more? Most of these sites have their own links into the wider web – the perfect pastime for the rainiest days in Vancouver.
Local Support
City Farmer : An important resource for community gardeners, and an early pioneer of “urban agriculture.” The City Farmer, located a block away from Cypress Community Garden, has Urban Agricultural notes and links to green initiatives around the globe. Located at Maple and 6th Avenue on the Arbutus Greenway, the City Farmer also offers worm composters, rain barrels, skills workshops and other essentials for the green revolution. The City Farmer site lists workshops, composting guidelines and also hosts the most comprehensive listing of Vancouver community gardens. https://cityfarmer.info/
Be sure to check out the City Farmer’s Demonstration Garden–in person and on the special web page. https://www.cityfarmer.eco/
Society Promoting Environmental Conservation : A legendary local environmental group, community-garden ally, and host of the on-line Vancouver Environmental Information Centre. http://www.spec.bc.ca The Spec website also has articles on seasonal plant and soil care. See for example the piece on Fall garden maintenance: https://spec.bc.ca/SPEC-Blog/9354066
Society Farm Folk/City Folk : Reconnecting people to the food they eat is the focus of this local non-profit. Their “Bringing Food Home” project strongly supports urban and community gardens. http://www.ffcf.bc.ca
UBC Farm : Features food systems experts, research resources, a farmers’ market, lectures and workshops–and plenty of opportunities for volunteer learning. https://ubcfarm.ubc.ca/
West Coast Gardening
Two Rainy Side Gardeners : A pair of Washington gardeners started this website to offer tips and resources specific to gardening in the Pacific Northwest. http://www.rainyside.com
Community Gardening
Seed Companies
West Coast Seeds : Locally-grown untreated and non-GMO seeds for organic vegetables, herbs and flowers, with an expanding section on coastal gardening information and tips. See their new Dr. Bonnie Henry Pollinator Blend with proceeds going to Food Banks Canada. For those outside of BC, Dr. Bonnie Henry is the Provincial Health Officer whose leadership on issues related to Covid-19, has made her an inspirational touchpoint over the past year and a half, and a regional and national hero. West Coast Seeds has also expanded and has useful accessories and gifts that are worth checking out. http://www.westcoastseeds.com
Composting
City Farmer : Located at Maple and 6th Avenue on the Arbutus Greenway, the City Farmer offers worm composters and garden composters, rain barrels, skills workshops and other essentials for the green revolution. Check out this site for workshops and composting guidelines. http://www.cityfarmer.info/category/compost/
Composting Council of Canada : A great list of printable fact sheets on eco-friendly gardening and composting, as well as links to composting councils around the world (who knew?). http://www.compost.org
Member Favourites
UBC Botanical Garden : A range of gardens to explore including a food garden, physic garden, alpine garden, and rainforest garden. The Shop in the Garden and Garden Centre carries seeds, numerous books on every aspect of gardening, plants, and accoutrements.
Lee Valley : A family-owned Canadian business that specializes in tools, gardening and ‘birding.’ Fantastic gardening equipment from large and small tools to help you with your tasks, to garden bags or kneepads, to brochures on how to do it. Their gardening catalogues (on line or by mail) — with excellent photographs and online videos on everything from starting seeds to sprucing up a late summer and fall garden — are guaranteed to make you dream and are the best antidote to rainy weather. http://www.leevalley.com
City Farmer : By popular acclaim!!!!. One of the most enticing and beautifully designed websites with compelling photography and videos. A resource for all aspects of organic gardening, offering workshops and composting demonstrations, and constant updates on urban farming and organic initiatives around the world. Vancouver’s City Farmer started the first community garden in Vancouver, and is internationally known for its support and work on sustainable projects tied to food systems. The demonstration gardens https://www.cityfarmer.eco/ located a block away from Cypress Community Garden, like the website itself, provide an amazing learning experience. Thank you Michael Levenston !!! for your decades of work on urban food production and for the constantly updated information on your wonderful website.
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