I do not understand how anyone can live without one small place of enchantment to turn to.

- Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

Who we are

Arlene Bowker 

I was born and raised in Victoria and can trace the beginnings of my appreciation for and love of gardening back to my childhood yard.  I have fond memories of eating fresh raspberries from our garden and even as a little girl enjoying the fragrance and beauty of the carnations, roses and other flowers our mom and dad had planted. 

I consider myself lucky to have lived on the beautiful Saanich Peninsula for over 30 years and during that time my love of gardening has continued to grow.


I recently received my Certificate in Organic Master Gardening and now more than ever realize the importance of working with nature to garden in a sustainable and earth-friendly way.

 

 

Marilyn Bowker, BA, MA/ABS, Cert. Con. Res.

I am a native Victorian and have now been living and gardening in the beautiful Cowichan Valley for the past ten years.  I define my life’s work as facilitating and supporting personal and systemic change; and I have been teaching, coaching, and consulting for more than thirty years.

I hold a Certificate in Organic Master Gardening.  Through the influence of Heide Hermary and the faculty of Gaia College, I have become committed to the importance of gardening in Earth-loving and sustainable fashion.  I believe that as gardeners we are truly capable of helping to restore the Earth -- and humans -- to a state of health and wellness.

 

What we do

What does a garden coach do exactly?

In our relationship with you, we specialize in planning backwards -- assisting you in getting clear about what you want to accomplish in your own small place of enchantment and turning those ideas into a concrete plan.

Whether you are a gardener or a wanna-be with lots of exciting learning and doing ahead of you or you already have a wealth of experience, we can help you to take your next step.  Perhaps you want to set up and maintain an organic garden with plants you aren’t yet familiar with; or perhaps you want to create an oasis for birds and wildlife and learn how to appreciate and nurture your own unique ecosystem; or perhaps you “just” want a more joyful, less demanding sanctuary to retreat to.  Our role is to support your ideas to come alive.

 

The model we follow looks like this:

Know Where You Are

  • Evaluate your current gardening reality
  • What's working? What isn't?

Know Where You Want/Need To Be

  • Create a vision of your desired future gardening reality.
  • What's realistically possible in the short or long term?

Know How You Will Get There -- and Stay There

  • Design and implement a concrete plan for attaining your vision.
  • What will support you; what obstacles will you encounter?

 

And, by the way, we promise to never use the term "going forward".

 

Our services include:

  • seasonal "to do" list
  • identification of existing plants and discussion of appropriate plants for your site
  • helping you to develop good gardening practices, i.e. composting, soil
  • improvement, and other basics
  • plant shopping
  • advice on how to make your garden more sustainable and environmentally friendly
  • planning a herb, vegetable, or flower garden
  • planning a garden that will attract butterflies and birds
  • revamping existing flower beds with new plants
  • developing a maintenance plan for your garden