The Friends of Government House Gardens Society were lucky to have a special guest speaker last month: world renowned gardening expert Brian Minter. A host of radio and television, a member of the Order of Canada, and former operator of the beautiful Minter Gardens, when Brian’s not writing for newspapers across the province or sharing his gardening knowledge on CBC’s BC Almanac, him and his family run the Minter Country Garden Store. I’m pleased to share a guest blog from Brian, sharing his thoughts on changes in how we garden and interact with our natural world:

Change is the operative word in virtually every activity today, and this is especially true in the world of gardening. 

Climatic changes and human activities are the key drivers creating habitat loss for so many beneficial insects, birds and animals.  Rising temperatures, especially in larger cities, are creating a need for urban forests.  Water conservation measures are creating a need for more drought-tolerant plants.

There is also a changing of the guard in the demographics of gardening.  Millennials are now the key players in determining which ornamental or food plants are going to be in demand.  Fortunately, they are far more environmentally conscious and are connecting to nature more than any previous generation.  We are also living and gardening in smaller spaces.

These new realities are forcing us all to look at gardening in a new way.  Gardens need to be far more versatile and productive.  Today’s new plants must attract and nourish pollinators, be more disease and pest free, produce more food and flower over longer periods of time and in less space.  They must also be more drought and heat tolerant.

This is just the beginning! You’re invited to learn from Brian Minter and discover the many new garden realities.