The Ruddy Garden
It is truly amazing what can be grown on our little rock in the Salish sea. Come on up to the Ruddy Garden at 511 Sunset Road and see for yourself! The Garden is open for visitors most week days. Follow the signs for the self guided tour and learn about our Bowen growing conditions, gardening techniques in use and composting methods.

The Ruddy Garden is our outdoor classroom.

We are learning how to grow food for our community in a small space using methods that conserve precious water resources and protect our soils.

Bordering a creek and a designated Riparian area, The Ruddy Garden is situated in an important watershed our garden site provides many interesting challenges and opportunities. Our intention is to provide an interactive demonstration site for Islanders interested in starting their own food gardens, and to grow produce for use in our kitchen and for sale at The Ruddy Store.

GARDEN DESIGN The garden currently has three working “rooms”: An intensive small scale raised bed area similar to one that could be created in a large backyard, a small greenhouse, and a field market garden with terraced rows, fruit trees and soft fruits.

SOIL Like most sites on Bowen, we have to develop our soil. We started with green manures over the winter and have connected with various local farms for other manures (sheep and horse). Being attached to The Ruddy Store and Kitchen we have no shortage of green materials for composting. We are experimenting with three bin composters built from recycled pallets and hopefully this fall, will foray into “lasagna gardening”. Working with West Coast Seeds, we use only natural and organic purchased soil amenders such as dolomite lime, peat, rock dust and kelp meal.

WATER Too much in the winter, not enough in the summer! Sound familiar? We are experimenting with various ways to manage this critical resource. We currently capture and store rain water from various roofs, water just as needed where needed with a timed drip irrigation system and use mulches, ground covers and shade to conserve moisture.

PESTS Although we are not currently planning to apply for Organic Certification, we are gardening as though we were. Pests are managed through hand picking, crop rotation, site management, companion planting, sprays of water etc.

<back to Café and Garden

 

Phone: (604) 947-0098
Office: (604) 947-0998
Kitchen: (604) 947-0665