We thought you might be interested in knowing a bit more us and our gardens so we’ve come up with a list of ten questions that will give a better idea of what makes our gardens grow.

Elke Wehinger           Pamela Dangelmaier         Wendy Leroux

1.      How long have you been gardening?

Elke: I started as a child helping by parents in our garden in Germany .

Pam: I guess it all officially started when I was a young child and was given the job of being the ‘mister of the fern’ – my mom had received a very large indoor fern from her great aunt and it was touted to be close to 75 years old! Now, whether they were fudging a bit on its age, I’m not sure but my job was to ensure that it got misted on a regular basis and I’m happy to report that it survived well under my watch!

Wendy: Gardening for me began when we moved to Richmond, BC when I was in grade 5. We had two acres and grew daffodils to sell and fruit and veggies to eat. I was hooked from that point on.

2.      What’s your favourite spot in the garden?

Elke: I have a very small woodland garden in my front yard. I love the ferns and shade plants I can grow there and the smell reminds me of a west coast forest.

Pam: Right next to the Japanese-style water feature among the grasses and ferns where I can sit back and enjoy the quiet solitude.

Wendy: My favourite spot is actually lying in the hammock that is strung between the two giant pine trees in the front yard. It has the best view of the garden and neighbourhood and it’s where you can find me on a sunny day after the work is done.

3.      What garden job do you enjoy the best?

Elke: I like big projects like putting in a new pathway or a new patio. It’s about the ‘before and after’ satisfaction.

Pam: Watering the flower beds and containers. During the summer months you’ll often find me out in the garden after dinner with hose in hand. I find it quite relaxing and contemplative and I know that the plants love it!

Wendy: I love designing and planting new spaces when I’m feeling creative but when I’m stressed and need to work things out I love attacking weeds and overgrown areas and getting them under control. Hmm… definitely some psychological issues there!

4.      What’s your favourite flower or plant?

Elke: Tulips and daffodils are definitely on the list but I just love plants and am amazed by their beauty.

Pam: Anything that has a lovely scent. I’m a real sucker for fragrant flowering plants such a Sweet Peas, Acidanthera (Peacock Orchids), Oriental Lilies, Lavender & Roses to name a few.

Wendy: This one is hard to answer because I love so many, but if I had to choose, it would be the Pulsatilla vulgaris Rubra or Pasque flower. The foliage and flowers are so unusual and I cannot wait for them to appear every year. Or maybe the Leopard’s Bane or the Himalayan Honeysuckle or…

5.      Where do you get your gardening ideas from?

Elke: Other people’s gardens, magazines, travelling and absorbing all the looks that I like.

Pam: For me it’s not so much what a garden looks like but rather how it makes me feel so my ideas really come from having experienced a good feeling somewhere else and trying to incorporate those ideas into my own garden. Walks in the woods, around the neighborhood and in botanical gardens are a few good places to gather ideas.

Wendy: I love using gardening magazines and other people’s gardens to inspire me in my own garden.

6.      Do you have a secret for growing healthy plants?

Elke: Good drainage topped with manure, compost and good top soil.

Pam: I choose ones that I know will grow well in my area and aren’t too finicky. I’m a firm believer in plant it and let it be!

Wendy: The best secret is to give them what they need. Don’t try to grow shade plants in the sun or sun plants in the shade! That and great drainage!

7.      What’s your advice for a beginner gardener?

Elke: Start small and make sure you have good soil. Learn as you go.

Pam: Find a gardening buddy: perhaps a neighbor or friend who gardens, someone you can bounce your ideas off of and who has a bit more experience than you. Other gardeners usually love to brag about their successes and are happy to fill you in on their failures as well – let them – it’s a gold-mine of hands-on knowledge that can be very, very useful to you!

Wendy: My advice to novice gardeners is just to start. There are no mistakes in gardening, only opportunities to do things differently next time around.

8.      Describe your garden with a few words?

Elke: Private oasis in progress

Pam: Small but sweet and very tranquil

Wendy: Exuberant!

9.      Do you have a favourite tool:

Elke: My clippers and my all-time favourite claw-hoe.

Pam: Actually it’s two – but they’re connected so I’m going to count them as one. First my 100% rubber gardening hose - no kinks or binding…hooray! Second, my variable spray garden hose nozzle with ball valve attachment – shuts off automatically so I don’t waste any water and the adjustable ball valve lets me decrease the water pressure for those more delicate flowering plants.

Wendy: The Silky Saw because it helps me to tame the overgrown beasts, in my garden. I do have an electric leaf blower which can be my best friend at times. It allows me to clean billions of pine needles out of my gutters and paving stones in a really short time. You simply have to love that!

10. What’s your motivation for gardening?

Elke: One on one time between me and my plants. Every time I plant a root or bulb I can’t wait for it to come up. Gardening for me is a sign of hope and a belief in tomorrow. I feel rewarded every minute I spend in my garden. Gardening connects me with the Earth. It’s the healing effect of working with plants and sounds and smells. When I weed it’s usually pretty quiet. I am peaceful and I’m listening.

Pam: Happiness…it’s that simple. If I didn’t have a garden to look at and enjoy all the days of the year I know I would be much less happy and content than I am now.

Wendy: My motivation is a desire for beauty and tranquility in the area that surrounds my home, that and the fact that it just makes me feel so darn good!