If a watched pot never boils, as the saying goes, then it's probably fair to
assume that an over-tilled garden will not grow. This philosophy, at least, has worked for the cultivators on Salt Spring Island, B.C., whose bounty is put on display every Saturday morning (and sometimes Tuesdays), to the delight of both locals and tourists alike at the Salt Spring Island Market in the Park. The temperate West Coast climate allows for a year-long growing season, taken advantage of by gardeners like Rosalie Beach and Bonnie Curran, who sell organic vegetables and flowers, respectively. In tune with the island's laid-back feel, the women's stalls feature a profusion of unaffected, unbridled arrangements, showing off their wares to best effect, while appearing as though no effort was used at all. "I have a huge garden," explains Beach. "When I came here I knew how to work with plants, but I didn’t know how to farm. For me, it was a matter of getting comfortable with the land and knowing when to let nature take its course."
It's this sweet simplicity combined with artistry that draws customers back each week to discover what the earth has wrought. Snapdragons crowd in with sunflowers and asters fight for space with amaranthus, but the result is one of elegance, brilliance and true natural beauty. "I like to create different combinations with my flowers," says Curran. "I put them in buckets according to hue, then play with them to create arrangements. It's like painting for me."
Salt Spring Island Market in the Park, Ganges Village, Centennial Park, B.C.,
(250) 537-4448.
Read more in Out & About and Destinations
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